Online gambling has taken the world by storm, and why not? It offers a comfortable, convenient and enjoyable way to gamble on online casinos and sportsbook sites. Instead of travelling to crowded casinos, people can gamble from the comfort of their own homes. The global online gambling market is currently estimated to be worth over $55 billion dollars and is growing at a steady rate of approximately 13 percent. The industry is growing at a rapid rate, with new casino providers, new games, new betting options and new regions.
In contrast to traditional gambling in casinos where visitors can be counted, accurately estimating the number of online gamblers is more complicated. Most online casinos are global and are based in one location while offering gambling experiences to people across multiple other locations. There are also multiple licence providers, further making it difficult to identify the number of online gamblers. Nevertheless, based on surveys and reports from gambling providers, there are certain countries that are leading in terms of numbers of online gamblers.
Here are 6 countries with high numbers of online gamblers:
UK
Betting offline has been a popular pastime in the UK, especially on sports. Online gambling is regulated by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) and accounts for 38.60% of the overall gambling market, according to statistics from the UKGC. Sought after online gambling options include online casino games, slots, roulette, blackjack and other table games, while the top sports for betting are football, horse racing, tennis, boxing and golf. Many online gambling providers are located in the UK as well.
Australia
Having among the largest offline betting populations in the world, Australia is also the 13th largest provider of online gambling sites at a global level. Although the country’s Interactive Gambling Act (IGA) of 2001 prohibits online casinos based in Australia, residents can confidently gamble on secure online casinos physically based outside Australia. Slots, colloquially known as pokies are a favourite of Australians and other popular casino games include poker, roulette and blackjack. Top sports for online betting are football, cricket, rugby, and horse racing.
Canada
Interest and participation in online gambling is growing in Canada, especially with vast distances and limited numbers of land-based gambling options. While it is legal for those located in Canada to access online casinos and sports bookmakers, the online gambling provider must be located outside the country as establishing an online casino in Canada is illegal. Top gambling choices at online casinos are slots, table games and poker, whereas sports betting is in-demand for hockey, American football, basketball, and UFC.
India
With a massive population out of which a significant portion is youth, India is an emerging market for online gambling. In India, while offline casinos and betting are restricted in most states, online gambling is completely legal as long as the gambling provider is located outside India and holds the requisite licences. Indian casino games such as teen patti and rummy are common, along with other slots and casino games. Sports betting is most popular for cricket, football, tennis, horse racing and even kabaddi.
Germany
In Germany, the largest economy of the European Union, the status of online gambling has been slightly ambiguous, however, that’s not enough to discourage gamblers. So far, online gambling providers located outside Germany but within the EU are considered legal, but a new legislation is working on regulating online gambling in the country which will open up the market considerably. The most popular gambling option is sports betting, followed by casino games and poker. Football is the most in-demand sport for betting, followed by horse racing, ice hockey, tennis and basketball.
France
France is considered to be a relatively gambling-friendly country, however, when it comes to online gambling the rules are more strict. Although France in 2010 legalized online gambling and established its regulatory body ARJEL (Autorité de régulation des jeux en ligne), casino games were excluded. As a result, online sports betting, pool betting and online poker games are legal, while other chance-based online casino games are not licenced. Since poker is considered to be a skill-based game rather than chance-based, online poker is allowed. Online sports betting is favoured for football, basketball, rugby, ice hockey, and volleyball.
The popularity of online gambling is only set to rise further in the coming years, with online casinos and sports betting sites becoming safer and more interactive with advancements in technology. As long as you join a reputed online casino, you can gamble online without worry.
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