The popularity of gambling around the world and the ever-advancing world of computers and the internet has given birth to the huge online gambling industry that continues to gain popularity at an outstanding rate.
The number of people gambling online is still increasing and has been boosted by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has kept many people indoors and has seen the closure of physical locations around the world.
Despite the popularity of online gambling, many remain somewhat unsure of the safety and legality around placing bets over the internet.
Of course, the internet is global so people have access to websites that fall under the law and regulations of other countries. For example, this Swiss online casino is a safe and legitimate casino that can be accessed from almost anywhere. However, this might not make it legal for you to play on depending on where you live.
To help get your head around the potential confusion, this article will outline the key online gambling in some of the English-speaking countries where gambling is most prominent.
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Is Online Gambling Safe?
The first point to consider is how to stay not only entertained but also safe online and not fall prey to any potential scams. The good news is that there are regulations and laws online casinos must follow, which means there are plenty of safe websites out there.
These safe websites aren’t hard to find and it just takes a little bit of due diligence beforehand to ensure your chosen online casino is properly regulated and legitimate.
Reading customer reviews is a good place to start. Heading to a third-party website where real customers can post their experiences will soon give you a good idea of whether a website can be trusted or not.
Online casinos must also hold specific licenses and be regulated by a governing body. You’ll find a casino’s licenses displayed on their website and you can also head over to the website of a governing body like the UK Gambling Commission to check which sites are regulated by them.
There are other reputable governing bodies based around the world such as the Curacao Gaming Control Board and Malta gambling Authority.
If you’re researching a website and something doesn’t feel right, the best option is to simply move on. After all, there are so many safe and well-run online casinos out there for you to find.
Online Gambling Laws in Different Countries
United States
In the United States, most gambling activities are regulated by the individual states as there is no federal law that prohibits it. This can make it a bit of a minefield so gamblers must ensure they check the laws of their state before gambling online.
The majority of US states allow some forms of gambling but here are some places like Utah and Hawaii where all gambling is banned. Nevada also bans any form of online gambling including online lotteries.
When it comes to online gambling across the rest of the country, it is only illegal if you are placing bets on websites that are being run from within the United States.
Since it is illegal to run an online gambling website in the US, gamblers simply need to ensure they are playing with providers who are based in other countries.
Canada
In Canada, online gambling certainly falls into somewhat of a grey area despite the country ranking 8th in the world for online gambling participants. The Criminal Code of Canada sets out the definitions for illegal gambling activities in the country and states that the individual provinces can govern their own gambling laws.
As a result, online casinos can be run from inside Canada as long as they are owned by a provincial government or have been granted a license to operate by one.
To get around this rule, many popular online casino operators in Canada are based off-shore, which is what makes things a little more confusing. Of course, these sites don’t hold the appropriate provincial licenses but they aren’t based in Canada so argue that they do not fall under Canadian law.
When it comes to the players using these casinos, there is nothing in the law that specifically prohibits a Canadian resident from using any online casino and no citizen has ever been prosecuted for doing so.
If there is any legal action to be taken, the likelihood is that it would come against the providers of the casinos if they are deemed to be operating against the law.
United Kingdom
Online gambling is legal inside of the United Kingdom and the country is home to one of the most reputable online gambling governing bodies in the world: the UK Gambling Commission.
All gambling inside the UK is well-regulated including online gambling, which makes it safer for players who are using websites based inside the country.
Thanks to the Gambling Act 2005, gambling laws in the UK have a clear set of regulations that must be followed for placing bets and hosting games online.
Also, there has been recent talk of a review of the current gambling laws. This review hopes to bring the laws up to speed with modern gambling practices in an effort to give more protection to online gamblers in the UK.
