Gambling around the World
The little industry we now know as gambling dates back as far as the Palaeolithic period; a time when the world was flat and when they didn’t write down history. Online slots were a speck in the eyes of the ancient Ladbrokes dwellers of yesteryear.
If we look at more recent events further up the timeline gambling and playing cards existed in Ancient China as early as the 9th century with the first known casino, as we know and love was born in Italy in 1638. It was named the Ridotto.
Since then things have gotten a lot more complicated and adapted with technology as the years have gone by. We are now at a point where the hyper-connectivity brought on by the internet has allowed gambling, specifically online casino games gambling to thrive into a multi-billion pound industry. People can simply play anywhere, anytime, whilst on the go. But the freedoms that come with the right to gamble and online gaming are sometimes quashed in various destinations around the globe.
Take a look through the list below and gain an understanding of just a few of the world’s ideals when it comes to gambling and the online industries.
It must first be noted that when we say ‘ban’ this can be multi-faceted. There can be bans made on sites operating out of a country’s jurisdiction or it can simply mean a blanket ban on online gambling as a whole.
USA
Gambling in the United States is a nuanced fortress with laws differentiating from state to state. Obviously, the prominent gambling experiences exist in places like Nevada that houses Las Vegas and also Atlantic City. In addition, Native American reserves are also protected by these laws. There are many loopholes that online betting firms have tried to take advantage of but for the most part gambling in the USA is illegal. Take a look below to see a few of the states where gambling is legal.
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- Washington
- West Virginia
Russia
Over in Russia, all online gambling is prohibited following Russian legislation that was brought into action in 2006. These laws relate to any gambling that stems from any sort of telecommunications technology. It’s no allusion that the historical secretive state operates under this gambling legislature.
Australia
Sports betting in Australia is very much a legal activity with many pubs having ‘bookies’ that operate out of the back rooms. In addition to this, recent laws in 2017 have banned all forms of online gambling across Australia while also banning any gameplay and registrations from users who are attempting to play on gaming sites that operate outside of the Australian jurisdiction bringing an end to any industry and customers from the land down under.
India
Indian Gambling laws operate similarly to the USA on a state-by-state basis however in a much more complicated and volatile way. Online gambling is illegal in the state of Maharashtra but in other states there is much controversy and debate surrounding the legality and ethics of online gambling in the Indian provinces. Funnily enough, state officials posed the legality of online gambling the Indian central government but the government declined to provide any sort of guidance on the matter. For now, India operates according to their differentiating state laws.
Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda has gained some notoriety over the years for acting as a ‘holding country’ for many publicly traded companies that operate out of the London Stock Exchange and is now added to the UK’s white hat list which allows casinos to be able to advertise in the UK. This alone makes big waves as companies can make the most of an offshore tax haven while also advertising to a large clientele in the UK.
In addition to this there has been some fierce arguments between Antigua and the USA with the former reporting the latter to the World Trade Organisation about Americas’ impediment of online gambling and gambling in general.
2013 saw landmark legislature passed for Antigua to take advantage of US copyrights and exploit them by monetising American patents and intellectual assets. It seems like a harsh blow on America on their search for moral gambling domination but it seems like Antigua have other strong gambling nations on their side and many world trade organisations that can provide trade and muscle against the insular United States.
Summary
There are many other countries around the world with similar legislature surrounding the legality and ethics of online gambling. Listed above are just a few of the stand out cases that separate opinion around the world. As technology only becomes more accessible around the world it’s questionable whether the very arguments that first-world nations have had will begin to arise in developing countries. It’s important to always remember to gamble responsibly and check the laws surrounding what’s acceptable in your home country. If you want to find out more about UK Laws on Gambling then click the link.
