While the online casino and sports betting industry is gathering pace in the United States, there are signs that specific measures aimed at tackling problem gambling, illegal sites, and money laundering could soon reach these shores from Europe.
2021 has already witnessed a boom in online gambling. From mobile casinos to sports betting on your phone, many states in the US have relaxed decades-long legislation on gambling and take the tax revenues that come with the extra casino activities.
You may not realize it, but America is actually late to the party here. Europe and Asia have enjoyed online sports betting and mobile casino gambling for the last 20 years.
Yet while the US is expanding its gambling horizons, those elsewhere in the world are now being cut back slightly. Indeed, there is a growing push in Europe for tighter remote gaming regulations that match those in land-based casinos – and 2021 could be a landmark year.
And so, we’ve taken a look at the big changes that are coming into effect this year that could have a knock-on effect on the US industry in the near future…
Online Slots Trends
Slots — is the casino classic about to become more regulated?
Looking across the Atlantic to Europe, there is a growing sense that greater regulatory authority is coming to the online casino world. This is perhaps a little strange as some countries – such as Germany – are only now passing legislation that permits online casinos and mobile sports betting across the country.
Germany, like the US and Canada, has a burgeoning online casino industry but the nation, as well as others in Europe, are not expanding with quite so much rapidity as America. Checks are being made at local levels on every aspect of the legislation, with recommendations made for restrictions such as tax levies and bet limits. The same is happening in Spain, which has opened a consultation on new online gambling rules in the country.
Meanwhile, the UK – which for two decades has been the world’s hotbed for online casino and sports betting – is undergoing a review of its gambling legislation. The UK Gambling Commission is exploring the landscape in 2021 in order to bring laws up to date – and with it tackle social issues such as money laundering and problem gambling.
And over in Canada, Ontario legislators are pushing to implement restrictions on online casino games and sports betting before the industry has even opened – preempting what they believe will be issues with remote betting and online casino games further down the line.
What Does This Mean For America?
America, therefore, stands at something of a crossroads in 2021. There has been a huge push to open up states to online gambling & sports betting resources, but with that, a check-back from some politicians and campaign groups that want to ensure tight regulation is in place.
Money laundering and combating illegal sites are already high on the list of issues for states, and the changes coming in Europe are likely to become vogue on this side of the Atlantic too.
The changes taking place elsewhere that US players should be aware of include:
| Trend | Location |
| Bet limits | UK considering introducing bet limits, while Germany had a €1 limit per spin on slots |
| Taxes | Germany tax 16% on slots and have a 5% turnover tax on operators. The UK taxes operators at 19% of profits. |
| Monthly deposit limits | There is a deposit limit of €1000 ($1177) in Germany, while the UK could soon introduce them. |
| Spin timings | There is a 2.5-second pause between spins in the UK, 5 seconds in Germany, and Canada are also planning spin time restrictions. |
| No autoplay | Autoplay is outlawed in Germany and will be in Canada. The UK is expected to outlaw autoplay features. |
| Loss limits | Germany and the UK offer players the option to set loss limits. Spain is proposing per-session loss limits. |
| Sport betting | Germany have a narrow offering of markets, while the UK is pushing through wider bans on gambling commercials and ads. |
American states are so far allowed to decide for themselves on issues such as bet limits, auto spin features, and taxes. But for the individual player who wants to bet online, there could be a minefield of regulation on the horizon – especially players who potentially gamble in numerous states (which all have their own gambling laws!).
As for the 2021 changes, here are the potential good and bad points of each alteration. As is clear, Germany is pushing hard for regulation, while the UK is taking a softer, steadier approach to changes to their legislation.
| Trend | Pros | Cons |
| Bet limits |
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| Taxes |
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| Monthly deposit limits |
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| Spin timings |
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| No autoplay |
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| Loss limits |
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Spain and many other regions are also seeking to ban ‘losses disguised as wins’. This is when a player ‘wins’ money on a slot, but still makes a loss on the original wager.
So, what will the US online gambling landscape look like later this year? Probably not too dissimilar to what it does now. But that doesn’t mean the trends set in 2021 over in Europe and Canada won’t soon be felt here too!
