Games of fortune and chance have been around for a long time. Since most of such games are associated with financial manipulations, all modern countries have certain legislation governing gambling. Globally, gambling deals with gaming, betting, or taking chances in the lottery. To regulate the industry, there are corresponding institutions that provide licenses for gambling activities, information about which you can find in various casino news. Thus, any licensed casino may ensure the safety and security of people who gamble.
What is the legal age of gambling?
Along with all the rules and limitations, the gambler’s age is one of the most important issues in each gambling industry jurisdiction. Let’s, first of all, specify that the gambling age means from what age a gambler is allowed to start playing according to the laws of the country where he/she is going to gamble. Each country has its limitations as to the minimum age to gamble. In some of them, there are even different gambling categories that require a specific age limit. And, of course, there are places where gambling is prohibited by the jurisdictions so whatever your age is you can’t gamble at all.
Some cases in the world practice provide the age limit differences for land-based and online casinos within the same jurisdiction. And while in the case of land-based casinos, the laws are more or less clear and straightforward, in online institutions the norms and procedures are more blurred and require utmost consideration.
How does the age of gambling differ from country to country?
The difference in the age to gamble depends not only on the jurisdiction but also on cultural assumptions. If we want to calculate an arithmetic mean of gambling age around the world, then we can safely round it up to the age of eighteen. This means that it is restricted to gamble in the licensed institutions if you’re younger. However, each jurisdiction provides specific rules for gambling and age limitations, which everyone should pay attention to before starting any gambling activities.
It is also worth noting that some jurisdictions have different age restrictions for natives and the guests of the country. For example, in Portugal, the gambling age for natives is 25 years old but if you travel from Germany to Portugal, being 18 years old is enough to gamble.
Generally, in the European countries with legal gambling, the average minimum age to gamble starts from 18 years old. However, there are places where the gambling age must be at least 21 years old, like in Belgium, Ireland, and Germany.
In the USA, gambling laws differ from state to state. Thus, in some states, the age to play is 18 years old, while in others you must be at least 21 years old to play. In some states, however, some gambling categories are restricted at all, except for Las Vegas and Atlantic City, of course.
In this review, we would like to take a closer look at the number of countries in terms of whether gambling is legal there or not, and what the gambling age is. They are Georgia, Germany, India, Poland, Russia, and Turkey.
Georgia is one of those countries with a fully legalized gambling industry. In this regard, all branches of the game sector are strictly regulated and are subject to constant checks for compliance with the norms and standards of the jurisdiction.
Taking into account the age law for the gambling sector, Georgia allows players to gamble from the age of 18. However, if you are not 21 years old yet, then it is too early for you to go to the casino and you will simply not be allowed in.
Local authorities and commissions conduct regular surveys of the population concerning their attitude towards this industry. Special attention is paid to the percentage of involvement of young people in this type of entertainment. According to other studies of the gambling sector, Georgia attracts a considerable number of tourists from different countries, including neighboring Muslim countries, where gambling is most often prohibited.
Germany is one of the largest gambling markets in Europe. Here it is legal to play both in the online casinos and land-based institutions. The legal basis for the gambling legalization started to develop in Germany in the middle of the last century, in the postwar period.
German legislation concerning terrestrial and online gambling mainly provides protection of minors and prevents fraud and development of illicit business. In 2021, Germany is going to introduce new gaming legislation.
The new laws provide for stricter measures regarding age limits. The updated requirements pay special attention to checking the age of players. Online casinos must take all necessary measures to ensure that the gambling website has a clear requirement to prevent persons under the age of 18 from playing. In addition, the new legislation will require online gambling sites to provide players with access to the test for the assessment of ludomania.
Gambling age allowed in India
Gambling is allowed by law in India but it should be noted that different states of India have different rules regarding certain types of gambling entertainments. In this sense, the situation in India is similar to the United States.
The first state, which established the permitted gambling activity in India, was Goa. Then, the industry began to develop throughout the country, but there remained some states such as Assam and Orissa, for example, where gambling is completely prohibited.
Online gambling sites are considered legal only in two states of India – Sikkim and Nagaland. However, Indian law does not prohibit its citizens to use offshore gambling websites.
As for the question about the age at which players are allowed to play, it is necessary to consider in detail. The average minimum in India is the age of 21. However, if we consider the online platforms, it is allowed to play there for persons who have reached the age of 18 years.
Gambling age allowed in Poland
Polish gambling law provides all necessary measures to ensure responsible gambling. Including all the necessary precautions to prevent minors from accessing gambling sites. Although only sports betting can obtain a license in Poland itself, the Polish are allowed to use online casino services based within other jurisdictions.
However, being a gambling provider in Poland means strictly complying with the law and following all regulations. Gambling in Poland is allowed only for persons aged 18 and older. Persons under the age of 18 are not allowed even to enter the premises where gambling takes place.
Online casinos also strictly observe the age limit and thoroughly check the age of a player by means of verification to prevent minors from playing by any means and protect them from gambling addiction.
Gambling age allowed in Russia
Since 2009, Russia has adopted legislation under which all terrestrial gambling establishments must be concentrated in four allowed zones, and online gambling sites are completely prohibited. The Russian government is very strict in monitoring compliance with the legislation and requires ISPs blocking any gambling operators that in one way or another useful means of communication, be it Internet or mobile communication.
In the four regions where land-based gambling is allowed, the minimum age to access the games or to work in a casino is 18 years.
Gambling age allowed in Turkey
Laws of Turkey prohibit any gambling establishments, be they land-based or online casinos. Any form of gambling, implying any form of income based on the chance, is considered illegal and is punishable by law.
However, there are certain types of gambling, which are classified by Turkish legislation as games of chance and are fully regulated by special state institutions. They include The National Lottery, Number Games, Instant-Win Games, and Sports Betting.
Gambling providers in Turkey are required to openly and transparently inform all potential players that the minimum age allowed by law for gambling should exceed 18 years.
What is the best age for gambling?
The gambling industry is very diverse and includes different types of games. However, a distinctive feature of this sector of entertainment is that all these games are associated with income generation based on chance. This affects in a certain way the psychological aspect of the person who plays such games. That is why in all countries there is certain legislation, which closely ensures that all business that is built in this industry, responsibly treats its customers and strictly complies with all conditions specially developed by the world’s governments.
However, the area of responsibility does not apply only to owners of gambling businesses. Players themselves must also comply with the rules and laws regarding gambling. Therefore, speaking about the age limit, every country in the world is strict to keep minors out of this industry. If, however, persons under the age limit are fraudulently able to use the services of gambling establishments, they should be aware that if true information is disclosed, they may lose the money used for gambling and winnings, as well as be subject to some sort of penalties.
Summing up this article, let’s try to determine what age can be considered the most appropriate for admission of persons to gambling. Of course, the first and foremost condition is that the games of chance should not be available to persons who have not reached the age of majority. However, we would like to add one more important thing. We also believe that it is up to each individual who has reached the legal age and is responsible for his or her actions to decide for himself or herself whether he or she is ready to responsibly approach this type of entertainment.
If you do decide to become a client of a gambling establishment and spend your time having fun and hoping for luck, then you should carefully review the gambling venues available in your jurisdiction. If we are talking about terrestrial organizations, as a rule, everything is very simple and clear there, and you can always ask for help from the live staff right on the spot and solve all disputable issues. When it comes to online gambling, here we would recommend paying special attention to the following points:
- Online casinos must be licensed. As a rule, information about the license is available at the bottom of the home page of the website.
- Gambling platforms should place information about the legal age of players in an easily accessible and visible place on the website.
- When registering new users, each of them must pass strict verification with the provision of an identity document confirming the identity and age of the potential player.
- We also recommend that you pay attention to whether the online casino has a self-exclusion feature, which implies the ability of the player to prohibit himself/herself from visiting the gambling establishment like in such online casinos as Play Fortuna and Booi. To do this, the user opens a special section where he or she can choose the period for which access to gambling will be blocked for him/her.
Always remain aware when choosing an online casino and be responsible and considerate during the game. Take advantage of the online casino reviews before you make your choice in favor of a particular venue. As a rule, reviews are available online, giving you a preliminary idea of whether it is worth playing on a particular platform. If there are no reviews, then it is also an indicator that does not play for the benefit of the institution. We recommend you to discover well-known gambling providers collecting various famous online casinos under one roof like Gambling Craft.
We hope that this article was useful to you. We wish you all a good gambling experience and responsible gaming!
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