Online gambling can be a lot of fun but there are rules that have to be followed when playing, regardless of location. The laws governing online gambling can be fuzzy, sometimes nonexistent, but if you run into trouble it is good to have an idea of what the laws are and what is expected of the players. There are laws in every country governing online gambling, the majority of which are found under European Union (EU) and United States (US) gambling laws.
The EU has no official legislation regarding online gambling that encompasses its members, but online casinos are generally legal in the area. Each individual country is responsible for deciding the legality of online gambling. This can result in a great deal of confusion on the part of the players when they attempt to make use of the online gambling sites. The majority of members of the EU allow online gambling and it is often state licensed and regulated.
Behavior Observations
Taking into account your normal behavior, you need to look at your life from the point you believe your addiction began. It may have been as harmless as a game night or something with the depth of severe depression. If your behavior includes any of the following you will want to consult a gamblers addiction support group.
The greatest issue that online gamers face in the EU is whether they are allowed to make use of casino games licensed outside their country. Sometimes the EU laws prohibit such gaming. Other countries encourage the use of online casinos with outside license. It is relatively easy to find out if online gambling is legal in your area and what areas you should avoid by doing a search of the online casino websites.
US Rules
Much of the US online gambling legislation is handled by individual states which make the official legislation anything but clear. Because there is no law preventing online gambling in the US, there is no reason to believe that it is illegal in any state or territory of the US. Whether you can play games and bet online has more to do with the state you reside in, than what the federal law states.
There are some states that explicitly outlaw online gambling of all forms, some that allow limited gambling and some that have no laws prohibiting it so it is assumed to be legal. The only betting that is prohibited under federal law is sports betting, but even that is an old law that is typically ignored. Anyone planning to do any online gambling in the US should check the laws of the state they live in to be sure that it is not illegal or at least find ways to get around the laws.
