If you’re a fan of gambling and live in Arizona, you might not be the happiest person. The laws around gambling in the state are still strict, even though the US authorities have started to warm a little more to gambling in more recent years. Now all states have the option to decide whether they allow sports betting or not.
Despite being close to Nevada, which is renowned for having a more liberal attitude towards gambling, Arizona hasn’t allowed Nevada’s influence to rub off on it. Arizona has long held a stern stance on gambling and allows only gambling on the lottery and racing, with some additional agreements with tribes over gambling operations on tribal lands. Poker rooms are only legal in casinos that are operating on tribal lands. Sports betting is still off the menu in Arizona. For questions about utilizing crypto, check out https://cryptocasinos360.com/bitcoin-slots/
What about the rest of the U.S.?
The laws in the U.S. are a little confusing. Online gambling is not legal generally, but states can regulate what kind of gambling they allow. Some states have the same minimum legal age for all types of gambling, such as buying lottery tickets, and other times the activity itself — playing at a tribal casino, for instance — will determine what the minimum legal age is to pursue a gambling activity in a specific state.
If playing poker online or playing at online casinos is your jam, there are a few states where this is perfectly legal. You can gamble online in Delaware, New Jersey, Nevada, and Pennsylvania.
The fact that the Office of Legal Counsel (DOLC) at the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a revised opinion on the Wire Act in early 2019, the act in question being responsible for blocking all sports betting originally, has confused the issue slightly. The opinion suggests that the Wire Act applies to all forms of gambling. The problem is it’s just an opinion, and the Supreme Court’s decision to relax the rules on sports betting changed a lot of things. It means that gambling at online casinos could still be something of a grey area, if not completely illegal.
How does this compare with the UK?
In the UK, both online and offline gambling is legal and regulated making it something everyone over the age of 18 can be involved in if they wish.
Gamblers in the UK who come across the gambling laws of Arizona may well feel that they’re incredibly harsh. When it comes to gambling in the UK, it’s almost a case of anything goes. Citizens can play online casino games or get all dressed up and enjoy a big night out a brick-and-mortar casino. They can bet on betting exchanges or with online bookmakers, or step into a bookmaker’s and bet on horse racing, greyhound racing and other sporting events. They could even bet on events that have nothing to do with the world of sport, such as the outcome of elections, and even on outlier types of events like whether airlines will ever launch commercial flights to the moon.
Does this make the UK government lax or irresponsible in some way? Not at all. In fact, their government has recognized the huge potential to swell up the nation’s coffers by permitting so many different forms of gambling. The UK’s official gambling regulator, the UK Gambling Commission, reported that between April 2018 and March 2019, the industry generated a total gross gambling yield of £14.4 billion. That’s around $17.6 billion here.
The British authorities have been smart about it, too. Rather than frighten off players by taxing their winnings, they make the operators pay tax on their revenue. They know that it wouldn’t be in the interests of the nation’s economy to tax gamblers. When someone gables and wins, someone else loses, so if they impose taxes on winners, they’d have to introduce some form of compensation for losers. That could have a powerful impact on the economy — and not a good one, of course.
What else makes gambling so popular in the UK?
Offline gambling in the UK is quite a social event for many people, with going to the races or the casino something many people do with friends.
The fact that gambling is legal means that there are lots of laws in place. Anyone who wants to operate a gambling business, whether online or offline, knows exactly where they stand regarding whether they’re operating within the law or not. The Gambling Act 2005 makes it abundantly clear what activities are gambling activities and which ones require a license to offer them.
This legalization of gambling and solid regulation of gambling protects customers. Operators are accountable, and consumers can take action against them, whereas if they were to play at an underground operator, they have no choice but to accept it if the operator refuses to pay out any winnings. Consumers are also at much less risk of playing on scam sites because there are so many legitimate gambling businesses online. UK sites like 777 Casino provide gamers with a safe, regulated and enjoyable gambling experience, with an engaging player experience and huge range of online casino games to choose from.
Visitors to an online gaming website know that the operator will take the utmost care to protect their data. Operators use data encryption technology to keep the personal and financial information their customers submit to them secure. In fact, many operators use the same data encryption technology as banks. They must also undergo regular audits that inspect the site and test out games to ensure everything is secure and the games are fair. Often the auditors will award a certificate or seal of approval. The operator can then place this seal on their website so that visitors know the site is safe.
Summary
Besides the safety and security aspects, operators work hard to provide their customers with an excellent gaming experience in the UK. They make the sites as user friendly as possible and reward the customers with games that have crisp graphics, smooth gameplay and more. After all, in the UK, gambling is as much a leisure activity as it is a chance to make some money. In the future, it may be developed even further or new regulations may be brought in, but for now it sure does provide a good model for other countries to follow.
Arizona could really benefit from revising its laws in the future and following the UK’s example. Gambling is much less of controversial topic there, and the government enjoys plenty of revenue while allowing players to enjoy gaming in safety. They could teach the state a lot.
