The gambling industry in Europe is developing rapidly, both in the offline and online segments, but not all countries allow gambling. In some countries, games are illegal. In others, gaming clubs are strictly controlled by particular regulators. And few countries allow gambling only for tourists. It is counted that the entire GGR of online gambling in Europe has reached around €25 billion. This is mainly created by betting on sporting events, online casinos, and online lotteries.
Poker revenue was only 6%. Countries in the European Union fully allow online gambling or restrict their work in certain areas, such as betting, poker, or casinos. This market has a monopoly in some European jurisdictions, represented by a public or private operator based on exclusive law. However, more and more EU countries are creating licensing systems so that more than one company can operate in the online market.
Talking about the future of online gambling, it is believed that it will increase. Especially under the influence of the covid pandemic, when people could not go to land-based casinos. Therefore, online services have become very popular, and this is not the end. After all, many people have seen that you can play and get earnings without leaving home.
There is advice for people who have just started to play. When playing at online casinos, you should be careful because many services can deceive you. So you should choose verified casinos to receive rewards accurately. Also, not all casinos will get you real money, so you should check this information before investing money. And to be sure, here is the best payout online casino. There are a wide variety of variants to getting money.
Here is a list of European countries where online gambling is currently allowed:
- France
- Malta
- Switzerland
- Germany
- Hungary
- Spain
- Belgium
- Italy
- Norway
- Gibraltar
- Netherlands
- Portugal
- Poland
- Denmark
But, some of these countries demand licenses from foreign or/and local playgrounds. Gambling regulators in countries such as Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Czech Republic, Iceland, Luxembourg, Serbia and Slovakia do not apply any legal requirements to foreign playgrounds.
A paradise for gambling lovers is Monaco where you can find the most popular European casinos. Online slots, casinos, poker, and other games are in Monaco (you can play from 18 years old). However, this industry is focused exclusively on tourists. Access to gambling establishments is prohibited for residents of Monaco (as well as the military, clergy, people in a state of alcohol or drug intoxication).
The gambling business in Monaco is regulated by the Gambling Commission. Note that online gambling in the country is not allowed, and licenses are not issued.
According to a new study on betting and gambling, the black gambling market in Europe is increasing.
Now the investigation of comparable markets has shown:
- Norway has imposed a state monopoly on all games, betting restrictions, availability checks, and advertising, resulting in the black market that accounts for more than 66 percent of all bets.
- In France, where online casino gambling is also a state monopoly, black market games account for 57 percent of all bets.
- In Italy, where betting and gaming advertising is completely banned, 23 percent of the money goes to the black market.
- A royal decree in Spain in 2020 almost wholly banned gambling advertising, and Spanish gamblers don’t know where to bet safely – now the black market accounts for 20 percent of all funds.
- Denmark has imposed severe restrictions on legally licensed operators offering rewards for customer loyalty, such as bonuses, prompting the Danish tax service to warn of a possible 9% increase in black market share.
- And in Sweden, a national survey found that 38% of consumers who chose to opt-out of legally licensed operators said they could still bet online with unlicensed operators, bypassing any player protection measures.
These countries have banned the promotion of legal gambling, tightened restrictions on licensed operators, and banned gambling companies from offering loyalty programs to players in recent years.
Final words:
The European casinos market is expanding exponentially. More and more countries are legalizing various forms of online gambling. So soon, online casinos will be an integral part of parties and everyday life.
