Despite being one of the oldest pastime activities for humankind, gambling is still a stigma around us. You will be surprised to know that gambling is one of the most profitable industries in the world. There have been many famous and infamous figures all over history when it comes to gambling, and each of them has its own significance. But, the most important thing that they all have in common is that they are living proof of how gambling has changed their lives and, in the process, affected countless other people’s lives as well. No one knows who invented gambling or when it was conceived, but there are people from many different countries who claim to be the originators of this popular activity.
However, it is important to carefully decide on how to use money while playing legalised sports betting at platforms like GGbet. This platform is secured, licensed and reliable, and only this kind of casino must be chosen by anyone free to gamble and bet.
Why Is Betting Illegal in Some Countries?
Most countries in the world have legalised betting and gambling because it is an important source of revenue for the government, and it is also a good source of employment. There are many people who are engaged in this industry as croupiers and gaming moderators. With these people around, there’s no way that you can expect the government not to make any money from this business. Though, there are places where it is not allowed to bet. Here are the top reasons why betting is illegal in some countries:
- The probability of winning is quite low.
- It can be addictive.
- Gambling breeds greed.
- You may end up losing all of your finances.
- Losing a bet may have negative effects on your personal and social life.
However, there are still countries that do not accept gambling, so they have made it illegal. Governments claim that their move is because they have concerns about how people manage their money or if they just want to stop (or prevent) them from spending too much money on gambling games.
Top 5 Countries where Sports Betting is Highly Illegal
Given the fact that gambling is still an underground activity, most people in some countries are not aware of how gambling works. When they read about it online or hear about it from friends, it becomes a natural impulse for them to try their luck in this growing industry. As such, there are many of them who experience financial difficulties because of their high level of interest in betting and gambling. Here are some insights about the gambling losses in a year divided by the adult population in different countries:
| Country | Loss per adult |
| Australia | Loss of $1,128 per adult |
| Singapore | $1,174 losses per adult |
| Ireland | Average $588 per adult |
| Canada | $568 gaming losses per adult |
| Finland | An average of $553 per adult |
United Arab Emirates
While the rest of the world is enjoying the perks and benefits that are brought about by gambling, UAE has gone to great lengths in order to stop people from indulging in this practice. In fact, Dubai is one of their primary targets just because it has become a tourism destination for many people all around the world who want to try their luck at this business.
To prevent people from gambling in Dubai, the UAE government has banned the use of credit cards and debit cards so that they won’t be able to deposit money into online gambling sites and gamble with real-money bets. These rules have forced locals to find alternative payment options that are readily available as well as illegal if they want to gamble online.
Under the Penal Code’s Article 414, any citizen involved in gambling activities will be sent to jail for two years, and he will have to pay other penalties too. The Telecommunication Regulatory Authority has ordered internet service providers to block access to all types of online casinos and betting sites in Dubai. You can imagine how hard it is to gain access to a legal casino in Dubai.
North Korea
While the government of North Korea has different reasons for banning these activities, many people claim that they should be banned because they are causing a lot of financial difficulties among North Koreans. According to them, people in this country are losing large amounts of money when it comes to gambling.
The local version of this game is called Kumkang, but it differs from other games in two aspects: the betting is done on currency, and the total value is always 100 won. People love playing this game because they can try their luck a lot of times, and therefore, they can win or lose more money. As a result, some people claim that the gambling industry in North Korea has earned millions of dollars from the people of this country.
The North Korean government has banned everything related to gambling. It is also illegal for citizens to own a horse or even own anything with a bright red colour. The only time that foreigners were allowed to gamble in North Korea was during the Cultural Olympics in Pyongyang, where foreign musicians and dancers were brought to perform for the citizens there.
Iran
Iran has made a big effort to stop its people from indulging in any kind of gambling activity. According to the Iranian government, they are just protecting the citizens from themselves by banning all forms of betting and gambling and even tried to bring it to an economical level by banning any kind of imports that can be used in any gambling activities.
The main reason why Iran banned this activity is that they want their population to avoid spending a lot of money on these activities. At the same time, Iran has been trying hard to get rid of its international sanctions so that it can become an important trading partner for countries like India, the United Kingdom and Japan.
Singapore
Singapore has been on the frontline when it comes to how its government treats betting, gambling and casinos. Although Singapore has legalised casinos, these activities are considered illegal if you’re a Singaporean citizen. The only people who are allowed to gamble in Singapore are the ones who are on tourist visas. If a person living in Singapore is caught gambling, he will be charged with an offence under the Remote Gambling Act and will be fined up to $100,000 or sent to jail for six months.
While it is illegal to play online casino games in Singapore, the government has taken steps to make sure that their citizens do not gamble online by blocking access to overseas websites that offer these games and services. However, it is still possible for people to access these websites from Singapore.
Egypt
It is no secret that gambling has been banned in Egypt for a very long time. According to lawmakers and officials, people in Egypt have the tendency to overspend and gamble away all of their money. In fact, they are not even allowed to play card games in this country due to their high level of interest in playing these games and spending a lot of money while doing so. If an Egyptian citizen was caught playing or betting online or using any type of credit card/debit card while he was involved in gambling activities, they would be fined $20,000 (US Dollars).
Safe Practices for Legal Sports Betting
The majority of the people who are participating in legal gambling activities are from the United States and other countries that have legalised betting. They have strict legislation regarding sports betting, but they have managed to find possibilities for how to gamble online with real money. In the case of America, here are some popular states where betting is legal:
- Delaware;
- Mississippi;
- New Mexico;
- North Carolina;
- North Dakota;
- South Dakota;
- Washington;
- Wisconsin.
Further, we will look at some of the safe practices that people should take into consideration before engaging in this activity:
- Know the Law. There are many U.S. states which allow sports betting, but there is one restriction that shouldn’t be overlooked by anything: Each state has its own laws regarding how its citizen can gamble online using credit cards and debit cards.
- Take Care of Your Finances. If you are going to place bets using your debit/credit cards (i.e., Visa or MasterCard), check the terms and conditions of this card because it may restrict you from using it for gambling purposes only. You should also check if there are any limits on how much money you can spend through these cards.
- Use a VPN. The best way to go about this activity is to use a VPN that allows people to play online gambling games anonymously and securely with their own money so that they won’t be caught by the authorities.
Summary
It is illegal to play gambling games in many countries unless you are a citizen there. However, as we said before, there are many loopholes in the laws. The only legal way to gamble online is through a service provided by one of the casinos that have been specially authorised by the state to do so. You should also check their terms and conditions carefully so that you don’t violate any regulations set for them by the government because you could be fined or even charged with an offence under the laws.
