Gambling has always been a popular past time of different nations throughout the world, regardless of the economic standard of the country or the average income. And with the advance of modern technology, gaming has become even more popular as it turned into one of the most practical ways of earning money without even having to leave your home.
This free availability of everything from quality gaming venues to reviews and ratings detailed at CasinoShortList.org and similar authorities, have turned gaming into one of the most massive sources of entertainment and earning today. But not all nations enjoy it the same. Some just game so much that they’ve been on the forefronts of the gaming industry for decades.
United States
The United States have long been famous for their gambling habits, but did you know that US gamers made up for 41% of the world’s gaming and gambling market last year?
According to a statistic report from 2015, the US was the leading country when it came to gambling revenue, with the entire casino industry earning $71.1 billion in that year alone. This finding only confirmed the trend that of a previous study from 2013, when it was found that US citizens have lost more money on gambling than any other nation in the world, or close to $119 billion, to be more precise.
Since most online casinos restrict US citizens, most of the gambling was done in regional, tribal and Nevada casinos, while the most popular games played were slot machines.
Australia
Despite its relatively low population of 24 million, Australia has always held a spot on the top gambling countries list. This well-earned reputation is mostly due to the popularity of gambling machines, which just like in the US can be found in many places, including clubs and bars.
In 2013 alone, Australia achieved an annual GGY (Gross Gambling Yield) of $20.2 million, and according to a 2014 report, around $10 billion (or 50% of it) was spent of pokies (slots). This shouldn’t be surprising at all, considering that Australia has long been famous for being a leader in pokie (slot) density in the world, with over 200,000 pokies currently operating in the country.
When you add all these numbers and the fact that the H2 Gambling Capital report found that Australians lost more on gambling per capita than any other country in the world ($1.600), you end up with a serious gaming nation.
China
Gambling is officially illegal in China, except for the Hong District where the different laws have been regulating and permitting certain forms of it since the 1970s. The largest percentage of gambling activities is operated by the Honk Kong Jockey Club – a horse betting operator that saw a GGY of $3.5 million in 2013.
This number may not be that large when you compare it to other countries, but it is a massive one when you consider the GGY per capita. According to a report from the Global Betting and Gaming Consultants, the Honk Kong Jockey Club had the second largest GGY per capita in 2013 (485), being outnumbered only by the entire territory of Australia.
Italy
It’s hard to imagine the Mediterranean nation as a gambling paradise in Europe, yet all the statistics and reports from the past ten year says so. However, this shouldn’t come as a surprise, as the first European casino, the Ridotto, was established in Italy, in 1638.
According to a Statista report from 2015, Italy took the lead when it comes to gambling in Europe, with a staggering €18 million in GGY – even more than the UK. The massive popularity of gambling in Italy is mostly due to the easing of restrictions by the Italian Government, which sent the country into a slot mania and made it the sixth country in the world by loss per capita ($517) in 2013.
Canada
Canada is one of the most prosperous countries for the gambling industry, mostly because each province sets its own regulations, which are often quite beneficial to gaming providers.
In 2013, Canada found its way on the third spot according to its Gross Gaming Yield, with the entire industry generating $16.2 million in revenue, or 464 GGY per capita. Similar conclusions were reached by previous reports which placed Canadians on the 4th place in the world according to their gambling loss per capita, which was $568. Most of these wagers were spent in sport betting and poker, while the most popular gambling cities were Ontario and Quebec.