Online gambling and the laws of different continents

Introduction: one market - six regulatory cultures

Online gambling is a global industry, but laws are formed locally. Continents diverge in four basic things:

1. Licensing model (state/state/provincial/monopoly/prohibition), 2. Tax logic (turnover, GGR, corporate tax, fees, player tax), 3. Payment rails and KYC/AML (national schemes, open banking, crypto restrictions), 4. Marketing and responsibility (promo limits, protection of the vulnerable, ombudsman).

Below is an overview by continent, without references and "jurideses," but with practical accents.

Europe (European continent)

Prevailing model: national licenses; high standard of responsible play and compliance.

Key features:

Licensing: by consumer country; often requires a local legal entity/representative and RNG/game math certification.
Taxes: distributed GGR-tax + annual fees, reporting by segment (slots, rates, live).
Payments: strong local practices and open banking; cards and instant transfers. Crypto - by permissive modes, more often limited.
Marketing: regulated: age filters, prohibitions in creatives, transparent T&C bonuses.
Players/defense: Ombudsman/ARS, self-exclusion, deposit and time limits, public RTP from a number of operators.

What this means for business: the most "expensive" compliance at the start, but predictable cash flow, access to offline partnerships and high multiples at M & A.

North America

The prevailing model is "by place of consumption" with state/provincial licenses; strong integration with local payment systems.

Key features:

Licensing: issued at the state/provincial level; frequent requirements for partnerships (casinos/sweepstakes/tribal operators).
Taxes: differentiated by vertical (sports betting/casino/poker), contributions to responsible funds are possible.
Payments: cards, ASN/instants, sometimes electronic wallets; rigorous geofencing.
Marketing: tight control: creative limits, prohibitions on "aggressive" promos; compliance audits of media plans.
Players/defense: clear KYC/ID checks, complaint channels, fast withdrawal times with a clean profile.

For business: high CACs due to expensive advertising and licenses, but a powerful legal ecosystem (sports, media, applications) and high LTV.

Latin America

Prevailing model: rapid transition from "grey" regimes to national/regional licences; bet on local payment rails.

Key features:

Licensing: Countries gradually introduce their own regimes; local company/representative, reporting and content certification required.
Taxes: GGR/turnover + fees; there may be preferences for local investments and RG programs.
Payments: focus on national instant transfers and local wallets; currency conversion and fees are an important factor in usability.
Marketing: Liberal to Formalized; control over bonuses and targeting of minors is growing.
Players/defense: the institution of ombudsman/hot lines is developing, limits and self-exclusion tools are being introduced.

For business: excellent conversion thanks to local payment methods, but high dynamics of rules - you need a flexible compliance stack and fast product-ops.

Africa

The prevailing model: hybrid - from national regulators to partially "gray" zones; the strong role of mobile money.

Key features:

Licensing: more commonly national/provincial; local presence and reporting requirements.
Taxes: contributions/licences + GGR/turnover; "social" fees are possible.
Payments: mobile wallets and USSD solutions, bank transfers; cards - less often. Crypto is heterogeneous.
Marketing: increased control over outdoor and sports advertising, requirements for responsible tone and transparent T & C.
Players/defense: growing RG standards, local help lines, anti-fraud at the carrier/bank level.

For business: high potential of mobile onboarding and microtransactions; partnerships with fintechs and local support are important.

Asia

The prevailing model: mosaic - from strict prohibitions to point licenses and special zones; hard financial monitoring.

Key features:

Licensing: access is often restricted; in permissive modes - high compliance threshold, data storage requirements.
Taxes: variable; emphasis on fiscal control and reporting on cross-border payments.
Payments: local schemes, bank transfers, sometimes e-wallet; crypto - mostly limited.
Marketing: strict bans on some formats; moderation of social media and KOL activities.
Players/protection: age control, RG tools, clear KYC policy, sometimes strict deposit limits.

For business: we need multi-jurisdictional architectures (data/certification/marketing), a bet on compliance infrastructure and localization.

Oceania (Australia, Islands and Micronesia)

The prevailing model: developed permissive regimes in individual countries and strict standards for responsible play; island states - from bans to niche permits.

Key features:

Licensing: at the place of consumption; mandatory RG tools and provider/game math certification.
Taxes: GGR/excise + annual fees; transparent reporting.
Payments: strong local methods, open banking, cards; crypto - depending on the rules.
Marketing: formalized restrictions on promo and creativity, age barriers.
Players/defense: detailed guidelines, self-exclusion, public complaint channels.

For business: high entry threshold, but predictability and reputational benefits; local partnerships and fair cash desks are valued.

Comparative matrix (how to read)

Licensing: How accessible is legal launch.

Taxes: burden and predictability.

Payments: maturity of local rails, apruv, withdrawal speed.

Marketing: The rigor of advertising and promo rules.

Player protection: Ombudsman, RG tools, RTP transparency.

Continent	Licensing	Taxes	Payments
Europe	High threshold	Avg. Strong. Strictly	Strong.
Sowing. America	High threshold	Avg. Strong. Strictly	Strong.
Latin America	Average/height	Avg. Strong. Tikhanovskaya. Grows
Africa	Diversely	Different. Mobile. Tikhanovskaya. Grows
Asia	Mosaically	Different. Strong/ogr. Strictly	Strictly
Oceania	High threshold	Avg. Strong. Strictly	Strong.

"Strong. "- developed tools and predictability; "Various. "- strongly depends on the country.

Trends 2025 +: what is already obvious

From offshore to localization. Banks, payment gateways and storks are increasingly requiring local permissions.

Responsible play as standard. Self-exclusion, limits, age control - must-have in any license.

Data & infra requirements. Data storage and mirroring, machine-readable reports, API integration with regulators.

Marketing under a magnifying glass. Transparent bonuses, prohibition of aggressive targeting, audit of media plans.

Crypto and finmonitoring. If allowed, then with a clear KYC/AML policy and transparent conversion.

Omnichannel. Partnerships with sports/media, offline activations and applications - only in the "white" zone.

Practical recommendations

To operators

1. Choosing jurisdictions: Prioritize countries with clear rules and strong payment rails.

2. Compliance architecture: modular platform (multi-jurisdictional), centralized reporting layer, local KYC playbooks.

3. Marketing: build value-product (payout rate, local methods, RG), not overpromo bonuses.

4. Data and certification: regular RNG/math audits, log storage, readiness for inspections.

Content providers

1. Certification by market: different RTP profiles and requirements for mathematics; prepare packages for specific countries.

2. Integrations: API with regulatory gateways, support for reporting on studios/games.

3. Responsible game: RTP/volatility informers, game pauses, "reality check."

To affiliates

1. Legal Filter: Work with licensed B2Cs in target countries; update disclaimers and age gates.

2. Content strategy: guides for a responsible game, real terms of conclusions, bonus checks, comparison of payment methods.

3. Attribution: Use consistent metrics and verifiable events (deposit, KYC), avoid gray grids.

Launch checklist on a new continent

1. License and form of presence: local legal entity, representative, bank account.

2. Taxes and fees: model (GGR/turnover), payment calendar, reporting.

3. KYC/AML: sources of funds, sanctions lists, additional verification triggers.

4. Payments: local methods, open banking, limits/commissions, SLA by conclusions.

5. Content: certified providers, local RTP, RNG audit.

6. Marketing: white media model, creative restrictions, bonus regulations.

7. RG and support: self-exclusion, limits, local hotlines, 24/7 support.

8. Data: logging, storage, backup; readiness for inspections.

9. Legal arbitration: Ombudsman/ARS, dispute procedures, response deadlines.

10. Unit Economics Metrics: Payment Uproar, CAC, LTV, churn, Returns/Chargebacks.

Conclusion: geography decides, but strategy is more important

Each continent is not only a map of rules, but also an infrastructure of payments, game culture and customer expectations. In 2025, the winner is the one who localizes, builds a transparent product and is able to quickly adapt compliance to increasing requirements. For players, this means more honest bonuses, predictable conclusions and real defense; for business - sustainable cash flow and higher valuation when scaling.