The world of internet gambling is strictly regulated and it is important to first be aware of what countries allow online gambling before you start. Online casinos have experienced a steady growth in popularity over the past few years, with more and more people registering with sites in order to enjoy their favorite casino games.

You will find a few countries around the world where this practice is legal and many of them house servers that are accessible to people residing in countries where it is not. This means that if you live in a country where gambling online is banned, you might still be able to play by dialing into a server that is hosted outside of your country.

The United States of America

It is true that more and more countries are realizing the benefits of legalizing internet gambling and are actively taking steps toward this. However, the law governing the prohibition of internet gambling in America is somewhat unclear. The estimate is that approximately 70 percent of US citizens make up the internet gambling population and suffer little consequences because of it. It may be that the situation is difficult to monitor and regulate because gambling online happens in the privacy of your home and not in the public eye.

Online Gambling Around The World

You can do a simple search online to find out what countries allow online gambling. The list below reflects a few of these where online gambling is legal:

• Australia
• Belgium
• Canada
• France
• Germany
• Gibraltar
• Hungary
• Ireland
• Italy
• Liechtenstein
• Macau
• Malta
• New Zealand
• Panama
• Philippines
• Poland
• Russia
• Scandinavia
• Singapore
• Spain
• Switzerland

Countries like Argentina, Mexico and a few Asian countries have all started the process of legalizing online gambling.

Enforcement and Regulation

Although the internet gambling industry is heavily regulated, experts admit that it is difficult to monitor because of its fairly anonymous nature. This poses a problem where online gambling is banned because it is virtually impossible to pinpoint players in the country who sign on from their homes. This begs the argument that why ban online gambling at all if it is so easily accessible and difficult to monitor? Regulation remains easier than prohibition in most cases and the trend seems to show that more and more countries are realizing this.

It is best to properly investigate what countries allow online gambling to ensure that you are on the right side of the law when enjoying your favorite casino games. This will also guarantee that you get to keep whatever winnings you make online.