The Nature of Gambling in Canada and the Netherlands: Comparison Overview

Gambling is associated with multiple things, which is why it is such a controversial topic. It is usually with fun times, luxury, big winnings, adrenaline rushing high stakes games, but also with the loss of money and crime. Even today, crime investigation can lead to a land-based casino or a gambling joint. That being said, a lot has changed, and it is a highly regulated industry that became even more available across the globe thanks to the advent of online casinos. 

In some countries, this type of entertainment is so popular that casinos have become industry giants. A good example of this is Canada and the Netherlands. However, even if these two countries are similar in terms of gambling markets, there are also many differences. Here we will focus on exploring and analyzing the nature of gambling in these two countries. We will see how they are similar and also what are some crucial differences between them.   

How Are They Similar

Let’s start the comparison by examining how the gambling market is similar in Canada and the Netherlands. First of all, a huge portion of the entertainment industry is actually online casinos, although it is slightly bigger in Canada. Even though the Netherlands is a much smaller country, it is densely populated as 17 million people live there, so a lot of them spend time playing casino games, and as a result, the casino market generates more than 2 billion US dollars annually.  

Canada, on the other hand, has a population of 37 million people and the casino industry there generates over 15 billion US dollars annually, making it by far the biggest portion of the entertainment industry. 

Online Gambling

Land-based casinos and sports betting were hit hard by the pandemic. However, that does not mean that the gambling industry overall suffered great losses. Online casinos and esports betting were at an all-time high throughout this period in both countries. Canada is also an important player in the whole esports industry as it is among the first countries that started organizing these events on a bigger scale. 

In the Netherlands, the authorities realized the potential revenue from this form of gambling, so they decided to legalize online casinos when the pandemic started. A lot of platforms have applied to license with hopes of launching during autumn 2021.  Another important similarity between Canada and the Netherlands is that a big portion of the profit goes to charities and the state budget, which has an overall good impact on the economy.

Notable Differences 

One of the more notable differences within the gambling industry is that Canada has witnessed a small decline in its growth over the past year. In the Netherlands, however, this industry is still growing. This is pretty understandable, though, as Canada generates revenue that is seven times bigger, so it is understandable that at one point, it reaches a plateau. Also, online casinos have been available in Canada for a longer time period. In other words, the list of pay and play casino platforms will continue to grow in the Netherlands. After a certain time period, it is understandable if it starts to decline, just like in Canada. 

Difference in Regulation

In Canada, gambling is illegal on the national level, yet this does not mean that those who are gambling are breaking the law. This is because every province in Canada regulates gambling using its own legislative authority. Therefore any 10 deposit casino website that is regulated and licensed is good to go. You don’t have to worry that you won’t have access to your winnings or that you will be fined by the authority. That being said, you should always do a bit of research before making a deposit in any online casino just to make sure it is not a scam. 

As mentioned the gambling was legalized in the Netherlands, and the authorities have actually launched a state-owned Casino. Therefore the state itself is a regulator of the industry. On top of that, there are over 40 thousand slot machines that can be found across all Dutch arcades, gambling joints, bars, and restaurants. Time will show if the number of these games will continue to increase in the Netherlands because they are still new to the idea.  

Conclusion

One thing is certain gambling, both land-based and online, is very popular in both countries, and markets are huge. This is more than just entertainment as it can be a force that has a positive impact on the economy and environment if regulated in the right way. Still, it is important to note that you should gamble responsibly and rely on welcome or loyalty bonuses as much as possible. This one of the main boons when it comes to online gambling, so take advantage of that.