The rise of cryptocurrencies and the blockchain has been one of the biggest technological advancements of the 21st century. Bitcoin, Litecoin, and other major coins are now commonly found on the internet, with many online casinos adopting them. However, the crypto gambling legality landscape remains complex, and many players are still unsure if they are able to use cryptocurrencies at top online gambling sites.
In this guide to crypto gambling legality, we are going to explore the current lay of the land, and examine whether or not we are likely to see any major developments in the future.
The Rise of Crypto Casinos
Crypto casinos have seen a considerable rise in popularity over the last few years. The transparency and security of cryptocurrencies make them an extremely attractive prospect for online gamblers, as does the speed of their transactions.
Of course, one of the biggest concerns for many people is the regulation of crypto. Most crypto-users use it because it is not regulated by any external bodies. However, this issue does put it in a direct line of conflict with online gambling, where regulation has become essential for the market to boom.
Still, more and more crypto casinos are appearing every year, and they are no doubt going to continue to grow in popularity. We have also seen more provably fair games hitting the market. These are particularly popular with crypto casinos due to their transparency, showing the users the random number generator and how results were determined.
The Rise of Crypto Casinos
Where is crypto-gambling legal?
The laws surrounding crypto-gambling can be very complex. There are two main elements you need to consider, first is the legality of crypto and digital currencies themselves, and second is the legality of online gambling.
Several major countries, such as China, Saudia Arabia and Pakistan, have outright bans on digital currencies, which means that crypto-gambling is 100% illegal there. Other countries, like Poland, Japan, the UAE, Thailand, and Qatar, have outright bans on online gambling, which means crypto-gambling is illegal there.
In other countries, the legality of crypto-gambling is going to be on a case-by-case basis. While the act of crypto-gambling may not be illegal in countries, it is does not mean it is regulated and therefore, players could be putting themselves at risk.
If you want to bet at crypto casinos in some of these countries, you will need to use operators that are not based in their respective countries. For example, the UK, US, and Canada do not regulate crypto gambling, so if you are in these countries and want to bet using crypto, you would have to look at unregulated sites.
Gambling Zone always recommend playing at regulated online casinos. All of the casinos you will find recommended on our site are regulated for their respective markets.
Our Recommended Gambling Sites
Is crypto-gambling licensed in the UK?
No. While crypto-betting is not strictly illegal in the UK, it is not licensed by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC). This means that any players using crypto casinos would have to use offshore or unregulated ones and would be doing so at their own risk.
Most crypto casinos will still hold a license, with the Government of Curacao being one of the biggest licensees for these sites. However, if UK-based players want the level of protection they will receive playing at a UKGC-licensed site; they are not going to be able to have it when playing at top online crypto casinos.
Is crypto-gambling licensed in the UK
What does the future of crypto-gambling look like?
As more players begin to explore the world of crypto-gambling, regulators are going to begin to take notice. The emergence of crypto as a viable asset has pushed more people towards it due to its transparency and security.
Licensees like the United Kingdom Gambling Commission will have to tackle this at some point or another, with more players looking towards unregulated markets to get their share of online crypto-gambling action.
