Betting and gambling is a huge industry that as the years pass is only booming with popularity and in 2018 its estimated worldwide worth was breathtaking, with a total of around $450 billion, looking to grow to over $550 billion by the year 2022.
The possibilities are endless, from slots, blackjack and roulette to football, horse racing and rugby, betting is popular with countless people all across the globe, but the industry is known to differ depending on where you are in the world. These popularity differences are down to not only the laws of each country but also the method in which people favour, so let’s take a look at the wonderful world of gambling and what countries around the world have to say about it.
The United States and Canada
Believe it or not, the United States is more strict on betting than many may realise and until recently – 2018 – sports betting was banned completely in the states, but so now 11 states have legalised this form of betting and others are waiting to do the same.
However, when it comes to casinos, one place is sure to come to the mind of many and that is Las Vegas, the home of casinos. The casinos on the Las Vegas Strip are estimated to generate around $72 million each year in revenue due to the masses of people that visit from all over the world for the one of a kind gambling experience, from massive jackpots to the lavish appearance of the casinos themselves.
However, the United State’s biggest casino happens to be in Oklahoma, not Nevada. Winstar World Casino Resort is located in Thackerville, Oklahoma and stretches over 400,000 square feet, putting many Vegas casinos to shame. But, sadly Oklahoma does not have the same betting status as Nevada and so despite it, size does not get as much attention from tourists looking to win big.
Canada, on the other hand, does not have any legal restrictions on gambling as long as it is licenced and regulated by the government, so if you find yourself visiting then you are more than welcome to place a bet at the local casino or play games on live casino portals in Canada. It’s safe to say that Canadians have a healthy betting appetite, especially when it comes to lottery tickets, with a participation rate of 65% and the popularity of instant win tickets follows closely behind.
England
Gambling is legal in the United Kingdom, from sports bets to casinos, but all activity is regulated by the Gambling Commission on behalf of the government.
Although England is not known for its casinos, gambling is greatly enjoyed, but one of the most popular forms of betting in sport betting. Anything from a football game to the horse races gets the hearts of the fans racing and brings in unthinkable amounts each year. Events such as the Grand National horse races see tens of thousands of bets placed over the length of the event and add up to around £150 million each year.
But, much like Canada, the British also favour the Lottery when it comes to trying to win some money. Brand like the national lottery and the Euro millions are the two most popular in England and have enticed over 50% of the population to take part and give it a go.
Qatar
In the US gambling is restricted, in the UK betting is a popular accompaniment to watching sport, but in Qatar, placing a bet could get you into serious trouble with the authorities and they are not the only country who do so, with the United Arab Emirates, Poland, Cambodia and North Korea also having strict laws and severe punishments for gambling activity of any kind, but often just for their own citizens and have leniency towards tourists doing so.
All forms of gambling or betting activity are strictly against the law, however, some people do choose to bend the rules by opting to online gambling, which is also illegal, but is not as easy to trace or prevent the people from doing so as many sites are accessible from all over the world and so they access a foreign-based website.
Australia
Australia has many nicknames, one of them being ‘a gamblers paradise’ as it offers bet lovers endless opportunities to do just that, from the slots and casinos to the lottery. It is so popular for its betting and gambling due to the fact that winnings are not taxed and so allow you to go home with exactly what you won, I bet that has caught your attention. but, it’s not just tourists that are attracted to the Aussie way of gambling, but Australians themselves are not shy with spending hundreds each month.
