Legislation in sports betting is an interesting topic to learn about betting in different countries around the world, especially in prosperous (for the most part) Europe. Many countries have very different approaches. Somewhere, as in Europe, betting is developing rapidly and conquering new and new heights, as in Latin America, the process of legalization of bookmakers is still in progress. Interesting are the positions of different states regarding taxes levied, bans, and restrictions imposed on bettors and bookmakers.
Sports betting is a great way to earn money, but not all countries have fully legalized it. This is the main reason why bookmakers are simply banned in several countries. It also leads to the registration of the company in various offshore jurisdictions, which also does not contribute to the development of the industry.
The era of bookmaker's offices, where you have to come and stand in line to make a prediction, is a thing of the past. Now online companies are entering the arena, which has a lot of advantages. Among the most obvious ones are:
Online work at any time of the day. This allows you to make predictions even deep in the night, and now professionals offer to bet on real-time events that are taking place right at that moment. Odds on them are traditionally increased.
Up-to-date and timely information from the world of your favorite sports discipline.
The possibility of quick withdrawal of won funds.
Ukraine: Offline betting is prohibited, online betting is allowed without restrictions. Read the article about the legislation of Ukraine. In Ukraine in 2009, a law was adopted to ban gambling, primarily directed against casinos and slot machines. However, all bookmakers' offices were also banned. Legally banned all bookmakers operating in the country, but in reality, they all continue to operate under the guise of lotteries. Online bookmakers are also freely available. It turns out to be a paradoxical situation: bookmakers are banned, but they continue to work. One of the most popular betting services in Ukraine is online sports betting 1xbet.
Latvia: In Latvia, gambling and betting are legalized. With the collapse of the USSR, gambling began to develop, but bookmakers were practically absent from the market, the population also could not actively bet on sports due to low incomes in those years. In 1994 the first laws on lotteries and gambling and their taxation were adopted.
With the development of the Internet, the first online bookmakers appeared in 2003, but they started to be partially blocked. New legal acts of 2006-2011 tightened the conditions for betting. Players became allowed to bet only when they reached the age of 21, many bookmakers could be permanently blocked, and Latvian visitors of banned foreign operators were fined. In 2014, the Latvian regulator started to fight offshore bookmakers by placing blacklists of banned companies.
Taxes for legalized companies until 2011 were 10%, today reduced to 5%, but additional commission fees to obtain a license have increased.
Italy: As in France, betting activities are strictly controlled by the AAMS regulator under the Customs Service. To obtain a license, a future bookmaker must have experience in gambling, prove the possibility of high-quality safe work, and be in the European Union.
Positive changes for the industry came in 2016 when the government introduced new taxation for betting shops. Under the old system, operators paid from 2% to 5% of all turnover, now the offices pay 22% of income fixed. This is still a lot, and many market participants are not satisfied, but it has increased the revenue of the offices.
An important event negatively perceived by the community and experts took place in 2018. A law was passed to ban all bookmaker advertising on TV, radio, public places, and the Internet. Losses from 100 to 700 million euros will be incurred by Italian soccer clubs that had contracts with bookmakers. Many clubs had long-term agreements. Due to the financial losses of sports organizations, fans may lose the opportunity to watch many matches for free.
India: The subject of sports gambling law is intricate and confusing as every state has its own set of regulations about sports betting. The majority of this law does not go into great detail about what is and is not permitted. In India, it is illegal to wager on sports in most cases save horse racing. All other sports are governed by the general laws of India or by the laws of specific states. Various sports to bet on, well-known sports for the rich for example golf. Some people use betting app for more convenient betting. Most of India is covered under the IT Act of 2000 and the Public Gambling Act of 1867. Although such provisions forbid sports betting, individual states are allowed to pass their laws. The Public Gambling Act of 1867 forbids gambling in any form in India. Nevertheless, the Indian legal system does not specifically have legislation that prohibits online gambling, in contrast to the US, where the American Online Gambling Prohibition Act is in effect.
In conclusion, sports betting, which was formerly limited to physical bookmaker offices and local laws, has seen a significant shift in growth with the advent of online platforms. This transformation has allowed enthusiasts to wager without being limited by time or place thanks to technological advancements. The simplicity of online platforms, which offer 24/7 access and real-time betting possibilities on events as they happen, has replaced the days of standing in line at a physical bookmaker's store. Upon examining the intricate realm of sports betting and its many legal frameworks, it becomes evident that disparate strategies, regulations, and challenges are strewn over the global landscape. A complex network of legal intricacies is revealed when perspectives from industrialized European nations are contrasted with those from regions like Latin America that are navigating the changing legalization scenario.
