The gambling market is growing rapidly all over the world. Both European and American gambling industries are experiencing this growth. One of the main reasons behind the rapid growth is the possibility to gamble online as well as the increase in general online activity.

There are significant differences between the gambling markets in America and Europe. In most European countries the laws and legislations regarding gambling are straightforward whereas here in America, it is a far more complex situation.

In this article we discuss the difference between the two markets and point out problems that might occur when some US states open up for gambling, whilst others do not.

Gambling Laws in Europe vs US

Regardless where you go, gambling laws will always be a bit complicated. When comparing European and American casinos you will quickly encounter some big differences when it comes to gambling legalities.

American gambling legislations

In America individual states control the gambling industry in each state. The fact that each individual state determines the gambling laws can make the situation a bit complex. In some states casinos are completely legal whilst in other states it is illegal.

Historically only certain states allowed people to gamble, such as Nevanda and New Jersey. Lately more and more states have started to allow gambling in some form.

It is the government that regulates the gambling laws here in America, but the government does not directly control the actual casinos.

European gambling legislations

There are several European countries that have led the global evolution of online gambling in the last few years, this includes Sweden, Malta, Norway, Ireland and Italy. In general there is a more relaxed approach to gambling in Europe compared to America.

Most of the gambling laws in Europe are more lenient, but at the same time the government usually controls the casino more directly. In some European countries some casinos are even fully government-owned and have a total monopoly.

Regulated casino markets in Europe

There are no EU laws that prohibit online gambling, although all countries in the EU have their own gambling legislations. There are several countries in Europe that have regulated markets for gambling, including:

• Sweden
• Estonia
• France
• Netherlands
• Denmark
• Spain
• Italy

Current problems in regulated markets

The difficulty of keeping players from accessing unlicensed, offshore gambling sites is a big problem in regulated countries in Europe. The reason for this is that despite the existence of a regulated gambling market, unlicensed casinos can still offer their services to players in these markets. Unlicensed casinos usually offer players better odds, more games, different payment methods and more lucrative bonuses, all things that can encourage people to play offshore. Read more about unlicensed casinos in Sweden here: https://spelpressen.se/casino-reportage/casino-utan-svensk-licens

Another channeling problem is the risk of problem gambling and gambling addiction. Regulated markets usually offer some measures to prevent excessive gambling. It is safe to say that these are not always effective in preventing people from becoming addicted to gambling.

The issue of high taxes and licensing fees can also be a problem in regulated markets. Some regulated markets in Europe have very high taxes and fees which makes it difficult for licensed operators to compete with unlicensed casinos.

These same problems could also occur in some US states as they begin to open up to gambling. Without the proper regulation American players may turn to unlicensed offshore casinos, which potentially could increase the risk of problem gambling and addiction.

The US has the advantage of being able to learn from the past successes and mistakes of other regulated markets and could potentially avoid some of these problems that we have seen in European countries.