Gambling is one of the most popular forms of entertainment in Europe. And after the beginning of the global pandemic, online games of chance became a new trend. The European Gaming and Betting Association reports that in 2021, 41.7% of total gambling profits in Europe came from the online sphere. The convenience of remote casinos made them extremely common across the EU. And as brick-and-mortar venues were shutting down for lockdowns in 2020, iGaming sites spiked in popularity.
The European countries also have one of the strictest rules, when it comes to games of chance. Many EU states operate to comply with European Commission’s regulations. But as each EU country is an autonomous state, the gambling laws across Europe are extremely diverse. While in most countries of the European Union gambling is legally allowed, the laws may be extremely different. Something completely normal in one country could be considered strange in another. Let’s review some of the weirdest gambling laws in Europe.
The UK forbids gambling in a library
The UK is known for its long gambling history. The country also has one strange and outdated gambling rule. If you are in Britain and want to play a game of chance, don’t go to the library to do so. According to the Library Offences Act of 1988, gambling in a British library is forbidden. The legislation still applies. The gambling industry, however, is regulated by a much newer Gambling Act of 2005.
Switzerland blocks IP addresses of foreign casino sites
Switzerland has two levels of gambling legislation:
- The federal law, which regulates casino licensing;
- The cantonal law, which supervises lottery and sports betting.
As of January 2019, when the Swiss Money Gaming Act came into effect, the country started blocking IP addresses of all foreign iGaming sites. There is a similar regulation in Austria.
Norway is the third-biggest gambling region in the EU despite strict laws
Gambling is mostly illegal in Norway. When it comes to land-based casinos and betting, this Scandinavian country has one of the strictest gambling laws in Europe. The state-controlled Norks Tipping and Norsk Rikstoto have a monopoly on gambling and betting in the country. But the Norwegian legislation doesn’t mention online gambling at all. This led to a boom in offshore gambling among the Norwegians. Also, as of 2010, it is illegal to send money to a foreign gambling company from your Norwegian bank account. But locals found ways to circumvent this ban.
The Netherlands: ban on online gambling
Up until the end of 2021, the Netherlands had one of the most unusual gambling laws in the EU. The country granted gambling licenses to the local firms only and didn’t allow online games of chance at all. Moreover, all offline casinos are controlled by the government.
This all changed on October 1, 2021, when the Dutch gambling authority finally opened the iGaming market.
New Zealanders can only gamble in offshore casinos
Although New Zealand is not in Europe, we could not omit the strange gambling laws in this country. According to the local legislation, New Zealanders are only allowed to gamble at online casinos that are outside of their country. There is, however, an authority that manages these gambling websites. While this is undoubtedly a unique gambling scene, people in New Zealand don’t feel restrained or limited when playing games of chance at all.
Conclusion
Gambling is a popular activity that is loved by people all across the globe. No matter how governments try to regulate it, players will always find a way to play their favorite games of chance.
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