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Global Gambling Laws
Before we enumerate the weirdest gambling laws in the world, let's first discuss the different gambling laws in the globe.
Gambling laws in the world have different classifications. Some countries consider gambling to be legal for both online and land-based. Some states do not allow casinos to operate, and some may not allow online gambling. A lot of countries where both land-based and online gambling is illegal and have the weirdest gambling laws in the world.
The Gambling Scene in Europe
Gambling in Europe is superbly legal and regulated in all of its forms. Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, and Sweden have all sorts of legal gambling and covers mostly the whole Europe. Their largest markets are Germany, Spain, and the UK. Although there are some exceptions to the rule. Countries like Poland, Russia, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Ukraine, France, and Iceland already banned online gambling. Turkey does not allow land-based and online gambling at all, because a Muslim country like they are, is not keen on gambling.
The Gambling Scene in the Americas
The United States and North America allows gambling in its almost all forms to be legal. But in Canada, they have gambling laws that vary in some provinces. In the United States, the Nevada state allows all sorts of gambling, with Las Vegas as the state’s highest money-earning city. The states of Delaware, Georgia, New York, Illinois, and New Jersey allow online gambling, with several online casino operators targeting these places as their primary market.
Argentina, Peru, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, and Panama, are countries in southern America that have laws allowing gambling to operate. Many are encouraging Brazil to legalize casinos despite their lack of affection for gambling, the same as with Chile.
In Ecuador, casinos were legal until the year 2010 when President Rafael Correa made sure to ban all gambling activities for both land-based and online. Although the country will not prosecute anyone caught gambling.
The Gambling Scene in Africa
In Africa, over 30 countries have legal gambling activities out of 54 different countries in the continent with 40 South African casinos. Kenya, Egypt, Cameron, Botswana, Morocco, Ghana, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and South Africa are enormous places for gambling activities. Almost a third of all, Kenya’s population uses their smartphones for gambling online. The African casino industry is the largest in terms of several gamblers, and it increased in such a short period.
Countries with illegal casinos would not care much if you participate in gambling activities. It is way too dangerous for you to be involved in unlawful activities. The National Gambling Board of Africa is extremely firm with closing down all illegal casinos, and they would even confiscate your winnings if you withdraw from one of them. The government created the Unlawful Winnings Trust for this specific event.
The Gambling Scene in Australia
Australia was once the country with passionate gamblers in the world. Gambling in Australia, such as online poker, sports betting, and slot machines, are locally known as “pokies,” which were all legal. But in 2017, new laws made restrictions on access to any online casinos in the country.
There are more than ten licensed and regulated casinos in Australia and another six casinos operating in New Zealand, which started in 1994, all of which are land-based. Anyone residing in New Zealand and of legal age is allowed to gamble in foreign casinos. But for the online gambling scene, it is unfortunately unclear if it is legal or not.
The Gambling Scene in the Middle East
The Middle East nations will surely prosecute anyone caught gambling because most countries in the Middle East are Islamic, which is prohibited by the Quran. There are exceptions, with Dubai having legal gambling in their territory. Israel and Egypt also made ways to legalize land-based gambling and produced several casinos in their area. Lebanon has one casino in its region, which is authorized by its government, but all other forms of gambling and other casinos are banned.
The Gambling Scene in Asia
Countries in Asia have laws that are so complicated and different from each other. Singapore allowed all forms of gambling up until new rules made restrictions in 2014. Japan is totally against gambling as it wants to preserve its culture. But recently, the country is finally allowing land-based casinos and sports betting online. Japan is towards legalizing online gambling as well.
In Taiwan, gambling is illegal, except for sports betting. Thailand also does not allow any forms of gambling, but the government would not mind if you play online on foreign sites. Land-based casinos in Malaysia are technically legal, but there is only one casino in the land. The same goes for Vietnam, allowing land-based casinos to operate but only for foreign visitors. Their locals are not allowed to gamble either land-based or online.
China bans all forms of gambling except for sports betting. But Macau has a different story, for it allows all types of gambling. Malaysia and South Korea have only one licensed casino each. People here are also entitled to bet on sports, may it be offline or online. India has an old law that makes gambling illegal. Their locals have makeshift casinos in their own homes to satisfy their gambling needs.
Weirdest Gambling Laws To Date
Maine
Gambling in Maine is a bit strange because the most significant money you can legally win is three dollars.
Oklahoma
Schulter, Oklahoma, prohibits women from gambling if she is wearing only a towel, or only lingerie, or is entirely naked.
Train conductors are also not allowed to gamble in Oklahoma. It is in their contract that gambling is illegal for them.
Alabama
Playing dominoes on a Sunday is illegal in Alabama. In Alabama’s Criminal Code, “Any person who engages in shooting, hunting, gaming, and card-playing or racing on Sunday will have not less than $10.00 nor more than $100,000 penalty.
Arizona
It is prohibited to play cards in the street with a Native American in Globe, Arizona.
North Carolina
A bingo game should have a time limit of no longer than five hours.
Indiana
Indiana has a law that playing cards are illegal. It is under the Act for the Prevention of Gambling, in which a violation of the law will give you a penalty of three dollars per pack.
Louisiana
It is against the law to gamble in Louisiana, but there is an exemption. Gambling on a riverboat is legal.
Texas
You are not allowed to operate a poker room in Texas. But you can pursue your gambling activities in playing bingo, lotteries, and you can go scratching off tickets, which are all legal in this state.
Japan
Any form of gambling is illegal in Japan according to their criminal code. But there are also few exceptions made for gamblers. You are allowed to play the lottery, place your bets in motorsport events, and betting on horse racing. The country also allows people to play Pachinko for monetary, cultural reasons, and historical purposes.
Kentucky
A gambler can lose four dollars without any significance. But losing five dollars or more entitles you the right to file a case against your opponent in the next five years, and you qualify to lose recovery. If the loser fails to sue the winning opponent in six months, anybody will have the right to appeal the winner and might be able to regain three times the amount of the initial wager.
Illinois
Illinois does not allow pool tables in public establishments, for the reason it shows support in gambling.
Nevada
Betting on the University of Nevada sports team in Las Vegas is illegal. Though the state lifted the ruling, it is one of the weirdest gambling laws in the world.
Canada
In Canada, it is against the law to use dice when playing craps. Having to bear with this law, ingenious people created a way to play craps with cards.
Washington State
The Washington State established the prohibition to gamble through the internet in 2006. Many locals still use the internet to gamble and no one filed charges against them with a crime under this law.
Gambling Laws
All countries in the world have laws to deliver balance to all people, and especially when it comes to gambling. Some states have the weirdest gambling laws in the world that people will do anything just to play. The lawmakers are so aware of this, and they do not have plans of amending their articles. Tradition is the main reason behind all these weirdest gambling laws. Legislators make do with outdated ruling to preserve their established culture and we can't blame them for that.
