Compliance Updates
How New Gaming Legislation Affects Gaming at Online Casinos
When most people place a bet at online blackjack, they expect a winning hand. Slot fans want to hit the jackpot while roulette players hope the wheel stops at their predicted number. Unfortunately, new online gamine legislation doesn’t always deliver a winning hand to the casino industry.
This article explores how the series of new gaming laws around the world have been affecting how people gamble online.
Credit Card Ban in the UK
Last year, the UK government enforced a law to ban online gamblers from using credit cards at iGaming websites. The ban applies to all forms of online gambling, from playing slots to buying lottery tickets.
The UK banned credit cards because they “can lead to significant financial harm.” That’s according to Neil McArthur, the CEO of the UKGC. According to McArthur, 22% of problem gamblers in the UK use credit cards for payments.
In that case, banning credit cards could lower the number of problem gamblers in Britain. However, it also means British gamblers will need to rely on money in their banks to play slots and card games.
New Lottery Laws in Finland
Finland is the latest country in Europe to strengthen its online gambling laws. Like the UK, Finland is introducing new gambling laws with an intention to protect its citizens from problem gambling.
The new Finnish gambling law, also known as arpajaislaki in Finnish, is comprehensive and has far-reaching consequences. It affects how Finns deposit money to foreign casinos, how operators advertise and verify their customers. To be clear, players in Finland can still gamble through offshore casinos. But they have to follow the new rules introduced under the lottery law.
Legal Sports Betting in Canada
After years of debates in parliament, Canada finally legalized single-sports betting June this year. In the past, Canadians had to place parlays if they wanted to predict sports outcomes. Now, they can wager on a single team like the rest of the world.
Canadian provinces will make the blueprint on how to run online sports betting websites. Ontario has already launched a fully-fledged online sportsbook while more provinces are in the same process.
In case you’re wondering, Canada is yet to legalize online casinos at a federal level. Presently, the country’s laws allow provinces to regulate online casinos. But the national government is yet to create laws that could bring legal iGaming to everyone in the country.
Online Gambling Legalization in the US
For a long time, most Americans felt like legal online gaming would never come to fruition. Then the Department of Justice allowed states to run online casinos in 2011. Four states created online casino laws but most states remained opposed to legalized online gambling.
In 2018, the US Supreme Court created leeway for states to legalize sports betting by striking off the PASPA Act of 1992. Within three years, more than 20 states permit sports gambling of some form: Online or in-person.
Increased legalization of iGaming in the US is a blow to offshore casinos that target American gamblers. But it’s a boon to everyone who’s always wanted to gamble legally. In New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and West Virginia, you can gamble at both online casinos and sportsbooks.
The Swedish Gambling Act of 2019
Two years ago, Sweden joined the growing list of countries with legal iGaming legislation. Its newest law aims at encouraging offshore casinos to acquire licenses from the Swedish gambling Authority.
By doing so, Sweden can control the iGaming industry and increase its revenues. The law has few implications to gamblers. They can play at their favorite online casinos, like they’ve always done.
However, offshore casinos can no longer advertise on Swedish media unless they’re licensed. Additionally, they need to adhere to standard procedures of fairness and data protection to maintain their business permits.
Monopoly Law in Norway
Before 2017, Norway was like many countries in Europe. It lacked definitive iGaming laws. In 2017, the Nordic nation introduced a controversial law that appointed Norsk Tipping to be the only online gambling company in the country.
Additionally, Norway ordered banks to stop processing payments to offshore casinos. This second effort didn’t succeed in its goal of stopping Norwegians from gambling through overseas websites.
For starters, many online casinos don’t use gambling related terms in their bank account names. As such, banks in Norway can’t tell whether a deposit is headed to a casino site or a shopping website.
On the flip side, there’s no particular law that says a Norwegian citizen can’t bet at a foreign gaming site. This ensures players in Norway can access better quality casino services offshore without facing legal consequences back home.
The Gaming Act of 2018 in Malta
Although Malta has been regulating online casinos for a long time, it introduced a new act to government modern casino sites in 2018. The new act is a consolidation of all gambling-related laws in the country.
Under the new act, Malta has 12 subsidiaries. Basically, the laws are related to what investors need to submit to acquire and maintain a license in Malta. To be clear, Malta has some of the best online gambling laws in Europe.
In fact, it’s the go-to jurisdictions for many investors in the iGaming sector, from software providers to betting companies.
New Laws in Curacao
Before 2015, Curacao was the leading regulator of online gambling. But after years of criticism by governments and players for not holding casinos accountable, Curacao lost its appeal. Instead, new gambling companies began to acquire licenses in Europe.
Curacao is presently changing its laws to make the tougher for applicants. It’s also restructuring its tax policy to attract more casinos. Considering Curacao is a constituent nation of the kingdom of Netherlands, it’s also need to follow the new gaming laws introduced in Holland.
For example, casinos licensed in Curacao will no longer accept players who live in countries where gambling is illegal. This includes customers from the Netherlands. The new laws are new, so only time can tell how they will impact the iGaming industry in Curacao.
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