Gambling in Asia: Is It Allowed?

Asia is credited with having the oldest system of organized gambling events that date as far back as 2300BC. The region’s practices over time have a strong influence on numerous games that are played even to date such as baccarat, which bears a lot of similarities to the game Dragon Tiger that is native to the area.

Gambling is still a thriving niche in the Asian continent, and it accounts for the largest portion of the industry’s global revenue, which stands at more than two trillion dollars. Such a figure is expected, considering the continent holds 60% of the world’s population.

The widespread nature of gambling in Asia is accounted for by the deep-rooted culture that preaches luck and fortune as belief pillars, which is an element largely depended on when playing casino games like those in https://theinternetslots.com/. Also, the use of modern technology that makes the betting business what it is today faces large usage across Asia, including mobile gadgets and fast internet. Even so, the practice is restricted or strictly regulated in most of the regions. The legal nature of gambling depends on where one is accessing the services in the continent, and this review assesses the laws in some of these countries.

China

China is currently recognised as the richest and most powerful country on the globe from a technological standpoint. The gambling business has grown alongside others that depend on this element for their thriving nature, even though it is heavily controlled through government monopoly. Only gambling destinations that hold a license from the Chinese Sports Lottery, which is a government institution, are allowed to operate in the region. Gambling online, on the other hand, is banned entirely. Even so, international gaming sites are still popular among the Chinese, especially since the virtual nature of the internet presents a lot of loopholes for punters to get around and still access the services. China stands as the biggest contributor to sports betting revenue in the world, which is facilitated by high corruption in the practice that goes as far as fixing match results.

Macau is the only exception when it comes to restricted gambling in this country. Even though the jurisdiction is part of China, it operates with its own political system. Macau has taken full advantage of the fact that is can create its laws to legalize gambling, and the niche has grown to king-size proportions. The business accounts 50% of the area’s revenue. The region has also overtaken Las Vegas to be crowned the gambling capital of the world after generating more money and attracting bigger clientele than Las Vegas three years in a row.

Singapore

Singapore has a long history of legalized gambling that began in the nineteenth century. Even with the legal stamp, the niche is still heavily monitored by the government to avoid gambling addiction from becoming a national crisis. A recent study showed that more than 50% of Singapore’s adult population has engaged in real money gambling of some form. However, only 1% of them showcase problem gambling issues, which goes to show the government’s seriousness in controlling the use. Even with the long history of legal brick and mortar gaming, the online practice was not allowed in the country until 2016 when a law was passed to accommodate it. The government made this move in a bid to get ahead of the rising popularity of the practice to avoid the niche growing underground, which would make it impossible to regulate.

South Korea

South Korea bans all forms of gambling for its citizens, but it runs state-controlled location-based destinations for tourists. It is also illegal for locals to open gaming dens, both online and offline, even if they are targeted at international markets. Therefore, most South Koreans turn to websites run in other countries, while some choose the darker path and turn to toto sites , which are illegal and often just plain scams.

Japan

Japan gambling laws are more relaxed than those of South Korea, but they are still restrictive compared to those of most other regions. Citizens are only allowed to gamble in state-run lotteries, football, and other sporting events. Nonetheless, the relaxed nature of laws application makes Japan a large target for international gambling clubs. Access is made easier to these sites thanks to their accommodation of the local currency and language.

Closing Thoughts

The legal nature of gambling in Asia cannot be summarized into whether it is accepted or not since numerous jurisdictions with different laws exist in the continent. Even so, it is undeniable that the region plays a huge role in maintaining the industry as a crucial pillar in the entertainment business.