Biggest Gambling Nations In The World

Gambling has been prevalent since as early as the 11^th century, with many forms of gambling being invented ever since. Its almost human nature for humans to gamble on just about everything, with the thrill of winning incomparable to anything else.

The two biggest points about gambling when it comes to legislation are that it is a hugely profitable industry, and that the risks posed by problem gambling behaviour are real. Governmental regulators are therefore constantly trying to find a balance between reaping the benefits of a good source of tax, and protecting the citizens who are gambling. Gambling is big business internationally. Almost every country in the world has casinos. With the exception of China, most of the countries without casinos are either predominantly Muslim or are remote island nations without the ability to attract many tourists. With a strong and ever-growing economy, 80% of adult Australians engage in some form of gambling. This brings Australia to the top of our list as the world's biggest gambling nation - with correspondingly huge losses. Gambling winnings are un-taxed in Australia, giving citizens a further incentive to play.

As we progress further down the 21^st century, the world of Gambling is expanding at an unexpectedly high pace. With countries all over the world relaxing their gambling laws to take advantage of its huge popularity amongst the masses, new gambling-obsessed countries have overtaken the traditional heavyweights in the gambling charts.

• Have you ever wondered which are the most gambling-obsessed nations of the world?
• Did you know that the average Australian adult loses approximately $1300 per year due to gambling ?
• Were you aware that France has more than 300 casinos located in its mainland, more than any other nation ?

Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered, as we have prepared a detailed list of the biggest gambling inclined countries in the world, with a special measuring term of “average yearly gambling loss per person “, in order to get a better idea of just how fanatic the locals of each country are about gambling, be it in casinos, or sports betting, or individual slots and nationwide lotteries.

1. France

Continent : Europe
Preferred Gambling Source : Casinos
Annual Gambling Loss Per Person : $350
Population : 66.9 million
Area : 212,900 square miles

France is one of the larger countries of Europe, and is famous for its casinos spread over several prominent cities such as Paris and Cannes. There are more than 300 casinos in the wealthy country, and high rollers from different walks of life indulge in extensive casino gambling. Apart from Casinos, sports betting is also very prominent in the country, with several mega sporting events being held there every year such as The French Open, the Rugby Six Nations tournament and The Tour De France, along with high profile horse races such as Chantily and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Poker is also very popular in the country, with some of the best poker players in the world hailing from France. There are more than 170 poker tables across the country and some have extremely high stakes for the highest of rollers.

The gambling laws in France are relatively relaxed, ensuring that the high tourism ratio in the country is also well integrated with the gambling industry.

2. USA

Continent : North America
Preferred Gambling Method : Sports Betting/ Casinos
Annual Gambling Loss Per Person : $330
Population : 323 million
Area : 3.7 million square miles.

USA is one of the largest and most powerful countries in the world, with a stable economy and overall higher level of development than most other nations. The third most populated country is also a global hub of sports, with several American sports often overshadowing global sports in terms of money and popularity. The Americans love to bet on sports, with events such as the NBA Finals, The NFL Superbowl, the Major League Baseball finals. The NHL finals etc overseeing bets of billions of dollars in total, much more than any other country. As a whole. The United States saw about $117 billion lost to gambling last year, although their per person gambling loss isn’t as high as some other countries.

Apart from sports betting, some of the world’s largest and most extravagant casinos lie in USA, none more so than in Las Vegas, the world’s gambling haven. There are more than a hundred casinos located in Las Vegas alone, with billions of dollars exchanging hands every single week. Americans also love their fair share of lottery tickets, with several state sponsored lotto competitions in the running.

3. Monaco

Continent : Europe
Preferred Gambling Method : Sports Betting / Casinos
Annual Gambling Loss Per Person : $320
Population : 38,400
Area : 0.78 square miles

Monaco is a tiny independent state bordered by France on 3 sides, with the 4^th side adjoining the Mediterranean Sea, ensuring a lovely climate and serene views. Despite its small size, Monaco is the recreational and sporting hub of Europe, especially its cultural center Monte-Carlo. The beautiful city boasts of some of the most amazing casinos in the world, most notably the Casino De Monte-Carlo, a true man made wonder and one of the most popular gambling avenues in the world.

Many major international events such as The Monaco Grand Prix (The most prestigious F1 race on the circuit), World Championship Boxing matches, European PGA tours, as well as the European Poker Tour Grand final take place in Monte Carlo every year. Gambling overall is the primary contributor to the region’s bustling economy.

Monte-Carlo is synonymous with extravagance and outrageous displays of wealth, a sign, which is a huge boost for its gambling industry. The city is full of glamour and luxury, and Monaco as an independent state fully relies on gambling sources and tourism for its economic stability.

4. Singapore

Continent : Asia
Preferred Gambling Method : Casinos / Football Betting / Lottery
Annual Gambling Loss Per Person : $1100
Population : 5.6 million
Area : 277 square miles

Singapore is a tiny, yet powerful island country located in South East Asia. With one of the strongest economies in the world, Singapore is a wealthy nation with a remarkably high number of millionaires per 100 citizens. This explosion of wealth led the government to look into more avenues and they finally agreed to legalize certain forms of gambling in the country. Singapore Pools, a state sponsored lottery organization operational since 1968, was permitted to begin sports betting as well, leading to a huge response from the football-loving nation. Whether it’s the S-League or the English Premier League, every football match is keenly watched and analyzed by the local bettors and millions of dollars are won and lost every week.

Apart from Singapore Pools, the country also allowed 2 major casinos to be operational recently i.e. Resorts World Sentosa and Marina Bay Sands. The Marina Bay Sands casino is one the biggest and most expensive casinos in the world, with over 2500 gaming machines spread over 6 interior branches. Multi-millionaires can be seen here every week playing with very high stakes, as the country also has one of the highest annual gambling losses per person in the world.

5. Canada

Continent : North America
Preferred Gambling Method : Sports Betting / Lottery
Annual Gambling Loss Per Person : $568
Population : 36.29 million
Area : 3.8 million square miles

The second largest nation in the world, Canada is a highly developed and a wealthy nation. Regularly rates as one of the best places to live with the highest quality of life, Canada’s economy is booming and people are friendly and satisfied with their lives. With wealth in abundance, Canadians often prefer to indulge in lotteries and sports betting, for fun as well as to earn some extra dough. Lottery is almost an addiction for Canadians, with a study finding out that more than 75% of adult Canadians have gambled in some form at least once in their lives. Many scratch and win games are also extremely popular in the region, and its common practice for parents to include lottery tickets attached to Christmas presents for their kids, implying that lottery is a big part of the family culture in the country.

Canadians are also very obsessed with all American sports, especially Ice Hockey, which sees millions of dollars gambled on NHL results every single year. Many other winter sports such as skiing and snowboarding tournaments also attract many exclusive betting markets.

6. Australia

Continent : Australia / Oceania
Preferred Gambling Method : Sports Betting / Slot machines
Annual Gambling Loss Per Person : $1288
Population : 24.13 million
Area : 2.97 million square miles

Australia is the most powerful country in the Southern Hemisphere. It is also one of the fastest growing economies in the world, with great stability and a huge emphasis put on recreation. Almost 80% of adult Australians are known to indulge in some form of gambling, unsurprisingly, considering the country’s healthy economy and high quality of life, leading to overall satisfaction. The country has many casinos, with New South Wales in particular boasting of a mammoth 100,000 poker machines to keep gamblers hooked. Slot machines are extremely popular amongst Aussies and can be found all over the land.

Apart from casinos, Australia is one of the leading nations when it comes to sports. With cricket and Aussie rules football being followed religiously, the sports betting market is one of the biggest in the world. Apart from that, major international sporting events such as The Australian Open and the Ashes cricket series have their own exclusive betting markets.

Biggest Gambling Nations In The World Countries

7. Ireland

Continent : Europe
Preferred Gambling Method : Sports Betting
Annual Gambling Loss Per Person : $588
Population : 4.7 million
Area : 27,100 square miles

The Republic Of Ireland is a passionate sporting nation off the coast of England, with citizens known to be extremely vocal about their sporting passions. Football, rugby and horseracing are among the most popular sports out in this country and followed ferociously. The ‘lad’ culture as its called, involves young Irish men often consuming large quantities of alcohol, before betting large sums of money on sports and then supporting their respective teams. This saw the emergence of Paddy Power, one of the biggest online betting firms in the world, which accepts bets on almost everything under the sun. The emergence of global superstar Connor McGregor has single-handedly revolutionized the sports betting culture in Ireland.

The casino industry in the country is unregulated, as an old gambling law from 1956 is still under use. Casinos are not very reputed in the region yet revelers find their way up to trusted sources and end up paying massive amounts of money, with the average Irish gambling loss per person recorded at $588 for the year.

8. Greece

Continent : Europe
Preferred Gambling Method : Sports Betting / Slots
Annual Gambling Loss Per Person : $420
Population : 10.75 million
Area : 50,950 square miles

Greece is one of the most important historic countries in the world. With some of the most remarkable ancient monuments still standing, Greece was once the most prosperous and developed land on this planet, with a rich culture and varied traditions. The ancient Greeks were among the first men to begin gambling of any sorts, and that carried down through various kingdoms over the centuries.

The modern day Greece, however, is a far-cry from its rich history, with the country in crippling debts running into billions of dollars in recent years. However, that has done nothing to curb the nation’s youth from blowing away their savings on gambling, with the average annual loss per Greek citizen almost $420. The country has 1 casino each in 8 major cities, with the biggest one being Regency Casino Mont Parnes, with more than 700 slots and game machines, the biggest attraction for the locals. Apart from casinos, they also indulge in large scale football betting, and the government is trying hard to curb these activities to prevent addiction.

9. Spain

Continent : Europe
Preferred Gambling Method : Sports Betting / Lottery
Annual Gambling Loss Per Person : $418
Population : 46.5 million
Area : 195,364 square miles

Spain is one of the most culturally rich countries in the region, with a deep and colorful history when it comes to gambling, involving many former emperors and their families. Spaniards are historically very obsessed with any form of lottery and luck-oriented games. Gambling in the country was only legalized in 1981, but had been going on for centuries unregulated. The country’s famous Christmas lottery “El Gordo”, awards prizes up to a mammoth $1 billion. It is estimated that almost 80% adult Spaniards purchase the tickets of this particular lottery every year.

Biggest Gambling Nations In The World War

Spain is also a heavyweight when it comes to sporting events. 3 of the best football clubs in the world operate in the country with passionate fans betting huge sums on them. Major international events such as the Spanish Grand Prix and the Madrid Masters attract a lot of bettors as well. Millions of dollars are staked in traditional bullfights every year as well, taking the overall gambling loss per person to $418 per year on average.

Biggest Gambling Nations In The World History

10. Italy

Biggest Gambling Nations In The World Since

Continent : Europe
Preferred Gambling Method : Slots / Roulette / Baccarat
Annual Gambling Loss Per Person : $517
Population : 60.6 million
Area : 116,300 square miles

Italy has a very rich gambling history, with many innovators and inventors of certain casino games originating from Italy. For example, the game of Baccarat is an Italian creation, played at the first ever state sanctioned casino in Venice, way back in the 17^th century. The famous roulette systems like the Fibonacci were also invented by Italian gamblers.

The country’s gambling laws were relaxed significantly in 2008, and since then the industry has seen a major surge. Italians are primarily obsessed with slot machines, and the country’s gambling revenue in 2013 was as high as $23.9 billion, the highest in Europe, and more than half of that is attributed to slot machines. Milan and Venice are the primary gambling cities in Italy, with 15 elegant casinos between them. Italians are also very passionate about sports, particularly football. The Rome Masters tennis tournament also attracts high profile bettors, along with certain elegant horse races.