Gambling laws vary in every country and state. Some jurisdictions have federal laws that prohibit online gambling, while others have passed laws legalizing it. In addition, some countries have laws that contradict each other such as banning gambling on the federal level while allowing states to pass their own laws. So unless you are well versed in legal terminology or you have a Yale law degree, interpreting these laws can be very confusing for the average person.

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Laws have been passed to legalize betting at retail locations, but gamblers are still waiting to place legal sports bets in Washington. No legislation has been proposed to introduce legal sports betting in the state of Utah. At the time, Schneiderman claimed DFS was illegal gambling under state law and really just a re-branded version of sports betting. A protracted legal battle and negotiated went on until August 2016 when NY Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a bill allowing DFS sites to serve New Yorkers. In the United States, gambling is restricted almost everywhere, except in Las Vegas and in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Aside from the land-based games in French Lick, Indiana's overly-broad definition of gambling and overly-harsh penalties for the act of illegal gambling (which is a felony on a first offense in most cases) make it a very un-friendly state for people who bet.

Gamblinglaws.org is a website offering information on various gambling laws from around the world. Our visitors will be able to learn which countries and states offer legal online gambling and what regulations apply to each jurisdiction. Our ultimate goal is to provide accurate and up to date information pertaining to the legalities of gambling for both online and offline venues so that players can gamble safely and stay within the confines of the law.

Gambling Laws By Country

We offer an overview of gambling laws for nearly every country in the world. Simply select the country you live in below to find a wealth of information about gambling laws and regulations in your respective jurisdiction.

North America

• Mexico

South America

• Brazil
• Venezuela
• Colombia
• Peru
• Argentina

Europe/United Kingdom

• Germany
• France
• Russia

Asia

• China
• Japan
• Thailand
• Singapore
• Israel
• Taiwan
• Philippines
• India

Australia/Oceania

Africa

• South Africa

Licensing & Regulation

The licensing requirements and level of regulatory oversight will vary by region throughout the gambling industry. When engaging in any type of betting entertainment, it is paramount that legitimate credentials, including licensing and compliance certifications, are issued by the proper regulatory authorities within respected gambling jurisdictions. If any of these components is not present or is not subject to stringent standards then the integrity of the industry is compromised.

In this guide, we will discuss the various regulatory authorities in each nation, and how these agencies operate. Some countries elect to utilize a central gaming commission or body while other nations choose to allow provincial, state or regional regulation of gambling entertainment. Still, other countries will have a combination of both federal and regional approaches, such as the United States. It is very important to understand the regulatory requirements for any jurisdiction in which you intend to engage in real money gambling of any kind in order to ensure you are restricting your betting action to legal, secure and legitimate gambling destinations.

What Happens If I Unknowingly Violate A Gambling Law?

As we all know, ignorance of the law does not stand up as a viable defense in a court of law. It is likely that many individuals violate gambling laws without knowing it. For these types of infractions, it often goes unnoticed because a significant number of gambling laws are simply not enforced consistently. Most regulation is designed to keep illegal gambling operations at bay, and these laws focus less on those doing the actual gambling and more on those providing illegal gambling services. Each country enforces their gambling laws and punishes violations differently. Some regions are very watchful and strict while others are more lax and only focus on the gross infractions.

So to answer the original question, the consequences of violating gambling laws vary by region and the severity of the violation. However, do not rest assured that accidentally violating a gambling law anywhere in the world will simply be overlooked. Even if it is likely that it would go unnoticed, there is no guarantee of that.

Online Gambling Illegal United States

New York is home to a number of regulated gambling markets. The state’s lottery is popular and long-lived. Pari-mutuel wagering is practically a state pastime. Tribal gambling and class-II commercial gambling is easily-accessible for most of the state’s millions of citizens. Charitable games are regulated but allowed, and quite popular under liberal legal conditions.

But some areas of state law are not as clear. In order to understand the legality of more modern contests like daily fantasy sports or online gambling in general, we need to understand the spirit of New York’s criminal code and not just the letter of its code of laws.

Gambling Illegal States For Medical Marijuana

New York state law defines gambling as “… the risking of something of value on a future outcome” that is beyond the control of influence of the bettor. In order to be illegal gambling, there must be an expectation of something of value “if a certain outcome occurs.” The longer definition is available in Section 225.00(2) of the state constitution.

Since the full definition includes a requirement that a person be wagering on a “contest of chance,” it’s nice that the phrase contest of chance is defined further down in the law. A game is a contest of chance if “… the outcome depends in a material degree upon an element of chance, notwithstanding that skill of the contestants may also be a factor therein.”

We added some emphasis there to showcase that basically any game that involves even the slightest chance element is considered illegal gambling. In other words, there is no consideration for skill involved in a game. Unless New York legislators legalize a gambling game, it is illegal.

As for the state’s legal gaming options, the most popular is the New York Lottery. More New Yorkers buy lottery tickets than citizens of any state, with greater than 92% participation, according to figures released by the state each summer. New York’s lottery is the second-oldest in the country, active since the late 1960s.

Gambling Illegal States

The second most-popular legal gamble for New Yorkers is the state’s twenty tribal facilities. Some of these are tiny racinos, with a few slot and video poker games alongside a simulcast betting window. Still others are massive Vegas-style resorts with giant gaming floors, live dealer tables, and thousands of slot and video poker titles.

Charitable gambling laws in the state are such that operators of charitable games are allowed to offer raffles, bingo, and select casino-style games that benefit a rotating schedule of non-profit groups. This has led to a local industry specializing in the operation of charity events in static locations. Charitable laws are complex, and if you want to operate one legally you’ll need a specific permit from the city.

Legalized Gambling States

Social gambling is not allowed in New York, by law. A single line was added to existing gaming laws in the 1990s that explicitly outlawed the practice of hosting private games of chance and skill in a home or business, even with a legitimate relationship between all players or in cases where a game without house odds is played and the host isn’t compensated at all. New York has some of the toughest anti-private gambling laws in the country.