How Old Do You Have To Be To Gamble? Overview of Legal Gambling Age Worldwide
Gambling is totally illegal activity and though it is not been popular even with the outlaw in some countries, it is becoming popular in others. Spoiled kids have been able to get their hands on small amounts of money to bet, allowing them to gamble away their inheritance in what have been dubbed ‘Grand Theft Gaming.’ Gambling is illegal activity but under the right conditions, gambling becomes something more than just gambling.
This is the case of online gambling. One could say that people online gambling are gambling anyway. They are not physically in a casino and they do not even have a dice game in front of them. Gambling is a vicious circle that you can never escape. With online gambling, you can play virtually in any country. The technology allows you to take part in an illegal activity from wherever you are. Let’s begin the article about what is the age limit in most countries and why gambling is a curse.
Do You Know That Gambling Can Be Banned for the Age of Majority in Some Countries?
In the best online casino games, people are enjoying in whatever jurisdiction or part of the world. This is bad and harmful to the overall welfare of the people involved. It could even be deemed as a form of gambling abuse if a player is unable to control their urges to gamble. The age of majority is a natural border in different jurisdictions. In some countries, the age of majority is 18 while it is 21 in other countries.
It is a good that in some countries, gambling is still banned for all ages. For instance, there is a strict ban in the state of New Jersey, USA on betting in casinos and sports betting in their online casinos. While it is legal in some countries, it is a crime to do so in others. According to the laws in some countries, you could be held liable for breaking the law if you are below the age of majority and you are betting on the streets.
What is the Age of Majority?
Here are some countries that allow gambling at a certain age:
- Arizona USA 18
- New Jersey USA 18
- British Virgin Islands 18
- Oregon USA 18
- Florida USA 18
- Texas USA 18
- Michigan USA 18
- Montana USA 18
- Nevada USA 18
- New Hampshire USA 18
- South Carolina USA 18
- Washington USA 18
- Amarillo, Texas USA 18
- Alberta, Canada 18
- Regina, Canada 18
- Saskatchewan, Canada 18
- Manitoba, Canada 18
- Ontario, Canada 18
- Quebec, Canada 18
- New Brunswick, Canada 18
- Newfoundland, Canada 18
- Prince Edward Island, Canada 18
- Quebec, Canada 18
- British Columbia, Canada 18, and so on.
It is important to keep the fact that you are still a minor when you are gambling. This applies to online gambling too. So you can still be considered as an underage player even if you are 18 or older. Any action, which involves a person who is underage, is illegal. So playing online in these illegal markets is always a crime. You could be subjected to criminal charges just like you would be in the real world.
So the moral of the story is this: gambling is illegal in the real world and it is illegal in the virtual world too. The legal age for online gambling varies between countries but one thing to keep in mind is that in all the countries of the world, the legal age to gamble is 18. You can only gamble from the age of 18 unless you are in one of the aforementioned countries that allow gambling at a specific age.
There are many countries who have changed their laws regarding gambling and here are a few:
Belgium, USA, Italy, South Africa, Germany, and Spain.
- Belgium: It used to be a gambling addict was considered a person suffering from a personality disorder. Hence, any person with gambling addiction was forced to register as a gambling addict and get treatment. The addiction was classified as a mental disorder. However, this was soon changed by a law change in 2014. Hence, people suffering from gambling addiction can now play online in online casinos. However, one condition is that they have to be aware that they are an addict.
- USA: Online casinos in the USA were limited to those who were 18 years old. But recently, a law has changed and now, all people above the age of 18 can gamble online. This is a landmark decision since online gambling is now legal in the USA. It is a good move to let the youth have a fun. There are other gambling websites that allow gambling for people who are above the age of 18. However, you need to be careful and you need to have your identity verified.
- Italy: Italy always had the rule that online gambling was only legal if you were above the age of 18. In fact, there is a strict law against gambling for minors, so they cannot gamble online. Recently, Italy has approved a law that has lowered the age from 18 to 16 to gamble online. The move has been applauded by online casinos and other gambling operators in Italy.
- South Africa: In South Africa, online gambling is not even considered a crime and, thus, people below the age of 16 can gamble online. This means that minors can gamble online in South Africa. It is a significant change in a nation where gambling is always illegal.
- Germany: The law in Germany has changed too. Now, minors can gamble online in online casinos, sportsbooks, and lotteries. The laws state that these people must be above the age of 16 and have the identity proof to prove their age.
- Spain: Spanish lawmakers recently passed a law that the age of the casino player in Spain should be lowered from 18 to 16. Hence, the virtual casinos in Spain will have to accept minors if they pay the minimum age to play.
Why Gambling is Harmful for People
As you can see from the above list, it is not easy for anyone below the age of 18 to play online in online casinos, sportsbooks, and lotteries. There are many reasons for this and it is because of the risk that these people take. Even though gambling is legal in some countries, it can be a very dangerous experience for a young person.
This is a list of reasons why it is not a good idea to gamble with kids below the age of 18. It is a long list, so if you have any queries on this, do leave a comment and let us know.
- Lack of Resources
It is very difficult for a child below the age of 18 to get the necessary identity proof to prove their age. This can be a deterrent for them to enter a casino or participate in an online sportsbook. Hence, it is difficult for them to gamble online.
- Poor Sensibility
Having seen friends and family gamble in online casinos and sportsbooks, a young person may decide to gamble online too. They may take a gamble that can land them in trouble. They may enter into a casino and try to use a fake ID, lose the money in the casino and, in the end, get arrested. Also, a youngster who gambles online will be tempted to gamble more and may fall into a debt trap. This can be a serious issue and many youth end up in the clutches of predators.
- Lack of Experience
The young person who plays online may not have the financial knowledge to make money out of it. It is very easy for them to lose their money. They may have limited knowledge about the rules of the game and it is easier for them to lose the entire amount. It is important that the newbies are introduced to the basics before they can even think of entering a casino or sportsbook. This will give them a solid background to make informed decisions.
- Exposure to Pervasive Media
TV commercials, online ads, and the like bombard kids with images of gambling and there is a need for them to be mentally prepared before they even enter a casino. If they have seen gambling ads, they will get tempted to gamble and may make poor decisions. Hence, they should have more education and be made aware of the risks involved. They must not play for money but for fun only.
- Lack of Interpersonal Skills
For the young person to be successful, they should understand that they are only one person and cannot win against a group. This means that there is no way they can win if a gambling game is played with others. It is important for them to win for themselves and it is important that they should be given a fair chance to win. Also, they should be told that they should stop playing if they feel tired or if their strategy does not work.
- Aggressive Behavior
These young people are not mature enough to play the games the right way. They may try to influence the game by abusing the other players and the fairness of the game. Also, the negative attitude can often result in poor play.
- Use of Goodwill
Since they are betting for a wager, the youngsters will try to win the game for themselves. Hence, they might try to cheat others to win the game. This can also land them into trouble if they are caught by the others or if they are stopped by the casino authorities. Hence, they should learn to win the game by fair means and be sure of their strategies. First of all, it is totally illegal to gamble and we must forbid to play such things. It is better to keep away from a game that we cannot win at all.
- Energy and Sleep Deprivation
It is very easy to fall into a deep slumber and lose the entire wager and not even be aware of it. Also, the youngsters have a very limited ability to concentrate when they have been playing for so long. They may also have a poor physical condition which can get aggravated by a long session of playing. In such a case, they must stop playing and rest to avoid losing the wager.
- Unrealistic Goals
These youngsters often set unrealistic goals and do not bother to consider the possibility of the defeat. The truth is that, in most cases, they will be defeated and they have to accept it. Hence, they should have realistic goals and not go to the other extreme by setting unrealistic goals.
- Anxiety
They end up stressing themselves out thinking that they will lose the entire amount. Therefore, they are unable to relax and instead end up just burning the candle at both ends. So, they must learn to relieve themselves and let themselves relax and enjoy the game.
Overall, the young people who love to gamble must learn to accept the losses and celebrate the win as well. Their emotions need to be in control and they should not over stress themselves. They should be calm and focused on the game at hand. They should play for having fun not for money.
Conclusion
If you love sports, you can go for casinos. But if your intentions are money, then it is a curse. Playing for fun is completely legal. There are so many places where you can go to bet and the young people should find some good betting sites for the enjoyment of gambling. The youth are at the most risk to become addicted to casinos but it is possible to avoid it. You must not give in to the gambling addict. There is a way to make the game fun and fair for both the players and the casino officials. It is best to avoid the compulsion.
