Gaming law is the set of rules and regulations that apply to the gaming or
gambling industry. Gaming law is not a branch of
law in the traditional sense but rather is a collection of several areas of law that include
criminal law
Criminal law is the body of law that relates to crime. It prescribes conduct perceived as threatening, harmful, or otherwise endangering to the property, health, safety, and moral welfare of people inclusive of one's self. Most criminal law i ...
,
regulatory law,
constitutional law,
administrative law,
company law,
contract law, and in some jurisdictions,
competition law
Competition law is the field of law that promotes or seeks to maintain market competition by regulating anti-competitive conduct by companies. Competition law is implemented through public and private enforcement. It is also known as antitrust l ...
. At common law, gambling requires
consideration
Consideration is a concept of English common law and is a necessity for simple contracts but not for special contracts (contracts by deed). The concept has been adopted by other common law jurisdictions.
The court in ''Currie v Misa'' declared ...
,
chance and
prize, legal terms that must be analyzed by gaming lawyers within the context of any gaming operation.
Gaming law is enormously complex. In the United States, it involves federal and state law considerations.
[For federal law, see, e.g., ] In Canada, it involves federal and provincial law considerations, in a variety of legal disciplines.
United States
In the United States, illegal gambling is a
federal crime
In the United States, a federal crime or federal offense is an act that is made illegal by U.S. federal legislation enacted by both the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives and signed into law by the president. Prosec ...
if it is done as a business.
However, each of its states has its own laws regarding the regulation or prohibition of gambling.
States that permit such gaming usually have a
gaming control board
A gaming control board (GCB), also called by various names including gambling control board, casino control board, gambling board, and gaming commission, is a government agency charged with regulating casino and other types of gaming in a defined ...
established to oversee the regulation of the industry, such as licensing of those employed in the gaming industry. States that permit casinos and similar forms of gaming often have strict zoning regulations to keep such establishments away from schools and residential areas.
Ukraine
Parliament outlawed gambling in 2009 after a May 2009 fire in a gambling hall in Dnipropetrovsk that killed nine people. The Ukrainian parliament passed the law "On Prohibition of Gambling Business in Ukraine" (Gambling Ban Law) banning gambling business and any participation in gambling in Ukraine on May 15. The President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko signed the law on June 23 and on June 25 it came into force. The Law On Prohibition of Gambling Business in Ukraine also applied to internet casinos, it did not apply to lotteries.
The Parliament legalised gambling again on 14 July 2020, albeit with regulations and age restrictions (minimum age of 22).
Other jurisdictions
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Gambling Act 2005 (UK)
*
Gaming Act 1845 (UK, repealed)
*
Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (Australia)
*
Macau gaming law
Gambling in Macau has been legal since the 1850s when the Portuguese government legalised the activity in the autonomous colony. Since then, Macau has become known worldwide as the "Gambling capital of the world" or "Monte Carlo of the East".
...
*
Gaming in Mexico
See also
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Casino
*
Online gambling
*
Organized crime
*
Problem gambling
*
Underground poker
Underground poker is poker played in a venue not operating in accordance with local gaming laws.
In many jurisdictions, an unlicensed poker game may still be legal if the game is played in a residence, the host does not profit, and/or the buy-in ...
References
External links
Center for Gaming Researchat the
University of Nevada, Las Vegas; produces reports, papers, and a monthly update
Organized crime activity
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