When you play Grande Vegas casino games online, you probably don’t think too much about the history of gambling but, in fact, gaming has been an important part of world history since the dawn of time. In every era, in every society, people play games with the goal of winning prizes.
Anthropologists and archaeologists have unearthed ample evidence to show that people were playing an early form of Keno in ancient China, mancala in Africa, The Royal Game of Ur in Mesopotamia and Senet in ancient Egypt. Soldiers in ancient Greece and Rome played gambling games in their off-hours and people even bet on the outcome of the ancient Olympic games of Greece.
The popularity of betting games led to some strange laws. Many of them are no longer in force but there are still some strange betting laws on the books. Explore some of the world’s most bizarre gambling laws!
E-Gaming in South Korea
Working in the e-sports industry in South Korea is recognized as an official job category but the South Korean government has a schizophrenic relationship to the sport. South Koreans can play online and bet money but only on international esports events, not on events that take place in the country. Wagering on esports events that involve South Korean players against other South Korean players is illegal.
Lotteries in Thailand
Thailand's official national lottery (Thai: สลากกินแบ่ง, RTGS: salak kin baeng) is one of the few legal forms of gambling in the country – the other being horse racing in Bangkok. For Thais who find that playing their local lottery isn’t enough, there’s a legal loophole that allows them to bet on the outcomes of foreign lotteries. There’s no real rhyme or reason for the ban or for the underground gambling scene that has grown up around this type of illegal betting. Yet betting on other countries’ lottery results is a popular pastime in Thailand.
Talking about Thailand – gambling is so tightly regulated in Thailand that it’s illegal to even own a deck of cards in that country. Get caught with a deck of cards in your pocket in Thailand and you can be fined for possessing a deck of cards. It is, however, legal to bet online in Thailand. So you can play slot machines, games like poker, roulette and blackjack and any of your favorite lottery games for real money in Thailand. Just don’t hold onto a physical deck of cards.
Monte Carlo Bans Locals
Monte Carlo was one of the first gambling hubs, setting up casinos in the early 1800s. The Monte Carlo casinos are featured in numerous movies including James Bond films and they are portrayed as being the host venue of European royalty and high society. However, in Monte Carlo, locals are banned from the gaming tables.
The reasoning is that the Monte Carlo casino industry exists for the sole purpose of bringing money into the country, and if locals were allowed to gamble there, it could drain the lucrative income by creating the need to care for people suffering from irresponsible gambling behaviors.
The weirdest thing about the Monte Carlo gambling laws, however, is that online gambling IS allowed for Monte Carlo citizens. So not allowing them into the opulent casinos that their country runs doesn’t remove the issues that gambling raises in society.
Losing in Kentucky
Lost $4 on gambling in Kentucky. Tough. Lost $5? You can sue. That’s right. If you’re upset about your gambling losses, you can sue the casino in the state of Kentucky. You can even sue to recover MORE THAN YOU LOST as long as you sue within 6 months of sustaining the loss. According to Kentucky's Loss Recovery Act, any person can sue a gambling winner for triple the amount of another person's gambling losses.
Based on that law, in 2020, an online poker company was ordered to pay more than $1 billion to the State of Kentucky for gambling losses that Kentuckians had incurred. The suit was filed by the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet in 2010 which claimed that, from 2006 to 2011, approximately 34,000 Kentucky residents lost more than $290 million wagered on the PokerStars’ poker site. The judgment was upheld by the Kentucky Supreme Court.
Poker Rooms in Texas
People outside of Texas can play Texas Hold ‘Em in poker rooms but if you’re in Texas, you can’t play in any kind of public facility -- hospitals, schools, streets, highways, office buildings, nightclubs, shops, hotels, motels and shared areas of apartment buildings. The only place where you can play Texas Hold ‘Em in Texas is in a private residence or club.
And then There Was Sweden!
Sweden’s government decided to push back on the pace at which slot machines take money from their players by imposing time limits on slots play. Slot machines are known for their whirling reels and rapid gameplay which may seem fun and exciting but also means that you can rack up losses quite quickly, sometimes without realizing what’s happening until it’s too late.
Now, gamers in Sweden are restricted to 18 minutes of continuous slots play, at which point they are automatically locked out. The Swedish government hopes that, in this way, individuals will be prevented from becoming too engrossed in their game. No word about how the government will deal with people who finish their 18 minutes at one online casino and then move on to another online platform to continue playing.
South Africa Dog Racing
Most countries allow betting on animal sports where the animals are well taken care of – horse racing, for instance. But South Africa bans dogs from running lengths against each other. Horse racing, however, is legal in South Africa. Go figure.
Gambling in a UK Library
Great Britain is known for its corner bookies. Betting on everything from what the Queen might wear to the Royal Ascot to the Wimbledon Tennis matches is as much a part of British life as is the 4:00 cup of tea. But in 1898 England legislated, specifically, that you can’t play games for money inside an English library. Churches, restaurants, hospitals, and even schools are no problem. But no library gambling.
Oklahoma and Strip Poker
Oklahoma law specifically states that if you’re a woman, you can’t be naked or wear lingerie while gambling. One can only assume the circumstances that led up to this law.
Sunday in Alabama
In a nod to religious Christians living in the State, Alabama outlawed playing dominos or card games on Sunday. Go ahead and play slots, craps, roulette or any non-card, non-domino games and you’re good. Just no cards or dominos.
Dice-less Craps
Canadian law states that dice cannot be used to play craps. Since craps is based on the throw of the dice, it’s hard to figure this one out but according to Canadian law, you will have to use cards if you want to play craps in that country. The law was established to prevent cheaters from using remote-controlled dice but one would have thought that there was a better way to solve the problem than banning dice from a dice-based game.
Dice in Singapore
In Singapore, the use of dice in any game or activity was banned for many years. This would include even family board games as part of the government’s efforts to discourage games of random chance. The ban was lifted a few years ago when Singapore started to develop a casino industry.
New Zealand
Almost all forms of gambling are legal in New Zealand…..but slot machines, locally known a “Pokies” can only be operated by a charity. For profit businesses, including casinos, may not operate slot machines in New Zealand, which leads to an unusual situation in which charities run the casinos’ slots.
