After drugs, alcohol and tobacco/vaping, it’s time to return to another vice.
“Gambling” – in the context of this post – covers higher-end, high-stakes stuff (bookmakers, casinos, online gambling) rather than the National Lottery (which has been looked at/will be looked at again separately).
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Approaches towards gambling are broadly similar.
The (public) gambling age is usually around 18 (New Zealand seems to be an outlier). Gambling is usually regulated either directly by the government or via an arms-length government agency.
Problem gambling rates also appear to be similar.
As for the differences, gambling advertising is one area. There’s a more liberal/soft-touch approach in Wales (and, by extension, Great Britain as a whole) as well as Switzerland based around a code of conduct.
Ireland, Denmark and New Zealand appear to have slightly stronger measures backed by the law.
There are also quite different approaches to taxation and duties. Ireland and New Zealand have a social impact/problem gambling levy. Something similar is being proposed for England, Scotland and Wales.
