Many Countries Are Still In An Online Gambling Gray Area
With an established market and proper regulations, the economy surrounding online casinos in the UK is a benchmark for the industry. Although UK players get a clear-cut experience when they visit casinos online, the situation is not so straightforward in other countries. Depending on the region, players can expect some strange rules about accessing a casino on the internet.
German Online Casinos
Germany banned internet gambling in 2008, but then things changed a few years later. The country amended the legislation in 2012 after pressure from the European Union. As a result, Germany offered 20 licenses for which operators could submit an application. The licenses were subjected to numerous extensions and revisions by the government, and therefore have never been officially granted. At the present time, online casinos in Germany operate in a strange scenario that fortunately still grants access to players. It is unclear what the country will decide to do about making online gambling official one way or the other.
Gambling Online in New Zealand
The country of New Zealand has a lot of gray area in its online gambling legislation. Its Gambling Act, which was passed in 2003, makes using online casinos somewhat difficult. However, playing at a casino online in New Zealand is still possible. The wording of the Gambling Act only prohibits online gambling at sites that are based in New Zealand. This legislation does not cover overseas vendors. Players can still access an online casino if the operator has its headquarters offshore. On a side note, gambling at the race track or a land-based casino is still a legal option.
Swedish Online Gambling
Online gambling in Sweden is an interesting situation. Officially, the state-run gambling services make up a monopoly of what Swedish players can access. The thing is there are many unregulated providers of online casinos and sports betting, which draws in a hefty revenue of over SEK4 billion. Sweden plans to start offering licenses to privatized online gambling operators in July 2018. New legislation related to regulated internet gambling services is slated to take effect at the beginning of 2019. Ultimately, the new model can be successful if it follows in the footsteps of the UK.
The United States
The United States has perhaps the most complicated relationship with gambling online. There is no specific legislation that prohibits online gambling on the federal level. However, the laws vary from state to state and online casinos in the USA are mainly banned. The push to allow online gambling is happening in multiple states, and it is legal in others such as Nevada and New Jersey. Any player who decides to bet online must be careful about the specific laws regarding the practice. Although there is no law on the books about online casinos, sports betting online is a banned activity by the federal government.
