Gambling is Not for Children

This may seem obvious and simple to understand, but there are many edge scenarios where this issue becomes more pertinent. Gambling is the act of risking an asset on the outcome of a certain event. Assets can be many different things from the property, company shares, cryptocurrency or just regular money. There are many reasons why a child should not be allowed to engage in this activity but simply put, a young person does not possess the experience or diligence to weigh up financial risk. The act of gambling can be addictive, and a child would be very susceptible to the lure of repeat gambles with little regard for the losses due to an inherent misunderstanding of the value of assets.

The minimum age for playing the National Lottery will be raised from 16 to 18 from October 2021, as part of a “major and wide-ranging review” of gambling laws in the UK. Drinking is a different thing. I thought that there was not minimum drinking age in Macau. And in surrounding countries like China and HK, the minimum age is 18, not 21. The legal gambling age for foreigners is 18 and it’s 21 for Macau residents. Macau casino management – and they are quite strict about this – don’t allow cameras, laptops or luggage into the gaming halls, so they have to be left at the cloakroom.

Due to online gambling becoming increasingly available, heavily advertised and easily accessible – the enforcement of preventing children from gambling has never been as crucial as it currently is. In the past, it has been relatively easy for a determined minor to use fake credentials to bypass KYC age verification steps and make deposits to online platforms that do not properly enforce the standards.

Increasingly this debate is moving away from clearly defined gambling activities such as casinos and sports betting – and instead of looking into loot boxes and video-game gambling purchases. The key issue here is these are products marketed at children, and in many cases encourage a form of gambling to receive rewards in the game. So far the law is benefiting game publishers who enjoy huge profits off the back of children spending money within their game.

All in all, gambling is something that only adults should be able to do, this is something that is widely accepted throughout the world – but the age in which one is mature enough to take the risk to gamble is a topic of debate. In the following sections, we will analyze in more detail the different gambling age restrictions throughout the world.

Comparing Gabling Age in Regions Around the World

The different regions throughout the world take very different approaches to the legal position of gambling within society. Certain continents such as Europe have very liberalized gambling laws that allow licensed operators a lot of freedoms and citizens have many options to gamble both in-person and online. Whereas the Middle-East has very strict laws that make gambling illegal. In the following sections, we’ll take a look at the most famous and popular places for gambling around the world and explore a number of key concepts. Most notably:

• The local age limit on a person engaging in gambling activity.
• Differences in the law for residents and foreign tourists visiting the region.
• Protections in place to ensure the local laws are not violated.

After giving a comprehensive round-up of each of the described regions below, you’ll be well informed regarding global gambling age limits. As previously mentioned, the lines between what is gambling and what is a video game are sometimes blurred. For our analysis, we will only be considering licensed traditional casinos and sports betting services, both online and in the physical realm.

North America

Gambling in North America is complicated. In Canada the local government has very strict laws regarding gambling, Canadian based operators must adhere to a tight set of regulations. However, these rules do not apply to overseas operators, and online sportsbooks and casinos such as bet365 are legally available to Canadians. To play at these offshore online casinos in Canada you must be at least 18 years old to gamble. Check out the best online casinos in Canada.

The USA is very complex to analyze on a general gambling age basis, because of local state laws take very different approaches to the legality of gambling and the minimum age of participation. There are states where the gambling age is 18, 21, and completely illegal. For that reason, it is very important to be aware of the difference in the regional divide. One of the most welcoming states for gambling in New Jersey, where you are able to bet online at locally hosted sportsbooks and enter casinos from the age of 21. But the state next door, New York, requires clients to be just 18 years old to enter a casino unless alcohol is being served.

Find out all about gambling in the United States in our full guide.

Europe

Without a doubt, the most liberalized continent on the planet for gambling in Europe. Here you will be able to enjoy casinos, sportsbook betting and much more from your 18th birthday. The UK, Germany, and Spain are the largest three gambling markets on the continent. In 2018 the UK gambling industry yielded £15bn – and is seeing year on year increase in the amount of revenue being processed through its largest commercial participants. You can read more about UK gambling.

Throughout the EU the age to gamble is 18, this is an area of contention in several countries though. With problem gambling rife amongst 16-18-year-old’s, and local anti-gambling charities accusing operators of inappropriate advertising that is targeted at children, there are determined calls for the age of legal gambling to be raised.

Macau & Japan

The biggest markets for gambling in Asia are Macau and Japan. Both of these markets are extremely valuable commodities and have different laws and restrictions when it comes to who is allowed to participate. Japan has a booming commercial gambling industry following the recent law amendment allowing the establishment of “Integrated Resorts”. Despite casino gambling being officially illegal, there are many places you can bet on sports in so-called “pachinko’s” from the age of 20.

Macau Casino Age Limit For Foreigners Money

Macau is the gambling hub of Asia. The gambling age laws here are somewhat peculiar but typical of the Asian gambling market. If you are a foreigner visiting Macau you must be at least 18 years old, for local citizens it is 21. One thing to note is that the biggest casinos in Macau will only take local currency, so don’t go ill-prepared!

Middle-East

The Middle-East is a very strict anti-gambling territory. With many local laws dictated by Muslim teachings, gambling is outlawed and considered a sin. Despite this, there are several thriving gambling industries in the Middle-East. Available only to foreigners aged 18 or over, horse racing and certain casino games do exist. In these regions, gambling is seen as a way to extract more money from wealthy tourists visiting, not an activity that they want to encourage within their own society.

The Responsible Gambling Global Movement

Macau Casino Age Limit For Foreigners Working In China

There is an undercurrent of support growing for the improvement of responsible gambling around the world. Many countries now impose strict limitations on big commercial gambling companies, constantly iterating and improving the process of customer identity confirmation. We are moving to a new era of gambling, where casinos both online and in the physical realm are striving to improve the promotion of safe gambling. Please always enjoy gambling responsibly!

Sentosa Casino Entry Fee For Foreigners And Singaporean

Daily Levy: S$150 (valid within 24 hours).

Annually Levy: S$3,000.

*Age Limits: 21 years old and above.

In the present, both the daily and annually casino entry fee is increased by 50% to S$150 and S$3,000 respectively.

Minimum Bet : $5

How Many Land-Based Casino In Singapore?

Up to now, Singapore has 2 land based casino into operation that are Resorts World Sentosa and Marina Bay Sands. Operating since 2010, these two land based casinos have made Singapore quickly become the famous casino world. Moreover, the annual turnover of this country also is in the top 3. From the day Singapore legalizes casino, the tourism of this country has also developed strongly. The players can minimum bet in sentosa casino from only $5 .

How Much Do Singapore Citizens And Foreigners Paid Casino Entry Fee?

Both Singapore citizens and Foreigners need to pay an entry levy before entering the land based casino.

Sentosa Casino Entry Fee

Two Types of Entry Levy

Daily Levy: S$150.

Annually Levy: S$3,000.

The person who is 21 year-olds and above this age is permitted to enter the casino.

The entry levies are non-transferable and non-refundable in any situation (including Visit Limit Order, Exclusion Order, or Persona Non-Grata prohibition notice).

The collected entry levies are given to the Singapore Totalisator Board for charitable or social purposes.

Singaporeans and foreigners need to join and exit Sentosa casino using lanes allocated for Singaporeans and foreigners respectively.

For those who join Sentosa casino without paying the entry levy, they are fined up to S$1,000.

Players will be reminded to check the entry levy expiry through Membership Kiosks before they exit.

Those who overstay are also reminded to buy entry levies at the entry levy kiosks or the nearest levy counters before they exit.

The Casino Control Act (CCA)

The CCA was created as the major legal framework for controlling casinos in Singapore. The CCA regulates more areas in which include licensing casino operation, controlling casino operating companies, and making social protection regulations.

The current audit casino model in this country checks more than fifty-five aspects of betting activities to check whether the casino operator has performed internal rules demanded by the CCA or not.

The requirements for licensing operations are extremely strict. Those who are considered to license must be a firm capable of enhancing and maintaining a sufficient resort as one tourist address that meets all market requirements and standards in the betting industry. Especially, it needs to contribute to tourism in Singapore.

The Casino Regulatory Authority (CRA) is in charge of administering and maintaining casino licensing, along with control systems.

The inspectors of the CRA are granted to check casinos, monitor general casino activity, even check the equipment used in that casino to check whether the casino infringes the CCA rules or not. If yes, the casino is punished severely.

The CCA gives out means to limit Singaporeans and permanent residents to enter the casino

Those who are under 21 years old are prohibited to enter the casino. The importance is that to enter the casino, players have to show their identity cards. Because there are many complaints from the parents, even their wife because of addicted betting games too much. And if the casino gets the letter reflecting from the family of the better, he has to be immediately blacklisted. Therefore, the casino has to refuse to let that person enter the casino. Or else, the owner of the casino will be fined severely. If you are not in the backlist of a casino, you will be entered that casino.

Remember that Singapore citizens and permanents residents are allowed to buy betting products by cash only. The exception permitted to use a casino credit card for Singaporeans who have already pre-paid deposits with the casino from more than or S$100,000.

Casino companies are not permitted to advertise in Singapore mass media.

Those who are going bankrupt, cannot pay debts, or are receiving benefits from the government are prohibited from entering the casino by the CCA.

Besides Singaporeans, foreigners can be refused to enter the casino because the law of Singapore permits the casinos to deny any person to enter.

The casinos show that this is a “firewall” to limit those who addicted to gambling. An entry fee of S$150 in this country to avoid the poor who does not have enough money to play entering the casino.