Gambling Age Around The World And Why Is It So Important?
September 3, 2019 Ken JohnsonThe term gambling age refers to the minimal age at which people are allowed to take part in any type of gambling related activities. It is chosen and established by the regulatory authorities and casinos are obliged to monitor and enforce it. As you might expect, like all other legislations, the gambling age differs depending on the country. Thus, large casino operators and bookies, who have licenses that allow them to offer their services in multiple states, need to tailor their online venues so that they don’t break the law.
Thus, our goal for this article is to bring you up to speed with the gambling age around the world so that you don’t run-in with the law. This may look irrelevant at first, as the vast majority of us are well aware of what the legal age is in their own country, however, as we already mentioned, once you cross the border, you may be in for a surprise! For example, the different states in the US have their own gambling commission that checks for underage gaming. A great example is the Gaming Control Board in Pennsylvania or the Division of Gaming Enforcement in New Jersey. And considering the fact that underage gambling is considered a key issue by most legal authorities in the world, you may be in some serious trouble if you don’t follow the rules.
How Old Do You Need To Be – Age Restrictions Around The Globe
The gambling age that most you are going to be familiar with is 18. There are, however, countries all around the world that are an exception to this rule. You should always comply with the regulations when betting on Second Chance Lottery in Pennsylvania or when playing video slots in Macau, for example. Thus, we thought it would be a great idea, to create a short, but detailed summary for each of the continents. This way you will have a much better understanding of the legal age requirements and will be better prepared when planning your next vacation.
- USA and Canada – Most states in the US have a legal gambling age of 18. This being said, there are quite a lot of exceptions such as Arizona (21), Iowa (21), Louisiana (21) or Nebraska (19) Moreover, the age may change according to the type of betting, so for example, people in Arkansas are allowed to participate in lottery, charity bingo or pari-mutuel if they are over 18, though casinos are forbidden to those who are under 21. Things in Canada, on the other hand, are much simpler. With the exception of Manitoba, Quebec and Alberta, where the age is 18, you will need to be 19 or older in order to be allowed to gamble.
- Europe – Thanks to the existence of the European Union and the close cooperation between most countries in Europe, the gambling laws just like most other legislations, have been unified as much as possible. As a result, the legal age is 18 across all 43 countries, the only exception being Greece, where you have to be 23 or over. This, however, wasn’t always the case. Until the late 1980s, many countries such as France, Belgium, the Netherlands and 12 of the German states had a law that forbade people under 21 to participate in gambling. Until this very day you may find venues that won’t allow you to enter if you are under 25, though that depends on internal casino policies and is extremely rare.
- South America – According to data from the latest studies, South America is the home of almost 420 million people. Taking into consideration the fact that over 300 million of them are aged over 18, South America has the potential to be one of the largest gambling markets in the world. Throughout the course of their history, most states have had strong anti-gambling attitudes, however, since 2006, they have put some serious efforts into introducing laws that legalize and regulate gambling on the continent. As a result, you are currently allowed to enter casinos, play the lottery and bet on sporting events in all 15 countries, as long as you are aged over 18.
- Asia – Asia is the home of some of the oldest civilizations and, of course, the birthplace of the vast majority of gambling games. Moreover, more than a third of the entire population of our planet is concentrated on this vast piece of land, which makes it one of the most important points in our list. The gambling age in most countries is set at 21. However, there are some exceptions such as India (18), Cocos Islands (18), or South Korea (19). Another interesting exception is Macau, where residents are not allowed to gamble if they are younger than 21, however, foreign tourist who are 18 or older will be allowed into casinos and sports betting shops.
- Africa – If you are 18 or over you will be able to participate in gambling activities in most African countries, where gambling is legal. The only exceptions to this rule are Egypt (18), Namibia (21) and Nigeria (20). Africa is also the home of one of the most peculiar gambling laws in the world. In Malawi kids over the age of 5 are legally allowed to gamble, which is a precedent case an equivalent of which cannot be found anywhere in the world. The reasoning behind it is that after they turn 5, kids should already have an understanding of the concept of money.
- Australia – At last we arrive at our final point. Australia is country that is well-known for its troublesome history of gambling laws and legislations. Back in 2001 the government passed the Interactive Gaming Act, which made it illegal for any online operator to offer their services to players based in Australia. It took more than 10 years for the parliament to realise that such bans were not only not working, but also hindering the growth and developments of one of the most lucrative industries in the world. There are many such cases, however, one thing that has stayed the same is the legal gambling age, which is 18.
Frequently Asked Questions
We thought that it would be a good idea to take a look at the questions that gamblers ask most often and to try and offer short and accurate answers. We hope that you find the following section useful and that it helps you in your gambling adventures! If you’d like to learn more about the gambling situation in various countries, have a look at our guide to the best online casinos worldwide.
What Is The Gambling Age?
Gambling age is the term used to address the age restriction that each country places on gambling and any related activities. It could be different for online casinos or when you want to play bingo or lotteries, for example. The most widely spread minimum age is 18, however, because there is no uniform legislation or international charter, the gambling age changes from one state to another. best online casinos worldwide.
What Is The Las Vegas Gambling Age?
In the United States, you need to be 21 or over in order to be able to legally participate in any gambling-related. The same goes for Las Vegas. This is unfortunate for the many young tourists between the age of 18 and 21, especially those coming from Europe, as they will not be allowed to gamble.
What Is The UK Gambling Age?
The United Kingdom, just like all other European Countries, with the exception of Greece, will allow all people who have turned 18 to play at casinos, bet on sports or play the lottery. The same age restriction applies to all online gambling services.
