Exploring Online Casinos in Europe
Image source: Sukhjinder via Pixahive
Around the world, the online casino scene has taken off. The popularity, presence, and profitability are being recognised by more companies, and more importantly, more governments and rule regulators.
As a result, more countries in Europe are warming quicker to the idea of legalising online casino and sports betting in their areas of jurisdiction.
For fans of online casino play, this comes at a good time with the UK currently experimenting with a raft of new regulations to introduce limits on online gambling.
UK players to look elsewhere?
With new regulations and pilot projects coming into effect in the UK online casino industry, UK-based players are slightly feeling the squeeze on their freedom within the online realm.
The White Paper on online slots, published in April 2023, and the future affordability checks to be conducted from the end of August by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) have caused unrest amongst the online casino community, with many believing their online rights are being taken away.
Limits on online slots stakes that allow a maximum of £5 for over-25 players and £2 for under-25 (18-24) players to be wagered, alongside the new pilot to introduce “unobtrusive checks” on players that lose £125 over 30 days, or £500 over a year have been introduced to protect vulnerable players.
While it is important to shield the vulnerable, losses are not incurred by every online casino player. It is a tricky balance to find for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the UKGC, and their decision could lead players to look elsewhere for online casino action.
More markets opening in Europe
Over the past few years, the presence of online casino operators on the European continent has increased significantly. Possibly aided by the recent pandemic that confined people to their homes, online gambling is also currently riding the digital wave that is engulfing our society.
With more technological and software advancements, coupled with people spending substantially more time online, online gambling has the platform to thrive on. And this has not gone unnoticed by European companies.
In terms of European markets that have altered their stance, Germany is one of leaders in showing a more open attitude to online gambling. As a country with one of the most EU casinos accepting UK players, Germany has displayed a willingness to keep up with the online casino movement that it welcomed in its house in 2021.
Although classic games such as roulette or blackjack are not legalised yet, online poker, online slots, and sports betting have established themselves in the German online gambling industry.
With other countries such as Netherlands, Spain, Italy and France relaxing their laws around online gambling, there is certainly more potential and space for online gambling operators to work in in the future.
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