Top Gambling Countries

Through a combination of regulation, innovation and effective promotion, the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and Macau have emerged as gambling gurus since the turn of the millennium. Let's take a look. Gambling is legal in most South American countries, although not in all of its forms. In Brazil, for example, only horse racing and lotteries are legalized. Online gambling at foreign websites is also allowed throughout most of South America, and some countries even. Canada is famous for its gambling freedom, and the local population (along with Americans residing far from the Mojave Desert) is using it to the fullest. Top 10 Countries of the Gaming Market Leaders Board. China with 40,854 million USD in revenue; United States with 36.921 million USD in revenue; Japan with 18.683 million USD in revenue. The micro-state may be the smallest country in the world, but it’s the ultimate gambling destination in Europe. Don’t be put off by its reputation of opulence: Monaco has something for everyone. From the 1 cent minimum bets at the Bay Casino to the high-stakes games at the Casino de Monte-Carlo, you’re sure to find your niche.

I’d be willing to bet that most of us like to test our luck from time to time. Whether it’s tossing some spare change in a slot machine or placing a wager on your favourite sports team, the thrill of walking away with some unexpected cash is enough to bring a smile to anyone’s face.

You’ll find gambling opportunities on every continent including Antarctica. Yes, even Antarctica in all its harshness offers up a modest little casino at the Argentinean Esperanza Research Base!!

All up, there are roughly 10,000 casinos worldwide and plenty of other ways to gamble like horse racing and betting on world-class sporting matchups.

And now with online gambling available right on your smartphone or laptop in many countries, gambling has never been easier. If you’re looking for the top countries to enjoy your own bit of gambling, you’re in luck! I’ve rounded up my top lucky 7 gambling destinations in the world.

Australia

Kick starting with my home country of Australia where stats show that over 80% of adults engage in gambling. This puts us in the top of the pack when it comes to rates of gambling.

Every state and territory offers up at least one casino, with Crown Melbourne not only being the largest Down Under but the largest casino complex in the Southern Hemisphere.

The Melburnian complex currently boasts three hotels with a possible fourth coming in the near future. Crown will also soon be opening a casino in Sydney overlooking the glorious Sydney Harbour. The new casino will feature exclusive VIP-only gaming areas.

In addition to casinos, Australian pubs and clubs offer up thousands upon thousands of slot machines or as Aussies call them “pokies”. There are in fact more pokies in pubs and clubs than there are in casinos.

And of course, Australia’s online casinos like Emu Casino AU also have a huge following due to their convenience, large variety of games on offer, and special bonuses.

Australians also love to bet on sports, most notably the AFL, NRL, and cricket. Horse racing bets are also quite popular especially when speaking of the Melbourne Cup.

So eager are Australian to gamble that you can even bet on whether the central reserve bank will raise interest rates or not when they meet nearly every month of the year!

United Kingdom

The United States tops the list of countries offering the most casinos, but it’s the residents of the U.K. that are the most active gamblers. And there are plenty of great casinos for them to select from.

Two of the largest can be found in the heart of London including Aspers Casino in east London’s giant Westfield Stratford City shopping centre and the West End’s Hippodrome Casino just off Leicester Square.

London’s Hippodrome Casino features 3 gaming floors including Lola’s Underground Casino and is known for its entertainment and the Heliot Steak House which is regarded as London’s finest steak restaurant.

The casino currently hosts Channing Tatum’s Magic Mike Live and backs right onto Chinatown. Aspers Casino on the other hand is known for its exceptional poker.

You also have the exclusive Park Lane Casino is London’s Mayfair district as well as Les Croupiers Casino in Cardiff, Wales which offers an exceptional sports lounge.

United States

The U.S. goes all out when it comes to gambling. The majority of states contain casinos and the nation as a whole is home to the largest lottery jackpots in the world with its Powerball lottery.

The most famous gambling state is Nevada, home to Las Vegas. Vegas offers up the highest concentration of AAA Five Diamond hotels in the world and plays host to endless entertainment in addition to its many luxurious gaming floors like those found at the Bellagio, Caesars Palace, and The Venetian.

If you like your casinos with a slice of sandy beach, you can then choose to head to the East Coast where you’ll discover Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Atlantic City not only inspired American Monopoly, it also offers up a number of grand casinos including Tropicana Resort, Bally’s Atlantic City, and the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa. The city is pumping with nightlife along its world famous boardwalk and there are plenty of delicious restaurants carrying the names of world-renowned chefs.

To the south you then have gambling in Biloxi, Mississippi with its Harrah’s Gulf Coast Casino and Beau Rivage Resort & Casino to name just a few. Over on the West Coast, it should come as no surprise that California, the nation’s most populous state, offers up its fair share of casinos and gambling establishments as well.

You’ll find dozens of casinos scattered across cities like Los Angeles, San Diego, and Sacramento. American casinos employ over half a million people and tens of millions of Americans step on a gaming floor every year.

In addition to casinos you then have incredible sportsbooks often with stadium seating and giant HD screens where you can place bets on some of the world’s biggest annual sporting events like the Super Bowl and Kentucky Derby in addition to big name boxing matches.

Canada

There are plenty of gambling opportunities including lavish casinos in most of Canada’s provinces and territories. Canadian casinos are a mix of privately-owned establishments and government-run charitable casinos.

Residents of Saskatchewan and Ontario are said to be the biggest gamblers, with most Ontario residents residing within an hour’s drive of a casino such as the glorious Fallsview Casino Resort overlooking Niagara Falls with its 200,000 square feet of gaming space.

Canada’s largest casino, however, is the Casino de Montreal located on Quebec’s Notre Dame Island. The 24/7 casino features well over 500,000 square feet of gaming floor and offers up a unique gambling experience for beginner gamblers with The Zone which allows you to learn the basics of various table games via 80 multi-game electronic terminals set up in a group-game experience.

Other notable casinos in Canada include Edmonton’s River Cree Resort and Casino which was the first native-owned casino in Alberta.

Caesars Windsor Hotel & Casino is in Windsor, Ontario just across the river from Detroit and Casino Rama which is also in Ontario is just an hour and a half drive from Toronto.

Monaco

It may be one of the world’s smallest nations, but Monaco definitely holds its weight in the list of top gambling destinations. Ironically, citizens of Monaco are not allowed to gamble in the nation’s casinos, meaning the casinos must rely on the 80% of residents who are foreign-born non-citizens that live in Monaco.

Monaco is where the rich and famous come to gamble. Monaco’s casinos ooze style and sophistication, truly worthy of James Bond himself who did in fact roam the streets and casinos for several films.

Some casinos are rather exclusive and require either an invite or mandatory wearing of a tuxedo or cocktail dress. The most famous casino in Monaco is of course Casino de Monte Carlo which dates back to the mid-19th century.

Over the last century, it has attracted movie stars, world leaders, and some of the wealthiest people on the planet. The casino is known for its table games, most notably roulette.

Also beautiful is the Casino Café de Paris, known for its state-of-the-art slot machines, and the more casual and Americanised Sun Casino.

Monaco also offers up the European Poker Tour Grand Final, Monaco Grand Prix, and world championship boxing matches. And all of this gambling action is set to a backdrop of the French Riviera filled with its luxury yachts and high-end sports cars.

China (Notably, Macau)

Gambling has been outlawed in mainland China for nearly 70 years now but that hasn’t stopped Chinese residents from getting their gambling fix thanks to nearby Hong Kong and more notably Macau which sits just a short ferry ride from Hong Kong.

Horse racing gambling is big business in Hong Kong and offered solely through the Hong Kong Jockey Club. There are also casino cruise ships that take gamblers offshore for overnight cruises.

Gambling gets much easier in Macau which has become known as the “Monte Carlo of the East”, offering up dozens of casinos including the Venetian Macao which is one of the largest casinos in the world.

Gambling tourism makes up roughly half of Macau’s local economy and you’ll find unique Chinese table games on offer here such as sic bo and fan tan. Other notable casinos in Macau include the Macau Palace Casino and Waldo Casino.

Back on mainland China, despite gambling being outlawed, you can still partake in government-approved lotteries which include the Welfare Lottery and the China Sports Lottery which the government somehow doesn’t classify as gambling.

Singapore

While China may outlaw gambling, there are many great gambling destinations throughout Southeast Asia and Oceania which welcome growing numbers of Chinese tourists looking to place bets.

Singapore’s gambling industry is still in its infancy you could say. To date, there are still only two land-based casinos available to gamblers, both opening back in 2010.

Despite this fact, the nation still somehow manages to place in the top ten countries when it comes to gambling revenue. The casinos of both Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa attract gamblers from all around the world.

The Resorts World Sentosa may have been the first Singaporean casino by a few months, but the casino at Marina Bay Sands which opened shortly after is the largest in the country and the largest atrium casino in the world.

Marina Bay Sands also boasts the famous SkyPark which offers up the world’s longest elevated infinity pool. If you would like to take things offshore, there is the Aegean Paradise Cruise which will provide you with a full day and night of gambling.

Interestingly, citizens of Singapore must pay $150 every time they enter a casino as a sort of levy which attempts to discourage gambling addiction. However, there is an option for citizens to pay an annual fee of $3,000 for unlimited entry to the country’s casinos for one year if they do tend to gamble quite often.

Top Gambling Countries

Foreign tourists 21 and older are of course exempt from having to pay to enter Singapore’s casinos. In addition to Singapore’s two casinos, the nation also operates a state-run lottery system known as Singapore Pools as well as offering up horse racing.

Gambling has, to a certain extent, always been a part of people’s lives. There is evidence that traces betting and gambling games to 2300 bc China and ancient Egypt. People have always been attracted to gambling and betting. Gambling and betting are extremely profitable industries which raise taxes for the government and a lot of money for the casino owners. This advantage of gambling and betting helps them develop and become more and more popular over the years. However, gambling and betting involve not only fun and entertainment but also the gain and loss of money. In addition, it involves some behavior problems and sometimes it leads to gambling addiction. This is what makes gambling and betting controversial. In order to prevent gambling or to find a balance between gambling benefits and protecting the citizens, governments tend to make certain restraints, and sometimes even forbid it and make it illegal. Nevertheless, people always find ways to gamble and disobey the law.

In the following paragraphs, we will present nine countries which made gambling illegal.

COUNTRY NUMBER ONE: UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

In the majority of Islamic countries, gambling is prohibited to an extent. However, some countries do not prohibit or regulate gambling and put gambling in the so-called grey area. This is not the case with the United Arab Emirates. In the United Arab Emirates gambling is prosecuted and if caught playing people can end up in jail for two years. In addition, the Internet content is controlled fully which therefore prevents any access to online casinos.

COUNTRY NUMBER TWO: BRUNEI

Brunei is also an Islamic country which enforces the Common Gaming House Act which, in addition, forbids gambling in any form in the country.

COUNTRY NUMBER THREE: CAMBODIA

Cambodian people are known to have gambling addictions. It is for that reason that the government prohibited gambling in the country. The only form of gambling accepted in Cambodia is the lottery which is sponsored by the government.

Top 10 Gambling Countries

COUNTRY NUMBER FOUR: NORTH KOREA

The same rules go for North Korea as for Cambodia. However, the difference is that tourists are allowed to gamble on guided tours. The only casino that exists in the country is located in Pyongyang.

COUNTRY NUMBER FIVE: JAPAN

Until recently, all forms of gambling were prohibited in Japan. However, nowadays, sports betting activities are allowed, and casinos can be opened in resorts as a form of entertainment. Nevertheless, online gambling remains completely illegal in Japan.

COUNTRY NUMBER SIX: SINGAPORE

In Singapore, public lotteries are permitted and regulated by the government. However, other events are strictly banned unless they have a permission by the government. In addition, online gambling is completely prohibited in Singapore.

COUNTRY NUMBER SEVEN: CYPRUS

Online gambling, in general, is not allowed in Cyprus except for sports betting. In addition, slots and other terminal-based games are permitted, however, only 50 machines are allowed.

COUNTRY NUMBER EIGHT: QATAR

Qatar prohibits all forms of betting, and large penalties are imposed when people are caught gambling and betting.

COUNTRY NUMBER NINE: LEBANON

Top Gambling Countries

Online casinos are blocked by the government in Lebanon and gambling is also strictly prohibited and heavily punished.