As you may be aware, EarthHour is dedicated to online gambling globally, not just in one country. Even though my site is in English, I care equally about Asia, Africa and the UK, which is why it’s kind of mind-boggling to me how I’ve neglected to write an article detailing just where online gambling is legal and where it is not. Fear not, though – that article is here now! Keep in mind that this actually took quite a bit of research to make sure all of the information is up to date, but in case I’ve made a mistake somewhere, or if there’s been some sort of development following the writing of this article, then by all means please let me know!

United Kingdom

Let’s start with the easiest one – yes, online gambling is completely legal in the United Kingdom. The only requirement is that the casinos in question need to have been licensed by the Gambling Commission, and optionally tested by one or more independent bodies to ensure fairness. That’s really it. As long as you live in the UK and you see the Gambling Commission logo in the footer of the casino, you’re good to go!

United States

Things are pretty complicated in the US, but to put it simply, the overwhelming majority of the country doesn’t offer online gambling. After 2006, a new law made it illegal for banks to process payments to online casinos, which effectively made it forbidden for US customers to play in any casinos, be they foreign or national (if you want to read more about it, this article offers a lot of insights). Currently, only three states offer online gambling – Nevada (obviously), Delaware and New Jersey, though a couple more, such as Pennsylvania, may legalize it soon enough.

Canada

Canada’s laws are also complicated, but not nearly to the extent of the US. Basically, casinos need a license from the government (much like in the UK), but even if no casinos in your province have managed to get a license, there’s no laws stopping you from playing internationally.

South America

Online gambling is legal throughout South America, both locally and in foreign casinos. The only exception to the rule is Brazil, which has only seen the legalization of horse racing and lotto.

Australia

Sadly, Australia is in the same boat as Brazil – online gambling is completely illegal safe for lotteries and horse racing. The same goes for New Zealand. However, there’s no reason for you to worry at all – if you live in the region, all you have to do to play is use a foreign site. Overseas casinos and betting sites are permitted.

Africa

South Africa was by far the most complicated country to research, as I couldn’t find information about many of the countries in the region (so I’m just going to assume that online gambling is forbidden there – correct me if I’m wrong). However, South Africa in particular has been something of the African Mecca when it comes to gambling in general, so it goes without saying that online gambling is completely legal there.

As opposed to land-based locations, online casinos will greet you with a welcoming bonus offer, so why not take advantage of it? Bonuses are a great way to get you started, giving you extra funds to play with. There are several types of bonuses that you can claim, according to your playing habits and preferences. For example, some casinos extend no deposit bonuses, which means that you can start playing without having to risk your own money. On the other hand, this type of offer has the highest wagering requirement – conditions that need to be met before cashing out. Moreover, such bonuses are rarely withdrawable and sometimes the same thing can be said about the winnings that you accumulated by playing with the bonus. If you are not sure which type of bonus is suitable for you, I recommend bestcasinobonuses.co.uk, a very good source of information on the matter.
I personally prefer deposit bonuses, because they have more lenient requirements and are easier to play through, depending on the games you fancy. Even better, you can claim welcome packages, which means that the whole bonus amount is spread across more than one deposit. Another thing you should know is that games have different contribution to the wagering requirements and low house edge games like roulette count to a smaller percentage. And it’s only normal, if you think about it. French Roulette has the smallest house edge – 1.35%, which means that you, as a player, hold the advantage and, with the help of the bonus funds, you could collect a nice win playing it.
Slots, on the other hand, are a different story and I should tell you right off the bat that most of the times, they have a 100% contribution to the wagering conditions. That could also be due to the speed of the game, but also due to the lower RTP of most of them. And still, some slots such as Blood Suckers manage to combine an amazingly high RTP of 98%, with a 100% contribution. Best case scenario, if you ask me, because this way you can play through your bonus fast and hassle-free and still have a really good chance of winning. Besides, slots often have regular or progressive jackpots that will make your head spin. And if you the casino also gives you the funds to give it a go, why would you pass on that offer?

There are thousands of casinos around the world – both online and land-based. Some of them are obvious no-nos, but many actually are pretty trustworthy and fair. There are some nice casinos that attract new players with juicy bonuses, others with great game selections, third ones – with gifts, loyalty schemes and more. There are so many nice casinos out there, all of them offering different advantages, that it becomes really hard to pick just one or two to play at. This is why I’ve created this blog, so that we can choose together the best casinos in different categories and the overall best as well. And while other blogs only focus on online casinos as they claim they are better, I won’t discriminate anyone and will respect all preferences, reviewing and recommending also land-based casinos.

Furthermore, in this blog I plan on sharing useful tips and tricks that you can use while playing the most popular casino games such as roulette, slots and blackjack. Not only that, but I will recommend the best variations of these games that you can find online – if you don’t already know, you will soon learn that some of them are way better and, in fact, more profitable than others. Furthermore, I’ll try and keep you posted on the best casino offers that you can claim and will give you advice on how to make the most out of them by wagering them on just the right games.

But enough promises, I just wanted to say hi and share my vision for the blog with you. Probably in a week the first real post will be published so don’t forget to check back soon! Until then, I wish you lots of luck and profitable casino sessions!