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Gambling has become a huge hit in the USA and Canada – but how do their gambling differ?
Over the past few years, gambling has reached new heights never seen before.
There are plenty of reasons for this, with the main one being that it’s now incredibly easy for people to gamble online. According to Statista, the size of the global online gambling industry is expected to reach 114.4 billion US dollars by 2028, which is a growth of a little over 86% from 2021!
Also, when the COVID-19 lockdowns took place, it led to millions of Americans and Canadians using gambling as a tool to keep them entertained and occupied. This trend has stuck, as lots of these people have decided to keep gambling as a full or part-time hobby.
So, now that we’ve covered that let’s take a closer look at the gambling laws in the USA and Canada.
Canada Gambling Laws
First, Canada.
In Canada, gambling is legal for everyone above the age of 19.
This includes all forms of gambling, from land-based casinos to online sports betting sites. If you’re intrigued, you can learn more about online gambling in Canada.
It’s worth noting that in some Canadian regions, you can be 18 and gamble. For example, anyone aged 18 or over in Ontario can purchase lottery tickets.
Any unlicensed bookmaker or casino in Canada is illegal. Therefore, before using any provider, you must double-check to make sure that they are officially licensed and regulated. If not, you must find somewhere else to gamble!
USA Gambling Laws
As mentioned earlier, gambling has become extremely popular in the US.
The US gambling laws are pretty similar to Canada’s, but there are some small differences.
In most cases, you must be aged 21 or over to gamble in the US. However, there are instances when you can be aged 18 or over and gamble.
Let’s take land-based casinos as an example. To enter the majority of land-based casinos in the US, you need to be 21 or above. However, some land-based casinos allow people aged 18 and above to enter – but this is usually when there’s no alcohol on sale inside the establishment. Here are some US states that allow land-based casino gambling for those over 18:
- New York
- California
- Montana
- Michigan
- Wyoming
When it comes to online gambling, you must be aged 21 or over. It’s illegal to join an online gambling website or app in the US if you’re below this age.
Conclusion
So, whether you live in the US or Canada, make sure to follow the laws and guidelines discussed above when gambling. If you’re currently under the legal age in your state or region, then you will, unfortunately, have to wait until you reach the legal age to gamble.
Remember, when gambling in-person or online, make sure to handle your money responsibly and always choose officially licensed and safe providers. To make certain of this, you can check the online reviews prior to visiting a gambling establishment. Have fun.
