Which Islands do not Welcome Gamblers?

Aviation Analysis

03 February 2022

Some countries have long stated their position on online gambling. As far as these countries are concerned, gambling activities should not be allowed to thrive in their jurisdictions. So, restrictions and prohibition of offshore gambling activities in most cases are enforced to prevent the citizens from involving in gambling. Now, some islands have followed the same path and given strict restrictive notices to online gambling platform operators. In some cases, these operators are not allowed to operate from offshore, while in some other cases, the citizens who dare to patronize them would be fined. In this article, we highlight some of the islands where you shouldn’t hope to play and wager on your favourite games – especially online.

Ireland

Ireland is one of those countries that wasn’t quick to “pass a judgment” on Interactive Gaming (iGaming). As of the early 1850s, the gambling market in the country was thriving, because there wasn’t any specific law in place to kick against that. Thus, Irish punters continued to patronize the services of bookmakers and sports betting platforms.

It wasn’t until the mid-1850s, precisely in 1854 when the first major step to regulate the gambling market in the country was taken. This step saw the introduction of a regulatory policy via the Betting Act of 1854. More regulations would later be rolled out, worthy of mention are:

Betting Acts of 1931.
The Gaming and Lotteries Act of 1956: This saw to the prohibition of commercial gambling activities, especially those offered by commercial casinos that had hitherto operated in Ireland.
The Gaming and Lotteries Act of 2019 among many other things, pushed for the permission of low stakes offline gambling services.
There is also the Betting Act of 2015 that kicked against the offering of online gambling services to Irish punters, except the operator has the three (3) recommended licenses.
The Gambling Control Bill of 2013, which on passage, would see to the provision of offline gambling services to be offered by 40 legalized operators. These offline operators are also expected to offer at least 15 tables in each land-based casino.
The Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands, which is often regarded as the “hub of the rich” given the dominance of the rich and famous, does not support gambling activities. This can be dated back to the Gambling Act of 1963, which despite its revision in 2016, prohibited gambling activities on the island. Below is a table showing some of the reasons why gambling might not be allowed on the island, as well some of the disciplinary measures in place to curtail that from happening.

Indonesia

As in other countries named above, gambling is illegal in Indonesia. It is because of the Muslim religion of the local people there. According to their religion, gambling is considered a sin and making this activity forbidden, they even help their visitors not to make this sin. Currently, you won’t find any poker rooms or land-based casinos there. Even playing online is a very bad idea, because it may lead to your arrest.

Bali

Separately, we decided to note Bali as one of the most popular islands in Indonesia that frowns at gambling activities. The island has strict laws against iGaming, and this applies to both locals and tourists. Despite being a Hindu-dominant Island, it is conservative in some practices and gambling is one of such practices.

Illegal Gambling Still Thrives

Despite the gambling restrictions in both Bali and Indonesia as a whole, Interactive Gaming (iGaming) addicts still find a way to offer these services. It has gotten to a point that some international hotels, pubs, and bars offer illegal gambling services. Foreigners residing on the island are not left out, as they sometimes organize underground poker games within themselves.

New Zealand

New Zealand is also on the list of islands where gambling activities are not welcomed. Unlike some other islands that might be overly expressive about the restrictions, New Zealand appears to have relaxed laws. For example, operators might be allowed to offer gambling services only if they do so within the regulations set aside in the Gambling Act 2003.

According to New Zealand’s Department of Internal Affairs, specific forms of gambling are restricted under the same Act.

According to the stipulations of Section 16 of the New Zealand Gambling Act 2003, offshore gambling activities are prohibited, among them are a gambling operator inducing or coercing New Zealand citizens to patronize their offshore gambling platforms and the promotion of offshore gambling services by way of adverts.

Class Specifications

The Gambling Act 2003 also categorized different classes for gambling restrictions on the island. These classes are:

Gambling rewards that exceed $500 in cash prize are prohibited.
This specification expects that the prizes for gambling should be between the range of $500 and $5,000. Also, the potential turnover for the gambling activities should not exceed $25,000.
The total value of gambling prizes for Class 3 should not be above $5,000. Also, Classes 3 and 4 specify that gambling activities involving the use of gaming machines (mostly on offline/land-based casinos) should be prohibited.

Allowance of Gambling in New Zealand

As the laws and rules of NZ are not as strict as in some other countries and republics, it is possible to find a way to have fun with gambling. If you are looking to play at the best gambling platform, one thing you must do is to choose the one that offers a welcome bonus. With the no deposit bonus codes 2021 NZ, you may be able to bet on your favourite games at some of the legalized New Zealand gambling platforms. These codes may give the possibility to play some slots or other games without even the first deposit. But, most likely, you will have to pass the way of registration and verification of your personality.

Why is Gambling Illegal?

But why do some countries and islands kick against gambling activities in their jurisdictions? Reasons may be different, it depends on the government, religion or mentality of the people of the country and so on. Below there are a few reasons why you may be unable to gamble in such places.

The Thin Line Between Gambling and Immorality

There is a general belief that gambling and immorality work hand-in-hand. The idea is that someone who gambles would get addicted. Over time, the person might develop severe addictive tendencies that could lead to stealing to get a bankroll for future gambling.

Besides, some countries and islands as the case might not see gambling in good light, considering how it might affect the morality and spirituality of the gamblers.

Divided Revenue

For islands and countries that make lots of revenue from tourism, legalizing gambling could just be a divisive tendency, as it could motivate tourists to channel more money to gambling activities than to visiting popular locations in the country. Moreover, some special locations are supported by money from tourism only and may be ruined if the number of tourists will decrease.

Different Forms of Gambling Restrictions

Gambling can be restricted in different ways, depending on the island. Some of the popular prohibitions are:

Casinos: Both online and land-based casinos could be prevented from offering gambling services.
Sports Betting: Betting on the outcome of sporting events, such as football and basketball might also be restricted.
Lotteries and Bingo: In some cases, islands can put restrictions on gambling operators that offer bingo and lotteries as gambling services.

Conclusion

You have some options to explore despite the restrictions on gambling activities on some islands around the world. From New Zealand to Ireland, there are a couple of islands where you might be able to play and bet on games without any hassles. Be aware of all the law prohibitions and restrictions while travelling to not get into trouble. If you are a big fan of gambling, and it is one of the reasons how you choose the direction for travelling, take a look at the best destinations to travel for gambling. Among them are Las Vegas, Monte Carlo, Macau, Marina Bay and some others.

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