UK Internet Casino Laws

As the first large country to legalize and regulate online gambling, many experts often look toward The UK for guidance regarding Internet casino laws. Under Prime Minister Tony Blair, the Gambling Act of 2005 was passed in The UK. All Web branded casinos in a UK approved jurisdiction are legal for the citizens of The UK to use and play in.

While it may appear countries are hesitant to address Internet casino laws, many are taking steps to protect the privacy and finances of their citizens, like The UK has done. When countries choose to ignore online gambling their citizens can easily become targets for fraud and left without their country's government protecting them.

An interesting aspect to the UK Internet Casino Laws is the fact the Gaming Act states an Internet casino cannot be licensed if the activites being conducted within it could be called gaming. However, many of these online casinos structure games so they do not involve the traditional and legal definition of gaming. For example, games like craps can be played online in a way where they are more like fixed odds betting than gaming betting. In addition, since online casino games involve no physical gathering of players competing they are often seen as being an area other than gaming.

In addition, with virtual gaming machines in online casinos the players are actually hoping for a winning combo instead of going through traditional betting practices as he or she would in a physical landbound casino.

In the past few years, UK Internet Casino laws have been relaxed even further now allowing online casinos to advertise. As a result, The Gambling Commission created a code of conduct to regulate the content and location of advertisements, which are much like the alcohol industry rules.