Online casinos by Country

Key Considerations for Choosing Online Casinos in Your Country

Looking for the best online and casino sites in the USA, Canada, or the UK? Here’s how to pick a casino that won’t steer you wrong.

Licensing and Regulation

If there’s one rule about online gambling, it’s this: Always stick with online casinos that have a license from a responsible gambling authority, such as the UK Gambling Commission or the Malta Gaming Authority. A gambling license is akin to a stamp of approval that tells you a casino is legit.

It’s also important to pay attention to gambling laws and regulations in your preferred country or state. In the U.S., for example, online gambling is legal in some states but not others. In areas where online gambling is illegal, gamblers use virtual private networks (VPNs) to access casinos.

 

Payment Methods and Currency Support

Always verify whether a casino accepts your preferred currency before signing up. Many online casinos accept a variety of currencies, and the best accept more than a dozen.

Regulated casinos in the U.S. mostly accept bank transfers and credit cards. In other jurisdictions, gamblers prefer e-wallets such as Skrill, ecoPayz, Neteller, and PayPal.

You’ll find dozens of online casinos that accept cryptocurrency, which savvy gamblers prefer thanks to its anonymity and speedy payouts. For example, crypto payouts can take just a few hours, while a fiat currency payout may take 48 hours or more.

 

Bonuses and Promotions

The best online casinos offer exciting bonuses and promotions to draw in customers, and you won’t find bonuses like these at any land-based casino. The most common is the welcome bonus, for which a casino matches your first deposit by a certain amount. Welcome bonuses range from about $500 to more than $5,000.

Look out for cashback bonuses, too. When you claim a cashback bonus, the casino will return a percentage of your losses. This keeps you in the game even when you’re having a losing streak.

 

Language and Customer Support

Good online casinos understand that they’re catering to a global clientele and support dozens of languages, including everything from English to Swahili. Look for a casino that makes it easy to switch to your preferred language on the fly.

Of course, superb customer support is a must. The best casinos offer 24/7 support via live chat, email, or phone. They also have an FAQ section that answers common questions about casino games, banking and accounts.

 

Game Selection and Providers

One of the best things about online casinos is that they offer many more games than are available at the average land-based casino. Some, such as crypto-based casinos, have over 5,000 to choose from. You’ll never run out of games to to play online casino games; that’s for sure!

Slots make up the bulk of most casinos’ catalogs. The best ones offer slot games from a variety of top providers, foreign operators such as Evolution, Pragmatic Play, and BGaming. You’ll also find an impressive selection of table games, including favorites like poker, blackjack, roulette, and baccarat.

 

Mobile and Desktop Compatibility

When looking for the best online casinos by accepted country, be sure to choose a reputable casino name that works on the platform of your choice, whether that’s desktop or mobile. Not many online casinos offer dedicated mobile apps, but their websites will still work fine on your mobile browser.

The ability to play on the go is one of the biggest perks of online casinos. No more waiting to get home to hit the slots; fire up your favorite online casino games, and you’re off to the races.

 

Reputation and Reviews

Just because a casino features flashy graphics and enticing bonuses doesn’t mean it’s worth your time. User reviews can help you see past the fluff and find the truth about that casino you’re eyeing.

Reviewers rate the best casino sites and online casinos on stuff that matters, such as game selection, payout speed, accepted payment methods, and customer support. These reviews will tell you whether a particular casino is a good pick or you’d be better off choosing a different one.

 

Global Online Gambling Market Overview

If you were picking an industry to invest in, you could do a lot worse than the online gambling market. It was valued at $63 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach a whopping $153 billion at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.7% by 2030. Other highlights include:

• Most online gambling revenue is expected to be generated in the United States by 2029.

• The number of online gambling users is expected to reach 291.4 billion by 2029.

• Average revenue per user (ARPU) is anticipated to reach $0.43k.

• User penetration is 6.1% in 2024 and is expected to reach 7.6% by 2029.

What’s driving this impressive growth? Factors include:

• Convenience: Instead of booking a trip to Vegas or heading to a local brick-and-mortar casino, users can simply log onto their favorite online casino and start playing from anywhere. Plus, online casinos are open 24/7, perfect for those night owls who want to get their gambling fix.

• Technology advancements: Today’s online casinos are slick, flashy, and, above all, fun. Live dealer software, for instance, allows users to interact with the dealer and other players just as they would in a land-based casino.

• Cryptocurrency: Unlike land-based casinos, which largely only accept credit and debit cards, many online casinos take crypto, such as Bitcoin and Litecoin. Thanks to its speed and security, crypto is the preferred way to play.

• Anonymity: Online casinos allow users to play anonymously, and some don’t even require users to make an account to enjoy the games. This appeals to users who value their privacy.

 

Popular Online Casino Regions and Their Highlights

Where is online gambling most popular? Let’s start with Europe, which enjoyed the biggest market share (41%) in 2022. A European Gaming & Betting Association study found that sports betting accounted for the largest increase in growth.

One of the biggest factors driving growth in Europe' gambling industry is the legalization of online gambling in countries such as Italy, Germany, and Malta. Additionally, the Gambling Act of 2005, set by the UK Gambling Commission, gave online casinos the green light to advertise their websites.

Of course, online gambling laws also vary by country. Here’s an overview of online gambling regulations in countries such as the UK, France, Austria, and Ireland:

Country	Regulations
UK	The UK Gambling Commission monitors and regulates online casinos in this country. Operators are governed by the Gambling Act of 2005.
Italy	Italy’s gambling activities, including online casinos, are regulated by the Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli (ADM)
France	The French Gambling Act of 2010 only legalized online poker, sports betting, and horse race betting. Online casinos remain prohibited.
Germany	The 2021 Interstate Treaty on Gambling enables online casinos in Germany to get licenses for slots, poker, and sports betting.
Austria	The Austrian Ministry of Finance monitors and regulates online casinos in this country. Only locally licensed casinos can offer gambling services.
Ireland	In 2022, Ireland’s Parliament passed the Gambling Regulation Bill and created the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland to license and regulate land-based and online casinos.

North America takes second place when it comes to online gambling market share. This region accounted for 39.9% of the market in 2023. Online slots and sports betting enjoyed the biggest surge in popularity and are predicted to do well from 2024 to 2029.

The United States is an interesting case because of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), which effectively banned online platforms and sports betting on the federal level until 2018. In 2018, the Supreme Court struck down PASPA, enabling states to create their own gambling regulations. As of this writing, only a few states allow both online gambling and sports betting, including Delaware, Connecticut, New Jersey, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and West Virginia.

It’s difficult to estimate Mexico's market share because analysts believe most gambling spending has been funneled to offshore and unlicensed casinos. Nevertheless, one fact is clear: Sports betting is extremely popular here, thanks to residents’ passion for football (or soccer in the U.S.). One study found that 40% of Mexicans placed sports bets in the past year.

Canada is one of the strictest North American countries when it comes to online gaming. The country prohibits online gambling, forcing residents to rely on offshore casinos instead.

In Asia, countries such as the Philippines and Cambodia have historically been popular places for online gambling, although Cambodia formally banned online casino activity in 2019. Many other Asian nations have laws severely restricting or banning all online gambling activities. Nevertheless, there are a few nations with looser regulations, such as Georgia.

In Oceania, online gambling is mostly restricted to sports betting and lotteries. Several countries disallow online gambling for their residents but welcome players from other nations, like the U.S. For example, in Australia, online gambling is banned under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, but casinos may offer their services to users outside of Australia in select circumstances.

 

Market Share by Region

As mentioned earlier, Europe holds the biggest market share for online gambling, although North America is a close second. Europe enjoys its position in online betting, thanks to the legalization of gambling in countries like Malta, Spain, and Germany, as well as the rising availability of high-speed internet.

North America is expected to grab more market share as more states legalize online gambling. However, it can take years for geolocation restrictions to change, so users in the U.S. may have to resort to using offshore casinos in the meantime.

Despite restrictive gambling laws, Asia is expected to gain a larger market share by 2030, thanks to the rising popularity of e-sports and cryptocurrency.

 

Countries With the Most Online Casinos

While it’s difficult to determine exactly how many legal online casinos there exist per country, the Phillippines is likely near the top of the list. It boasts over 1,000 casinos, making it one of the quickest-growing gambling hubs in Asia.

The United States features over 200 regulated online casinos, and the UK has 175 to choose from. Italy offers 200 casinos, 150+ of which are solely dedicated to online gambling.

 

Popular Player Preferences

Mobile devices are becoming popular worldwide for online gambling because of their convenience and the rise of high-speed unlimited data plans. When it comes to game selection, sports betting is the most popular in many countries, including the U.S. and UK. Slots are also highly popular, followed by table games and live dealer games.

Here are some other regional online casino trends:

• Live dealer and game variety: Users seek out casinos with live dealers and an exciting game selection.

• Bonuses and promos: Savvy gamblers are on the lookout for generous bonuses and loyalty programs that reward them for their spending.

• Security: Consumers wary of identity theft should seek casinos with robust security and privacy protections.

• Licensing: Consumers prefer casinos that are regulated by casino licensing authorities.

• Customer support: Users desire casinos with 24/7 live support through email, chat, and phone.

 

Payment and Currency Trends

Cryptocurrency is fast becoming one of the most popular payment methods for gambling online. It’s faster and far more secure than other payment methods and currencies, such as bank transfers and money orders. Here’s an overview of payment methods you may find at online casinos:

Payment Method	About the Payment Method
Cryptocurrency	Speedy deposits and withdrawals Anonymous Very secure
Credit cards	Withdrawals take about 24-48 hours May incur a hefty transaction fee
Bank transfers	High transaction fees Deposits and withdrawals can take several days
E-wallets (PayPal, Skrill, etc.)	Fast and secure Low transaction fees

 

Final Thoughts on Choosing Online Casinos by Country

Now that you’ve learned how to choose an online casino by country, are you ready to start gaming? Follow the above tips to pick the perfect online casino operators now, claim your welcome bonus, and get ready to hit it big. Good luck, and happy gambling!