The Most Developed Countries in the Field of Online Sports Betting

Betting on sports has been popular for almost as long as people have played sports. All over the world including in Portugal, millions of people bet on the latest sporting events, including football, horse racing, tennis, and many more. While it is extremely popular, however, it's not always legal.

Many countries have sought to ban sports betting or heavily regulate it to make it difficult for people to place real money wagers. The main reason for this is that gambling can become an issue for some people, but while this is true, there are also many reasons why legal sports betting can be a good thing.

The biggest argument for legal global sports betting is that people who want to bet on sports will always find a way to do so. If they're not betting at a legal and licensed sportsbook, they'll still bet at unlicensed sites where there's more of a risk of being treated unfairly. If countries want to protect bettors as well as profit from the revenue, they can set up gambling commissions and allow legal sports betting.

In this article, our gambling expert Victoria Oliveira (read more about this author here), will be looking at some of the most developed countries in terms of the sports betting industry and how their market operates. In these countries, betting on sports is completely legal and can be enjoyed by anyone, provided they're of age. If you want to find out the best countries for legal sports betting, read on.

Online Casinos

Online casinos are also extremely popular, and the number of Portuguese players that sign up to use these sites is growing every day. Online casinos in Portugal offer a range of gambling games such as slots, poker, blackjack, and more. Portuguese players can also find review information bingo online dinheiro real before deciding where to play. If you want to enjoy your online casino experience, you should make sure you play at a licensed and safe casino site.

Those operators looking to capitalize on the fast-growing sports betting market have also launched their own online casino services that offer a wider range of gambling to betting fans.

The United Kingdom

In the UK, sports and betting are part of everyday life, and it's quite largely accepted in mainstream culture throughout the country. Most consider the UK to be the biggest gambling country. Those living in the UK are free to gamble on sports either in person or online from the age of 18.

Most town-high streets feature at least one betting shop, and there are loads of big-name betting sites operating in the country. The overall amount spent on gambling in the United Kingdom is estimated to be around £14 billion per year, and it's also increasing.

The majority of this money is spent on scratch cards and National Lottery tickets. However, sports betting accounts for around 7% of the £14 billion total, or about £900 million each year.

Gambling in the UK is controlled by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), which is well known as one of the strictest and most reputable gambling authorities. Many of the world's largest sports betting platforms originated from the UK and are also licensed here to allow players from the UK and other countries to sign up and bet.

Australia

Outside of the UK, Australia is one of the biggest betting markets in the world, with over half a million adults in the country betting at least once per month. Many Australians consider sports betting to be a favorite pastime, and as a result, Australia also has a very well-developed sports betting market. In Australia, horse racing betting was legalized in 1810, but it wasn't until 1980 that sports betting was made available for other athletic events.

Over the course of the year, the average monthly sports betting expenditure was $579 million. This means that annually, the average sports bettor is wagering $1,032. It's not just sports that bettors are engaged in but other forms of gambling as well, with sports betting accounting for 45% of their total gambling expenditures. The rest of their gambling money was spent on horse racing and lotteries.

Germany

When it comes to growth, the German online sports betting sector, as well as gambling in general, is on par with other European countries. The overall revenue earned by gambling in Germany is projected to be €14 billion per year, according to figures from the Ministry of Finance and independent studies.

Domestic gambling, such as lotteries, land-based casinos, and internet slots, accounts for a significant share of the total. The Ministry of Finance regulates the German betting market although some figures suggest that many Germans are betting at offshore sites.