These European Countries Have the Most Gambling Fans

Gambling is popular amongst football fans, lottery players and casino players. People of all age brackets gamble. However, since casinos do not allow children in, children instead gamble in football matches. With online casino platforms, children will lie about their age and they will get access. Gambling is also regularly advertised over the radio or television. You will not go a day without hearing a gambling or at least a gaming advertisement. In most cases, governments direct media stations to air gambling advertisements at night yet that seldom happens. Also, some billboards encourage you to bet anyway.

Gambling has remained controversial to this day. A gambler also finds it hard to admit that they are one in public, for fear of being stigmatized or called out. Those who support gambling, claim that the government can use the gambling funds to boost their country’s economy. As for those who oppose gambling, they liken it to alcoholism which they consider a self-destructive habit. Some people have found themselves in huge debts and this has forced them to engage in crime to recover the money they would use to pay off those debts.

Most European countries however advocate for responsible gambling. We will mention four European countries which gamble the most in no particular order. For a more detailed understanding of the gambling habits of European players, here is the link for further reference that also lists the most popular European casino sites: https://www.top10-casinosites.net/top-10-european-casino-sites/. It feels rather unfair to list these four countries since most people seem to agree that Europeans generally gamble a lot.

The UK

It is estimated that at least 47% of the population gamble. The country’s economy has grown significantly, thanks in part to gambling. Any person wishing to start a gambling house must first obtain a license called the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC). After paying for the license, the businessperson is then free to run their gambling house. Just like other businesses, they pay taxes. It is no surprise that a huge percentage of the population gamble now that the government has made gambling legal.

Due to no gambling restrictions, Europeans have visited the UK frequently to gamble. People also like to gamble in the UK because there are no levies placed on winnings. Most people will typically narrow down the country’s gambling to sports, but they also gamble through televised lottery games, one example is one called the National Lottery.

Gambling has been treated as a business like any other such that their earnings are accounted for in a report published every May and November. Workers affiliated with the gambling industry can therefore access and assess the performances of their earnings. We can safely say that the country has a gambling culture and it takes the sport very seriously.

Finland

Traditionally, people have always ranked the UK as the nation that gambles the most. Finland wins that honour when it comes to gambling. Based on the research conducted by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, they discovered that 41% of the Finnish gamble every week.

The Finnish government was concerned about the rate at which children gambled. In 2011, the government raised the gambling age from 15 to 18. The most popular gambling games that are preferred in this country are slot machines and Lotto.

Finland has also noticed the rate of crime goes up exponentially if gambling is left unregulated. It is not uncommon for people to break gambling rules or rob winners of their cash earnings. Under the Lotteries Act, for instance, gamblers thus enjoy legal protection. If a gambler feels short-changed in any way, they can sue.

Italy

Italians are allowed to play in both offline and online casinos. However, most Italian gamblers gravitate towards offline casinos since they do not levy taxes on the winnings. The government has legalized online casinos, so it then follows that they will tax the sector.

Italy has been regarded as the world’s fourth gambling market. The country was faced with a dilemma. Citizens have always pushed the government to address the nation’s gambling habits. The government has also been reluctant to tackle the issue since the gambling industry has largely boosted the country’s economy. Italy has nearly 400,000 slot machines which are twice those of the USA. An average of €1,500 is spent by Italians annually.

Norway

Norwegian gamblers bet from any casino they can find; whether local or foreign. The Norwegian government has realized how much the gambling industry has improved the country’s economic growth. To capitalize on the growth, Norway has monopolized the industry through a body called Norsk Tipping. The body has tirelessly put measures in place to prevent Norwegians from gambling from foreign casinos that are found online. By gambling in foreign countries, that foreign country enjoys all the levies they will impose.

The government even tried to stop Norwegian governments from allowing cash withdrawals from foreign casinos. Despite the government’s attempts at killing competition, foreign casinos have figured ways of beating the system. For instance, some foreign casinos achieved their goal by changing their account numbers.

Conclusion

Gambling has been attributed to certain individuals, but it is clear that the government also benefits from gambling. Who would even blame the European governments for legalizing gambling? If the countries can earn taxes from gambling, then they will not stop a gambler from doing so. The governments will still be expected to ensure that gambling is done responsibly.

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