What are the regulations for online gaming and eSports betting platforms?

As you may recall, on Monday China said it would ban kids from playing online games for more than 3 hours per week to safeguard their physical and mental health. China’s National Press and Publication Administration announced that under 18 years old kids in China will only be allowed up to three hours per week to play online video games.

China said the new rules will apply to companies that provide online game services to minors, limiting their ability to serve those users outside of designated hours. China is one of the many countries that are now issuing rules to regulate the nascent online gaming industry, which includes online casinos, online gambling, eSports, and other online betting platforms.

Surprisingly, many online players pay very little to no attention to the regulations that govern the online gaming industry. The history of online gaming dates back to the early days of packet-based computer networking in the 1970s way before the launch of the commercial internet. Then in 1986, SGI Dogfight became the first online game to use the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).

Fast forward a decade later, the availability of the Internet in the 1990s led to the explosion of online games, and lawmakers around were caught off guard to pass meaningful regulations to control online gaming, especially online gambling. Instead, most countries relied on outdated laws which were not really effective in the online world.

With the sudden rise in the popularity of online gambling, many lawmakers were still ill-prepared. This resulted in the delay in making laws concerning online gambling. Before making these laws, lawmakers used to rely on old legislations that were irrelevant in online gambling.

The laws for online gambling are different in each state. According to the recent study:
● 61 countries permit licensed online casinos to run
● 31 countries banned online gambling websites operating in their perimeter
● 39 countries completely banned all online gambling websites to operate

Today, the online gaming industry is booming and most online casino sites even have a dedicated online casino mobile app that is fully regulated and licensed. That is if it operates in the same territories and countries like Malta, Gibraltar, Cyprus, Curacao, and the UK.

Certification Bodies

The first thing you will need to do before you start gambling online is to send your money to an “unknown” third-party website that handles your balance. While this can be a little uncomfortable, it’s important to understand how online gambling is regulated to ensure that your hard-earned money is in the right hands. This allows gamblers to understand that they are working with trusted and legal parties.

Online casinos will only get their certification to operate if they pass at least one of the three certifying bodies. These include software testing agencies, security testing companies, and the government.

The certifications will show that online gambling sites and apps have complied with and fulfilled the legality, safety, and quality requirements. The certifying bodies also entail that online casinos have no intentions to trick the players.

Online Gambling Jurisdictions

Knowing the online gambling jurisdictions allows you to understand how online gambling is regulated. These are where governments produce laws that certify online gambling companies to operate and provide gaming and betting services online. Therefore, online gambling websites can now be legally accessed by gamblers in these regions.

You can find many online gambling jurisdictions around the world. A few of them are reputable and respected. These places have well-known and great online gambling companies. These include Costa Rica, Panama, Malta, Curacao, and more.

Local Gambling Legislation

Online gambling is not regulated by a single global body. It is made possible by several parties worldwide that would like to control the online gambling industry. As mentioned, the laws related to online gambling are different from one state to another. This means that gambling through the internet might be legal in some countries but strictly prohibited in other places. What’s worse is that some states have confusing online gambling laws.

Take note that most countries impose online gambling laws focusing on the website instead of the players. It might be impossible for a nation to enforce a law that prohibits a person from gambling online. However, confusing online gambling laws make other gamblers hesitant to play. Some people are afraid to do something they should not, although no clear rule is stated that restricts them from doing it.

Closing Thoughts

Understanding how an online gambling industry is regulated is essential to ensure that gambling sites are run ethically and lawfully. Through this, online players can ensure that they are treated equally and safely.