A Guide to Online Gambling Laws by European Countries

This tendency is being observed in both land-based casinos and online platforms. Nowadays, online gambling receives even more attention because this segment has grown significantly over the last several years hence, the necessity to regulate this sphere of business and entertainment is pivotal. However, there is no unique European gambling law. Let's consider the European gambling laws in different countries closer.

One of the brightest examples that show the extreme development of gambling legislation in Europe is Great Britain. This country has experienced significant legal changes in the sphere of gambling over the last 20 years. Currently, this country has a well-regulated gambling sphere, which is subordinated to the state's law. They have a special body organ called the Industry Group Association for Responsible Gambling. They started to develop legislation in 2005, and in 2007, they issued a ban on gambling advertising. It was allowed only in the late evening time. In 2015, gambling advertising started to promote only responsible gambling. In the current decade, the UK law increased the minimum age for gamblers and started to control the origin of their money in order to prevent any criminal involvement. All casino operators have to report various information to the Gambling Commission.

State gambling regulators in Lithuania found themselves on different sides of the barricades with gambling operators years earlier. In 2016, the regulator even blocked the country's top poker rooms. However, modern realities have forced the Lithuanian government to change its opinion on gambling. Recently, amendments were made to the Lithuanian legislation, which liberalized the country's gambling policy.

First of all, online operators will no longer be tied to the place of residence. However, in order to obtain a license, you will need to obtain permission from the municipal authorities (with the exception of online operators). Also, in order to have a gambling license, large companies will need to open their commercial offices in the country.

Online operators will also be charged a one-off fee of €500,000, not including the separate license fee of €1,000,000. In general, the rules and procedures for obtaining a license have been significantly reformatted and adapted to modern realities.

There is no comprehensive list of permitted and prohibited gambling in Germany, but some are defined by law as subject to state regulation. These include poker, betting on sports events and horse racing, casino games, slot machines, lotteries, and bingo.

Gambling business licenses are issued by state authorities. Each region has its own rules for obtaining licenses and certain restrictions regarding the type of gambling activity, the number of licenses, the location of the gambling establishment, etc. The latter law regulates online casino activities quite strictly and contains many strict conditions and restrictions regarding the size of players' bets, the maximum monthly amount they can deposit into their account, and many other aspects.

Certain differences exist in how Scandinavian countries manage their gambling laws. Gambling in Denmark is regulated by the Gambling Authority, which pays thorough attention to responsible gaming. They control strictly that youngsters under 18 years old do not play casino games. Additionally, all gambling establishments should inform their clients about the excessive risks of irresponsible gaming. In such a way, they fight with the negative consequences of ludomania and always try to prevent it. Casinos even inform their gamblers about the addiction treatment centers, where the addicted may receive the necessary assistance. In Denmark, casino facilities should record the duration of the client's stay in the casino. This goes equally for both land-based casinos and online platforms. The individual players may even receive restrictions if their presence in casinos exceeds the norm. Such an approach makes Denmark's gambling laws more socially responsible.