Online gambling monitoring and regulation are designed to ensure gambling providers operate ethically and lawfully and treat gamblers fairly.
But while online gambling is a global industry, no one piece of legislation addresses its legality across all jurisdictions. Instead, most states and countries implement their own laws to monitor and regulate how online gambling sites operate.
Here is a look at how this happens across different jurisdictions and the licensing authorities that handle it.
United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, all online and land-based gambling activities are legal and regulated by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC). The commission issues companies with licenses to establish online gambling sites within the UK and provide their services to residents and players from other countries. In addition, gambling sites with UKGC licenses are part of the Gamstop exclusion system that shuts players out of all gambling sites to curb problem gambling. This provision is why non-Gamstop casino sites, which you can read more about here, are very popular in the UK.
United States and Canada
Online gambling is not monitored nationwide in the United States. In fact, only seven states have legalized online gambling activities and created laws to regulate it within their borders. The same applies to Canada, wherein the individual provinces regulate online casinos within their regions. However, a law in Canada makes it illegal for online gambling providers to extend their services to Canadian citizens without a government-issued license.
Australia
In Australia, online gambling activities are regulated at the state and mainland territory levels, with each region having its own regulatory body. The Interactive Gaming Act of 2001 (IGA), in turn, regulates online gambling sites for the entire country. Per IGA laws, online casinos in Australia cannot advertise or offer real-money services to citizens, who can turn to offshore sites. By extension, Australian sites are only legal when they provide their services to non-Australian players.
France
The Regulatory Authority for Online Games (ARJEL) regulates online gaming activities in France. Established in 2010 by the French Gaming Act, this Paris-based body consists of seven permanent president-appointed members. It issues three licenses to qualified providers; online poker games, horse racing betting, and online sports betting.
Singapore
Per the Casino Act (Cap.33A), the Casino Regulatory Authority of Singapore sets the country's Casino Control Regulations with approval from the Home Affairs Minister. The regulations dictate the terms and conditions casino providers in Singapore must meet to operate within the jurisdiction. They are usually enforced as law and published in the Government Gazette.
Malta
Online gambling in Malta is regulated by the Malta Lotteries and Gaming Authority (LGA). The body sets regulations designed to protect players by ensuring casino providers have sufficient funds, operate fairly, and are transparent. But while Malta is a popular offshore licensing jurisdiction of EU casino providers, the regulatory body does not interfere with disputes between players and these companies. It may only initiate and establish contact with the casino.
Curacao Internet Gambling Association (Curacao)
The Curacao Internet Gambling Association monitors online gaming in Curacao. This region is widely regarded as a trusted license jurisdiction, and many offshore providers base their companies here. Per the laws set by the association, online gambling activities are legal in Curacao, and the government is directly involved in offering incentives to operators.
Germany
Germany did not have any gambling laws or regulatory bodies until 2008. Schleswig-Holstein (Hamburg), one of the country's constitutive states, legalized online sports betting, several casino games, and poker. Currently, online gambling is only legal within Schleswig-Holstein, which has its own regulatory body.
Conclusion
Online gaming and betting require you to trust an unseen third party with your money and personal and financial data. Due to this, it can be comforting to know that multiple regulatory bodies are dedicated to ensuring online gambling providers treat you fairly and ethically. Before you join a gambling site, you should learn how the governing body in your jurisdiction works and if the provider you are considering is in compliance.
