Legal gambling - what does it look like in Europe?

It is only since the beginning of the new century and at the same time the millennium that we have seen the gambling industry grow exponentially. At the same time, this is linked to advancing technological change. Today, for many of us gambling is all about the possibility of playing online. On the one hand, it seems to us that traditional borders do not apply to us and that we can freely use casinos or gamble sites CSGO in many countries. Meanwhile, each country introduces its own regulations that make gambling more or less legal. We decided to take a look at what the situation is like in Europe, especially in a few selected countries.

Why is it worth knowing?

Before we go on to present the laws in each country, we would like to present the most important information about what you should know in relation to casinos. If we want to claim the no-deposit free spins or other bonuses offered to us by an online casino (which is a very good opportunity to start the adventure), then we need to make sure how things stand in terms of legislation. While it may seem to some that free market rules prevail, each country has the right to make its own separate regulations. We will therefore come across countries that are very liberal in this regard, as well as countries where it is extremely difficult to play in casinos. We will specifically omit Poland, because, as many people know, in our country gambling is only accessible to adults and there is only one official online casino where gambling is legal. All other online casinos are considered illegal.

Malta

We start with a country whose legal gambling legislation is actually causing trouble for many other European countries. For Malta is unofficially considered the capital of European online gambling. For years, this small island country has had gambling and tax laws structured in such a way that it is extremely friendly to gambling companies. It is even assumed that more than 10% of all global gambling operators are based in Malta. The regulatory body here is the Malta Gaming Authority, which is regarded as one of the most reputable organisations in the world. It is the authority that issues operating licences. On top of this, companies here can count on a favourable system of fees and taxes. In addition, the players themselves can count on legal gaming and often no tax on winnings.

United Kingdom

The UK is another friendly place for gambling. For gambling companies, the local regulations are very comfortable as they do not impose many restrictions, giving them the chance to grow. Here we have the main government organisation that grants licences: UK Gambling Commission. However, there are also licences in the UK that are granted by:

● Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission,

● Gibraltar Regulatory Authority

● Alderney Gambling Control Commission

● Malta Gaming Authority.

What interests us, however, is how things work with gaming in the UK. Here, too, there is a fair amount of liberalism, so that you can enjoy the services of many casinos and bookmakers, both online and land-based. There is a lot of gambling on the Isles, and bookmaker outlets, slot machine parlours can be found quietly on the streets.

Germany

Due to the proximity and considerable presence of Poles in Germany, let's take a look at what the gambling laws are like in our western neighbours. For a long time, local laws were not very favourable to players, for whom online gaming was considered illegal. In 2021, however, the so-called Interstate Treaty on Gambling was introduced. With it, online gambling was legalised. However, any casino or bookmaker must be established in the EU and the European Economic Area and licensed by the German regulatory authority. This has resulted in a steadily expanding list of companies licensed to operate in Germany since 2021.

Netherlands

A lot has also changed in the Netherlands in recent years. Previously, the game was somewhat like in Poland, where it was a breach of the law to use online companies without a licence, but without major legal problems. New legislation in the Netherlands allows operators of foreign online casinos to apply for the appropriate licence. Dozens of companies, both in the casino and bookmaking industry, have already taken advantage of such an option to date. As early as 2021, a study showed that people in the Netherlands were spending hundreds of millions of euros on online gambling, which in addition involved the grey market. Many people simply did not even know that online gambling was illegal. Now all this has only changed for the better, so one can count on the industry to grow in this country. Other countries with player-friendly regulations include:

● Monaco,

● Denmark,

● Cyprus,

● Gibraltar.

Of course, there are more such countries, but here you can actually count on the most friendly regulations.

France

France, on the other hand, is an example of a country where regulations are not necessarily friendly, however. Online gambling in France is supervised by the ANJ. Land-based casinos are only allowed in certain areas in France. Each individual casino must obtain a licence from the Ministry of the Interior. For betting shops, online gambling is possible for both French and foreign companies. Worse, however, are online casinos, which currently have no chance of obtaining licences. This also shows that people in France cannot use them either. However, breaking such a ban does not involve penalties for players. The said ANJ is empowered like the MF in Poland to order ISPs and hosting providers to block access to reported websites.

Spain

Many Poles go on holiday to Spain. So what does it look like on the Iberian Peninsula? In Spain, betting, poker, casino games and lotteries are generally allowed, although they require the necessary authorisation. However, in doing so, it is important to bear in mind that Spain is a country divided into 17 autonomous regions, where each has its own legal capacity to regulate certain laws. The national authority for issuing licences is the Directorate General of Gaming Regulation (DGOJ). By law, Spanish residents can only access online gambling platforms managed by operators with the appropriate Spanish licence.

We read the regulations

We are well aware that many of our country's residents like to travel around Europe and equally like to go to selected countries for work. Sometimes we forget that even though we are citizens of the Republic of Poland, we are still bound by local regulations. These also apply to land-based and online gambling. We therefore recommend that you check the local regulations every time you travel, in the same way as you do for traffic.

There are therefore some countries in Europe where gambling is fully accessible and legal and others where, unfortunately, there are sometimes problems with accessibility. It is always a good idea to know the regulations that apply in a particular country.