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Gambling Regulation by Country

Last updated 2026-07-27

How gambling is licensed, taxed and restricted differs sharply between countries — from open point-of-consumption licensing in Great Britain, to the US state-by-state patchwork, to France's prohibition on online casino, to Macau's concession model. This reference summarises the principal regulator and framework in major markets.

JurisdictionPrincipal authorityModelNotes
United KingdomGambling Commission (UKGC)Open licensingPoint-of-consumption; 18+ (16 for some lottery)
United StatesState regulators + AGA (industry)State-by-stateLegal status varies by state; 21+ typical
Ontario, CanadaAGCO / iGaming OntarioOpen, regulated since 202219+
Macau (China SAR)Gaming Inspection & Coordination Bureau (DICJ)Concession model6 concessionaires; 21+
FranceAutorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ)Online casino prohibitedSports/horse/poker online only
SwedenSpelinspektionenOpen licensing since 2019Spelpaus self-exclusion; 18+
MaltaMalta Gaming Authority (MGA)B2B/B2C hub licenceMajor EU licensing base
This is a high-level orientation, not legal advice. Rules change frequently; always consult the named regulator for current requirements. Detailed per-country pages are being added.

Sources & notes

  1. UK Gambling Commission; iGaming Ontario / AGCO; ANJ (France); Spelinspektionen (Sweden); Malta Gaming Authority; Macau DICJ.
  2. Frameworks summarised from each regulator’s public materials.