The United States may have an estimated 65% of the online gaming players but in Europe the numbers are growing fast. Increasingly, playing at virtual casinos is becoming an acceptable leisure time activity and online casino operating becoming an acceptable business enterprise. With the Gaming Act 2005 now law in Britain and due to regulate the online market under British jurisdiction, a thriving, lucrative and well-regulated online gaming industry is expected to develop, making the US stance against online wagering ever more untenable. Several online operators are now listed on the Stock Exchange or are part of large gaming industry groups, and Internet sites such as Yahoo.co.uk are once again accepting online casino advertisements.

It has been suggested that the users of high speed Internet have much to thank online casino players for – that without the gaming demand for swift response the technology advances would have been slower. In countries with easy access to high speed connections there is usually a high percentage of online players. A case in point is France, where online gambling has been popular for several years and the government is debating legislation to allow it. The French reportedly spend more time than the British betting online.

To some it would appear that governments may or may not allow online gambling but that their citizens decide for themselves whether or not to play. China and the US ban the practice but it continues and grows nonetheless. Countries such as Italy and the Netherlands legislate against it to protect state gaming monopolies but are finding themselves contravening European Union trading regulations. If the far more important fight against online pornography is only partially successful, how much more difficult is the attempt to outlaw online gambling.

One European market that the online industry has so far failed to exploit is Spain. Despite extensive access to high speed Internet, the Spanish are amongst Europe’s lowest users of online gambling sites. A natural suspicion against making online payments has yet to be overcome by those offering the service, but it is more likely that a lack of marketing is the main reason for the lower numbers. Present online operators have been stretched to capacity coping with existing markets in the English speaking world. Improvements in technology and more companies entering the industry will doubtless soon see a greater offering of Spanish language sites.

Britain has taken the path of regulation and taxation, the United States the path of prohibition and prosecution. Some countries are still debating the issue; others have already become regulating jurisdictions. However it is regarded by governments or their citizens, online gambling is a growth industry that is here to stay. (E-05.02.05)

© Copyright 2005 CasinoCompendium



>>> return to archives
>>> return to frontpage