Where are Online Casinos legal?
Just about every country on earth has a history with gambling- be it dice, cards or the neon lit glow of the casino, everywhere has some history with games of chance being used to win money or just as a means to test the players’ luck. But despite the global history, gambling is far from universally acknowledged with a number of countries outright banning gambling in all it’s forms while others have selective bans on horse-racing, sports betting and, potentially, casinos. It’s this last one that’s most fascinating as casinos have evolved into two very separate beasts, there’s the land-based brick and mortar casinos and the easily accessed online casino which both have different laws associated with them in a lot of countries.
Since 1995 when the first online casino opened its virtual doors, governments the world over have been refining the legislation so it could more accurately reflect the digital age we now live in. The majority of online casinos were initially started in island nations like Malta, Gibraltar and the Isle of Man, due to their jurisdictions this made them attractive prospects for hosting in a legal manner with minimal regulation. Countries soon began changing their legislation so that casinos who operated in island nations would still need to pay tax on their winnings though the rate of which changes dramatically between countries, the UK has a 15% point of consumption tax while Spain has a far mightier 25% tax and in the US the rates vary wildly between Nevada, Delaware and New Jersey- Nevada’s is a low 6.7%, New Jersey is 15% and Delaware’s is, shockingly, a whopping 45%!
Of course, these are just the countries where online gambling is legal- there are plenty of nations across the world where online casinos are completely banned! One of the most prominent, though with an interesting loophole, is China. With the small island of Macau being the only legal place within China’s territory that allows gambling, the area holds a monopoly on the gambling market and serves many wealthy Chinese patrons in a legalized manner. The ban on gambling curiously doesn’t apply to the lottery or sports betting but absolutely does to casinos both on and offline. Despite this, there are multiple sites with a Chinese aimed market that still have players willing to sign up even with the ban and strict internet regulation. For a more detailed rundown of what you can expect from different regions, read on!
