Interesting Gambling Laws Around the World

Las Vegas casinos, slot machines, and internet betting sites come to mind when they hear “gambling”. Still, gambling laws vary per nation. Rules might make logic, make no sense, or be so weird they make you scratch your head. History, society, religion, and government aims distinguish them.

Here is a look at some of the strangest gaming rules from around the world. Some countries don’t allow gaming at all, others only let it happen in certain places, and still others make exceptions that turn into billion-dollar businesses. If you are curious about how online play can bend the rules in different ways, you can explore Jackpot City bonus codes every existing user should check as another example of how gaming offers unique opportunities.

Japan: The Home of Pachinko

Japan’s law says that gaming is outlawed. There are, however, provisions for raffles, horse races, and motorsports. Japan found a way around the rule by making Pachinko, which is like a slot game.

Pachinko is like slots and pinball. This game is allowed as long as players are paid well. Winners get badges that may be exchanged for cash via a third party. This smart method keeps the game legal and avoids direct payouts.

The end product is amazing. Pachinko has become a huge business that brings in more money than all of Las Vegas’s casinos put together. Tourists often find it funny that millions of people play Pachinko every day freely in a country where gaming is against the law.

North and South Korea: Tough Rules with Few Blank Checks

North Korea is known for keeping things secret and in check. Not surprisingly, the people who live there can’t gamble in any way. Still, there are two casinos that tourists from other countries can visit with a tour guide. These casinos only exist to get money from tourists. There are even claims that North Korea has run illegal casinos in South Korea to get money for its government.

South Korea feels the same way. There are, in fact, land-based casinos, but only one lets people from the area play. Citizens can’t go to any of the others, and if they do, they could get fined or even go to jail.

To make things even tighter, South Koreans who gamble outside of South Korea can be fined. If police think someone often goes to Las Vegas or Macau just to bet, they could be charged when they get back home. The government says this policy is necessary because there are a lot of people in the area who have problems with gaming.

Grenada: Casinos That Don’t Have Licenses

The Caribbean island of Grenada legalized gaming in 2014. The regulation was odd: only hotels with over 300 rooms could open casinos. Grenada’s biggest hotel, on the other hand, has less than 270 rooms. This means that no casinos can officially open, even though the business is formally legal.

The government could look advanced without ever giving out a single casino license because of this loophole. At the moment, there aren’t many clear rules about online gaming.

It’s interesting to note that Grenada may have given out at least one license for online gaming in the 1990s, even though the country didn’t have clear rules at the time. The government may have wanted to make money quickly, but it later changed its mind and is no longer interested in becoming a licensing hub like Curaçao.

The Philippines — Gambling at Funerals

People in the Philippines bet a lot. Many individuals appreciate cockfighting, horse racing, and gambling. Lamay is the name for gaming at funerals, which is a very different custom. The wakes can last for days, giving family members time to get home.

People play cards or Mahjong during lamay. Gamble to remain awake, and when they win, the family gets a lot of money for the funeral.

In 2020, police banned funeral betting to combat criminal betting rings. The decision enraged many. The restriction was repealed after one month, allowing two gambling tables at wakes. This agreement illustrates how prevalent gaming is in Filipino society.

Tonga — No Laws, but No Gambling

There are no official gambling rules in Tonga. In theory, this means that there are no limits on gaming. In reality, there are no casinos there.

In 2017, the government gave one license to a foreign company that said it would spend a huge $450 million. But religious leaders were very against the plan, and the people made the government stop it. Despite residents not being permitted to play, casinos on the island were rejected. While gambling is not prohibited in Tonga, it is nonetheless against the law.

Saint Martin  Two Sides, Two Systems

Saint Martin is in the Caribbean. Both France and the Netherlands possess it. France has no casinos due to tight rules. The Dutch situation differs. Casinos operate in a legal “gray zone” because of lax regulations.

This sharp contrast defines the island. The Dutch section of Sint Maarten has several casinos, bars, and nightlife. The French half is calmer, with higher gambling taxes and fewer tourist developments. One island, two nations, two very distinct gaming universes.

United States — The Home of Strange State Laws

The US is known for having strange laws, and gaming rules are no different. There are a lot of different rules because each state makes its own. Some are funny, and others are hard to understand.

Some examples of strange US laws:

1. Kentucky. Kentucky Players can sue to get back money they lost on illegal bets, even if someone else files the suit for them. PokerStars was sued for a long time under this law, and in the end, the company paid the state $300 million.
2. Hawaii. Hawaii doesn’t allow any kind of gambling, not even old slot machines can be owned. Second-time criminals may be charged with a crime. So little is known about the law that even candy machines could be seen as sketchy.
3. Texas. Texas Hold’em developed there, but poker clubs aren’t permitted. Membership costs, although they don’t accept rakes. After authorities searched their residences, many continued to work with uncertain rules.

These instances demonstrate that gaming restrictions vary even within a nation.

Iceland: Gambling to Help Others

It is allowed to gamble in Iceland, but not very often. Non-governmental groups run all forms of gaming, and the money they make goes to charity, health care, or public projects. This is how slot machines, raffles, and sports bets work.

The profits were split among three groups for many years, and the Icelandic Red Cross was one of them. The National Center of Addiction Medicine, on the other hand, quit the relationship after being criticized. Some people said it was wrong for a group that treats addiction to make money from gaming.

Iceland’s plan is meant to lessen harm, but people are still worried about gaming addiction. In New Zealand, where pokies are run by organizations but still cause social problems, the same thing happens.

How Different Gambling Laws Work

These stories demonstrate that religion, culture, and government influence game regulations. Some governments only let visitors into casinos, some donate gambling profits, while others don’t allow gambling.

Strange game rules are usually implemented for these reasons:

• Religious ideas that say gaming is wrong
• Traditions that make certain kinds of games normal
• Economic needs, and governments want tax money

Problem gaming is bad for public health.

Last Thoughts

From Pachinko parlors in Japan to funeral card games in the Philippines, rules about gaming show a lot about how people in different countries balance fun, money, and morals. At first, some rules may seem strange, but they are typically based on greater political or cultural ideals.

These rules are more than just interesting to tourists. They can make the difference between having fun with a legal game and getting fined, going to jail, or even worse. There are a lot of strange laws about gaming, which shows that what seems normal in one country might not even be possible in another.