In this article, we discuss the 5 biggest gambling countries in the world. If you want to read about some more gambling countries, go directly to 15 Biggest Gambling Countries In The World.
5. United Kingdom
Total Gambling Gross Win: $19 Billion
The United Kingdom, with a total population of 69 million and an area of 700 sq miles, is one of the biggest gambling countries in the world. The British gambling industry is witnessing a boom after the global pandemic. This year, the industry achieved higher revenues through not only gambling, but also online gambling, sports betting and games. The UK is home to some of the best casinos in the world, such as Aspers Casino, Villento Casino, Manchester235, the Hippodrome Casino, UK Casino Club, Grand Mondial, and MagicRed Casino. According to the UK Gambling Commission, in the year 2021, both remote and online betting represented the largest sectors of the market, with total wagers capturing 52.3% of the overall market.
4. Italy
Total Gambling Gross Win: $20 Billion
Italy has a rich history of gambling and many inventors of casino games have origins from the country. For example, Baccarat is an Italian game which dates back to the 17th century. Famous roulette systems, such as the Fibonacci, were invented by the Italians. Italy, a European nation with an area of 116,300 square miles and population of 58 million, has relaxed its gambling laws since 2008 and the gambling industry has been booming ever since then. Notably, Milan and Venice are the major gambling hubs in Italy with more than 15 casinos. Apart from gambling, Italy is one of the leading markets for sports betting through football tournaments as well the Rome Masters tennis tournament.
3. Japan
Total Gambling Gross Win: $50 Billion
Japan, with a population of 126 million and area of 378,000 sq miles, is one of the most stable economies in the world. Even though Japan is believed to be one of the biggest gambling countries, there are legal restrictions of most forms of gambling under the country’s Criminal Code Chapter 23. There are exceptions, such as sports betting and horse racing. The country forbids cash prizes in gambling, so the winnings are traded as cigarettes, chocolate bars, pencils, lighters, etc. The popular game, Pachinko, now runs on LCD technology, and has a market size of $200 billion. The online gambling market in Japan reached $6.7 billion in size in 2021.
2. China
Total Gambling Gross Win: $70 Billion
China, with a population of 1.4 billion and an area of 3,700,000 sq miles, is one of the biggest gambling countries in the world. The online gambling market size reached $9.2 billion in 2021 and it is expected to reach $14.7 billion by 2027. Even though China falls in the top five leading gambling markets of the world, the government does not allow gambling, which is considered illegal. However, games such as Mahjong, card games, and online games, all of which involve gambling of some kind, have achieved immense significance in the local culture.
1. United States of America
Total Gambling Gross Win: $119 Billion
The USA is the top leading country in the world with highest gross wins every year. The US, with a population of 333 million and an area of 3.7 million square miles, is the most powerful country in the world. The country is a global hub of sports, hosting the NBA Finals, the NFL Super Bowl, and Major League Baseball. Sports betting is a favorite activity in the country which has given a strong momentum to betting companies to achieve increased revenues every year. The US Supreme Court legalized sports betting in 50 states recently. The world’s largest casinos are found in the USA, notably in Las Vegas, which is the world’s gambling hub. The popular casinos are the Cosmopolitan, Foxwoods, Thunder Valley Casino Resort Lincoln, Mohegan Sun Casino Uncasville, WinStar World Casino Resort Thackerville, and the Borgata Hotel Casino.
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