Sports betting is something that many people can do with ease. It is a legal and licensed within various countries worldwide. Yet there are also certain legalities in other countries which make it a banned activity. That’s why there are certain legal considerations to keep in mind for different locations.

Of course, the BettingSites24 platform is primarily available as a resource for bettors based in South Africa. There are specific laws in place within this country that you must adhere to as well. Yet should you travel outside of South Africa and want to proceed with sports betting online (or even offline) you may need to remember certain laws and regulations. Here, we will outline some of the legal considerations for betting activity in different countries.

Is Sports Betting Legal in South Africa?

Online sports betting in South Africa is a legal and safe activity to get involved in. All forms of gambling, except for betting on horse racing, were banned via the Gambling Act of 1965. Yet things changed around in the proceeding decades, and today online sports betting serves as an exception to the rules around restrictions. The law dictates that you need to gamble at a sportsbook licensed to trade in South Africa. There are certain offshore platforms, such as Royal Panda and Bet365, which are not bound by the country’s laws. This means that you can sign up for an account with them without issue, and each recommended sportsbook available here holds at least one proper licence, too.

What About Other Countries?

It is prominent to note that every state in the USA is now eligible to offer sports betting, thanks to the overruling of the PASPA law there. If a state wants to provide such, then they must introduce their own legislation. Various U.S. locations have done this and are operating legal and successful sports betting options.

Throughout the years, certain countries have provided legal sports betting activities to their residents. More and more are now realising that it can be a profitable industry to offer legally, too.

If we look at Australia as another example, there is no single piece of legislation that governs gambling activity across the country. It is, instead, regulated at both a state and federal level. A variety of retail shops and online sports betting sites exist within, although these possess Australia-specific licences to provide such to citizens. Several international sportsbooks are also licensed to provide their services within Australia too, like the Bet365 online sports betting site, which possesses a Northern Territory Racing Commission licence.

This is quite different in comparison to a location like Japan, for example. Gambling within the country is a complicated affair. Many forms of gambling activity are banned by the Criminal Code chapter 23. However, several exceptions to the rule also exist, which includes betting on horse racing and certain motor sports, too. Public sports, lottery and soccer pools are also offered, which are regulated by special laws within. Anyone wanting to access sports betting online must sign up to a legal offshore platform instead.

That differs once again to the United Kingdom, as another alternative. There, one of the most liberal gambling industries is operational. The UK Gambling Commission regulates activities in the country, and issues licences to onshore and offshore companies. Masses of sportsbooks exist online for UK bettors to access and enjoy, with several of those available in South Africa also being British platforms.

Should you turn to somewhere like Qatar, on the other hand, you will find gambling to be completely banned. The country operates under Islamic laws, which restrict any type of betting. Even so, residents of Qatar and other similar countries enjoy a variety of sports, like camel racing, soccer and cricket. Yet anyone looking to engage in online cricket betting and so on would need to locate an offshore platform to join. The country has made a few concerted efforts to block access to these sites, but it is difficult to monitor such a mass of sportsbooks and then placed blockades on people being able to access them.