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New Jersey has some of the most open and permissive gambling laws in the US. The state has around a dozen casinos and a handful of racetracks, although state legislation only allows for casinos to be located in Atlantic City currently. Similarly, online casinos, which are presently only regulated in half a dozen states across the US, are also legal and regulated, but the servers that operate gambling websites must be located within Atlantic City.
US gambling laws are decided at the state level and typically require a public ballot before being passed. Nevada was the first to legalize online poker, in 2013, but this was closely followed by New Jersey in 2013, when online casinos were also legalized.
Physical casinos and gambling venues have seen some downturn in NJ, but online gaming revenue has increased, bringing total gambling revenue in the state to around $500 million per month.
Gambling In Nevada
Nevada is the gambling mecca of North America. Gambling has been legal in the state for nearly 100 years and they were the first state to legalize online gambling, in 2010.
There are an estimated 150 main casinos and 300 smaller casinos, as well as thousands of slot machine parlors in the state. Nevada sees more than a billion dollars a month in gambling revenue with the largest part of this unsurprisingly being generated on the Las Vegas Strip.
Utah Gambling
Two states in the US prohibit all forms of gambling, Utah and Hawaii. Not even raffles or state lotteries can be held in Utah, where gambling has been illegal since the state’s inception.
Online casinos are theoretically banned, although that doesn’t stop players from going online and using offshore casinos to place wagers. Of course, Utah shares a long border with Nevada, which means Utahns are free to cross the border and get their fill of physical casino games, too.
Global Gambling
Gambling laws vary around the world. Some countries, like the UK, have extremely permissive and open gambling laws with huge gambling industries. In contrast, countries like Qatar and the United Arab Emirates prohibit all forms of gambling.
Here is a closer look at the situation in a handful of countries:
Gambling In Norway
In Norway, gambling is largely illegal, and is mainly controlled by a state monopoly. There are two companies licensed to operate and offer gambling services in the country. Norsk Rikstoto is licensed to offer horse racing betting, while Norsk Tipping is licensed to offer lotteries, sports betting, and Keno games.
The government has attempted to make it illegal for offshore companies to offer gambling to Norwegians, and it can be difficult for residents to find casinos, even offshore casinos, that will accept Norwegian bank cards. As a result, many players use alternative methods of funding online accounts, including cryptocurrency. Online casinos are much more attractive than state-run gambling platforms, as according to betting expert Sara Louise, they offer a wide range of casino bonus offers and incentives to use their websites. These promotions are sometimes worth up to 2000 Euros ($2200+).
The Canadian Gambling Market
Canada has federal laws that state gambling is legal if offered through licensed facilities and they enable provinces to set their own gambling laws. Ontario was the country’s first, and currently only, province to allow online casino gambling and sports betting. Ontario passed these laws in April 2022, after the federal government opened up gambling laws to provincial rule in June 2021.
In Q1 2024, the province saw $2.7 billion in online gambling revenue and such has been its explosive growth that Alberta has said that it will not only follow suit by legalizing online gaming but will closely follow Ontario’s lead and use there rules as a roadmap for success. This may happen by the end of the year but will more likely be passed in 2025. No other provinces have committed to legalization yet.
UK Gambling Regulations
The UK is often hailed as one of the most open but carefully regulated gambling markets in the world. Sports betting is legal, with bookmakers in most towns and cities, and there are approximately 150 casinos across the country. Arcades and slot machine facilities are also commonplace, especially in seaside towns.
Online gambling is also open, and the government not only taxes UK gambling businesses but taxes offshore casinos on their profits from UK gamers.
Including the National Lottery, which is a nationwide lottery with a jackpot of millions of pounds, the UK’s gaming industry has revenues of more than £15 billion a year, equivalent to nearly $20 billion annually.
Counties Where Gambling is Illegal
There are many countries around the world where gambling is completely prohibited. The United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Japan, Cyprus, and Cambodia are some of these countries, although many do have underground gambling operations, and players still access offshore casinos.
In Japan, a person caught gambling can be fined the equivalent of $3,400, while habitual gamblers can face a prison term of up to three years. The UAE has similar penalties of up to $5,500 or two years in prison.
Biggest Gambling Markets Overall
Despite there being many states in which gambling is only partially regulated or still completely prohibited, the US has the highest gambling revenue of any country in the world, with revenue totaling nearly $70 billion a year.
The UK has the second highest figure but falls some way short of the US with less than $20 billion a year. France, Canada, and Australia make up the top 5 and all have annual gambling revenue of between $10 billion and $15 billion a year.
While the US also tops the list for having the most casinos, with more than 2,000, it is Romania that is said to have the second highest figure, with 450 casinos across the country. Czechia, the UK, and Canada have the next highest figures.
