Online gambling is one of the most strictly regulated markets in the UK and in Europe. In the past ten years online gambling has slowly become the main source of entertainment for those who like the thrill of the casino. At the same time, in the past two years social restrictions have dramatically sped up the trend of playing on digital devices, due to the impossibility of reaching traditional casinos and land-based outlets.
Statistic show that many of those who were used to gamble in a more traditional way, are still sceptical about the security of online casinos. On the contrary, the reality is that new slot sites are strictly regulated by national authorities and are really safe to gamble real money with. In the United Kingdom, the ruling authority is the UK Gambling Commission a governmental agency that has a reputation for being among the strictest in the world for protecting players from scams and promoting responsible gaming.
The same can be argued for the rest of Europe and the US, where online gambling is strictly regulated. On top of security of users hardware and software, more and more restrictions are applied for making sure marketing strategies do not meet the very strict standards of regulated markets, leading players to gamble irresponsibly. Lately, many countries in Europe have decided on new regulations that limit the action of bonuses and promotions.
One example of recent restrictions can be found in Sweden, where online gambling is extremely popular. Lately, national authorities have created new, more restrictive rules about bonuses. In fact, online casinos cannot attract new players with welcome bonuses anymore, they are now illegal. This is one of the most effective marketing strategies online casino sites can use, confirming the attentiveness to the problem of gambling addiction in most territories in Europe.
Another country which applies very restrictive rules is Italy. Here AAMS, the governmental agency which looks over gambling is constantly monitoring online casino sites, that have to apply a very strict set of rules. The government has a say on all financial details concerning both players and sites. On top of that, it has recently blocked all kind of marketing campaigns concerning online gambling. Italian online casinos (this concerns all type of gambling activities, including sports betting) no longer can advertise their services on any kind of media, including newspapers, sport events, sponsor sport teams etc. The law had a huge impact on the Italian public, however it has not reduced the problem of gambling addiction in the county.
Finally, Germany has recently opened a regulated market for online gambling. These important moves towards a regulated market in the country ends a situation where only illegal online casinos where accessible to German users. Surely not the ideal situation, as many illegal online sites can be easily reached by slots and casino fans. Surely not the ideal situation, as gambling can be an addictive activity if it’s not managed by players in the most responsible way. On top of that, illegal sites do not guarantee the safety of any online activity. Gambling real money can be quite risky, as these sites might not pay possible wins, or just disappear with players deposits from one day to the next.
Generally speaking, more and more efforts have been made by national governments for creating a safe environment for players online. The whole gambling industry is moving towards a completely digital output, which is safe for players thanks to the regulatory actions of national authorities.
