Gambling Legislation and the Best Bonuses for American, Irish, New Zealand, Canadian and British Players
We live in a complex and ever-changing world. To be successful in it, you need to be well-informed and up to date with those changes. This is especially true if you want to be a successful gambler.
The market today for online casinos is very big and diverse. There are many different options out there, and things are further complicated by different legislation in each country. Below we will take a closer look at the relevant regulations as well as what you need to know when it comes to choosing the best online casinos and the bonuses they offer.
United States
Even before there were any specific laws about online gambling in the US, this activity was still regulated by older, pre-Internet, laws.
One of these laws was the Wire Act of 1961. Yes, a law passed in 1961 was used to regulate internet gambling. The state was able to do this because the law contained a paragraph about betting by “using a wire communication facility”, which could be interpreted in such a way when applied to internet gambling.
The application of this law made all internet gambling illegal, that is, until 2011 when a big change occurred. That year the Department of Justice released a legal opinion that gave much more authority to the states in determining how exactly each of them approaches the issue of online gambling. This opinion automatically decriminalized online games such as poker, bingo, lottery, and slot games, but online sports betting remained illegal.
Nineteen states legalized at least some form of physical sportsbooks. But a smaller number of states decided to legalize online sports gambling as well. There are currently only 12 US states that allow legal online sports betting. But things are rapidly changing, and more states are joining the ranks.
Ireland
The Irish gambling laws changed quite a bit in the last 10 years. In an effort to keep up with the changes in technology, the Irish also made changes to their laws.
Casinos are illegal in Ireland, but a loophole created a possibility of establishing gambling clubs. There are currently 14 of them, and they require membership for all participants. A law called the Gambling Control Bill of 2013 was authored by Alan Shatter, however, it is yet to be passed by Parliament. When passed, it will allow up to 40 legal land-based casinos.
Online gambling started developing in Ireland in 2001, and by 2003 the country fully embraced the concept. Both offshore and local online casino gambling is legal for Irish citizens.
New Zealand
The two main laws that regulate gambling in New Zealand are the Gambling Act of 2003 and the Racing Act of 2003. These laws allow various forms of legal gambling to NZ citizens, such as sports betting, bingo, poker, racing, and casino gambling.
Not only that, but the Department of Internal Affairs has additionally made it clear that it’s legal to gamble using licensed and regulated online gambling websites that are located outside of New Zealand borders.
So, offshore online gambling is legal, as long as you use licensed websites. In determining which sites are licensed and which are not, it’s fairly easy to break the law by mistake – this is why you should use the information provided at the end of this article.
Canada
The first legal Canadian land-based casino was opened in Winnipeg in 1989, and many followed after that.
But the situation with the legality of online gambling in Canada is much more unclear, as there is still no law that specifically focuses on it. Land-based and online gambling is not differentiated in the eyes of the state, and it is up to individual provinces how they will deal with this issue.
The companies are banned from setting up online casinos in Canada, but the law doesn’t say anything about Canadian citizens accessing offshore online casinos. Not only that, but many of these casinos actually have servers in Canada – since they are located on the autonomous First Nations reserve called the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake, this is all completely legal.
United Kingdom
Under the Gambling Act of 2005, it’s legal for UK residents to gamble.
Licensed and regulated land-based casinos are allowed in the UK, with special provisions determining where exactly they are allowed to set up shop.
Different kinds of betting, including slot machines and arcades, are also allowed. Provided they have been licensed by the Gambling Commission, of course. The establishments that do not serve alcohol can even operate legally with only a local permit.
The 2005 law also legalized online gambling. As is the case with their land-based counterparts, online gambling can only be practiced by persons that are 18 or older.
Best Bonuses and Best Casinos
Most online casinos offer different kinds of bonuses to their customers. These can be free spin bonuses for slot games, bonuses that don’t require you to deposit any of your money to get them, special and exclusive bonuses available only to players that have a special relationship with the casino, bitcoin, and cashback bonuses, and many other kinds.
When taking into account the many options for bonuses along with different legislation in each country, it can be quite overwhelming trying to find the best online casino options for you. This is why it’s prudent to visit websites that offer all the relevant information in one place, like https://www.casinotopsonline.com/best-casino-bonuses.
The online casino market is almost too big to be understood and studied properly. And the different and always changing laws in these countries can complicate things even more. Today, if you want to be a successful gambler it is crucial to be well-informed, and up to date with the latest developments, sourced from reputable websites. Be diligent in your search and mindful of the fact that gambling, for a large majority of us, is meant to be a fun pastime.