Revealed! Nest Country for Online Gambling Players in the World, No. 2 Unexpectedly
- The rise of online gambling is causing concern for Indonesian people. The government, through the Ministry of Communication and Information (Kominfo), is also addressing online gambling in Indonesia.
President Joko Widodo also emphasized the ban on gambling and asked the public to avoid this disgraceful act. "Yes, I specifically want to say, don't gamble, don't gamble, don't gamble, both offline and online," said Jokowi in a broadcast on the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube channel, quoted Monday (17/6/2024).
It is known that the practice of online gambling originates from abroad, especially from countries where this game is legal. Apart from that, there are also Southeast Asian countries that have legalized online gambling games, such as Thailand, the Philippines, Cambodia and Vietnam.
The following are 7 countries that have the most online gambling players in the world based on a survey from Similar Web in 2021 to 2022, according to CNN Indonesia:
1. Canada
Canada is one of the countries that has many online gambling players because it is legalized by the government. Canadians who play online gambling can visit a site up to 19.1 million times. This also follows the world market share figure which contributed up to 4.4 percent. However, according to the official website of the British Columbia provincial government, gambling in Canada is legal and regulated by provincial government regulations.
2. Japan
As a country that is famous for its modernization, the number of Japanese citizens who play online gambling is also high.
According to data, the average Japanese citizen visits a gambling site reaching 29.3 million every month. The results of online gambling also contributed to a market share of up to 6.3 percent worldwide.
Japan has actually regulated a number of regulations regarding gambling activities with clear licenses. However, online gambling is still classified as illegal and could be threatened by criminal law.
3. England
England is the fifth country that has a lot of interest in online gambling. Online gambling players in the UK can spend an average of 29.9 million times a month. This gambling also contributes to a world market share of 6.8 percent. Laws in the UK regulating gambling have actually been around since 2005. Even though it is legal, the British government does not regulate online gambling. According to the ICLG report, it is legal for British citizens to register via an online site to be able to play at a casino.
4. United States
The US is also a country with many online gambling players. US citizens can visit gambling sites up to 31.2 million times per month and account for 6.9 percent of the world market.
The US government has legalized gambling since 1961. However, online gambling activities are still classified as illegal, as reported by a report by the Cornell University legal team.
5. Nigeria
Nigeria is ranked third as a country that has many online gambling players. This can be seen from the average flow of visits to a gambling site which reaches 42.5 million times in one month. The 9.8 percent world market share also follows the number of visits by Nigerians to various online gambling sites.
This country, which is located in West Africa, has legalized gambling in various places. However, online gambling is illegal because there are no regulations governing this activity.
6. Mexico
Being a country where gambling activities are legal, many Mexicans still want to try their luck through online gambling.
Ranked second in the world, Mexican citizens often visit gambling sites up to 48.7 million times a month. This was also followed by a world market share which reached 11.3 percent.
Online gambling is also legal in Mexico. This is because gambling site managers also contribute to state income through quite large taxes.
7. Brazil
At the top of the ranking, Brazil is the country with the most online gambling players in the world.
Visitors to online gambling sites in Brazil also have fantastic numbers, reaching 91.1 million times in one whole month. Brazil also contributes to the world market share which can reach 21.1 percent. Brazilian citizens' dependence on online gambling cannot be separated from government regulations that allow this activity. This is because gambling site owners also contribute to state revenue through licenses sold by the government, as reported by the Latin American Post.
It is not surprising that online gambling activities can bring benefits to a number of countries where this is legal.