Decades have passed since online gambling exploded into the mainstream scene in the 90s, where “growth at all costs” policies were common in a world that was severely unregulated. Online gambling became such a common part of everyday life that, according to a DemandSage study, at least 20% of the global adult population have gambled online over the past year. That’s over 800 million people.
With the passing of time, some countries have become leading gambling markets across the world, even when online casinos weren’t legal. Spain, Colombia, Mexico, Canada, and many others have steadily legalized gambling from the mid-2000s until now, and their governments keep implementing policies to further regulate it.
Ironically, and as a clear example of horseshoe theory, legality is bringing players back to international websites.
Overregulation is the New Normal, and the UK is Trying to Lead by Example
The late 90s and early 2000s were truly no-man’s land in the world of online gambling. Casinos could offer bonuses, games, and services to players from almost anywhere in the world with absolute impunity, but over the years, countries started incorporating online gambling laws both to tax these sites and to protect their nationals and to ensure that they only play in reputable online casinos.
The United Kingdom has been a global leader in online gambling for years, with the “UKGC” license being touted as one of the most reputable in the world and the leading EU license pre-Brexit. Even though player protection rules are already strict in the United Kingdom, the country has further tightened its grip on gambling sites:
- As of May 2025, new regulations put a hard cap of £5 per spin for 25+ y/o adults and a betting limit of £2 per spin for adults between 18 and 24.
- Features that encourage quick play, such as instant spins, were removed from UK-licensed games in January 2025.
- Starting on January 2025, the so-called “blanket” approvals were removed, forcing operators to request authorization to offer different games.
The UK’s approach is being followed by other countries that are opting to further regulate gambling:
- The Netherlands tightened their grip in 2023, prohibiting radio, TV, and printed gambling ads. Spain and Italy followed suit, banning public figures in ads and outright forcing sports teams to stop having online casinos or betting sites on their shirts.
- Countries like Spain strictly prohibit certain types of games as well, which is why their live casinos often only offer roulette.
- Latin American countries follow suit with strict regulations. Argentina, for example, only allows certain operators and game types in their casinos, something similar to what happens in Mexico.
All of these regulations are being put in place to keep players safe, but they’re not as good as they may seem: such rules will lead to lower return rates, worse sports betting odds, more limited selections of games, and worse bonuses, as casinos look to maximize their profits to cope with new regulations.
The Thin Line Between Regulating Properly and Pushing Players Internationally
As history has shown time and time again, failing to legalize gambling always leads to the rise of black markets. Some countries, like the United States, have learned that the hard way with the rise and fall of platforms like PokerStars in the country.
However, regulating an activity to the point where it becomes less fun can lead players away from legal casinos, and it’s already happening in major markets, which is why national regulators and governments must be careful with how strict their laws are.
Otherwise, we’ll see similar cases to what happens in countries like the United Kingdom or Spain. Even though players have access to properly licensed sites that operate at a national level, over. Something similar happens in Chile with sports betting as well: players opt to visit international operator sites instead of nationally licensed platforms due to their “legal” options having lower odds and more limited gaming choices.
Historically, players look for sites that offer them the largest array of betting markets and casino games with the best possible odds of winning, and that’s going to continue being the case, even if it means having to bend the rules and gamble on sites with international licenses.
