Online gambling is one of the most popular pastimes today in the modern world. Many players can enjoy the experience of what casinos have to offer from the comfort of their own home. However, there are a range of different ways that online casinos are available across the world. We’ve taken a look at how online casinos are available to players in different places.
Online Casinos in the USA
Online gambling within the USA is very different to online gambling in Japan. The rules behind gambling differ from state to state within the US, which is in contrast to Japan, which has just a single set of rules in place.
Depending on where you play in the US, the rules will be slightly different. So, there might be some states where online gambling is completely allowed, and there might be some states where it’s not accepted. This means that it’s important to look at what is available before choosing to gamble.
Within the states where online gambling is legal, it’s generally the case that the sites are linked to a land-based casino. So, whatever is available at the land-based venue, is likely to be available at the website. An example of this would be, if Microgaming games were offered inside the venue, then the online casino site would also have games from Microgaming available.
Of course, not all states offer this. Some only offer sports betting to players, while some only allow for land-based gambling to be offered. As such, it is important to look into what’s available if you want to play online. However, despite this, the different states do offer offshore online gambling. This is through sites that are not legislated. They’re not as well regulated as in states where online gambling is allowed, so it does have some additional issues that players need to look into.
Online Gambling in Japan
When it comes to online gambling in Japan, things are a lot stricter. Gambling is actually prohibited in any form in Japan. So, it means that there are no land-based casinos, and there are no legal online alternatives offered either. This ensures that Japanese players don’t have any legal opportunities to play. It does make it much harder to enjoy online gambling when in Japan.
There are two ways that Japanese players tend to try to get around these restrictions. The first way, is through travelling to Macau. Here players are able to spend time gambling at the different venues as well as using the online casinos that are offered within the region. However, it does mean that players have to leave the country in order to do so as Macau is not within Japan’s borders.
The second way to gamble, is by using offshore online casinos. These are also illegal in Japan, but players still tend to use this method to get around the ban. While it technically does mean that players can be prosecuted for using these sites, there are no records of this taking place. It shows that the Japanese authorities are unwilling to make gambling legal within the country, but at the same time, they are unwilling to prosecute any citizens who make use of the sites.
Potential for Legality
The USA is likely to have online gambling as a countrywide institution in the near future. It has generally been well accepted by the majority of states in the country, which means that other states who have not yet made it legal, will have a good chance of following suit in the near future.
The additional tax revenue that online gambling has generated, is one of the biggest drivers between making it legal in the US. States now have a lot more money available to them when it comes to putting infrastructure in place. So, the state is able to support the local economy to a much higher standard.
It’s a much more complex matter in Japan though. While online gambling does have a lot of supporters, even within the government, the cultural impact is much more profound in Japan. Tradition and culture is something that Japan takes extremely seriously, and allowing gambling could be seen as a slight to the Japanese culture. This does put up a lot of barriers when it comes to making gambling legal.
However, as new generations come forward, old traditions can sometimes be pushed back. So, there is a chance that gambling and online gambling will be made legal within Japan over the next 5 years. This will make a big change not just to Japan, but to Macau as well, so it’s something worth keeping an eye on.
