Many countries have laws in place that either completely ban online casinos or make it impossible for online casinos to obtain a license to operate. This second tactic doesn’t criminalize online gambling, it just forces players in these countries to play at offshore casinos.
That is currently how the law works in Russia. Until recently, Russia allowed online casinos with valid licenses from reputable sources — such as the United Kingdom, Malta and Gibraltar — to operate in the country. However, they no longer recognize those licenses and do not offer their own, so it is impossible for online casinos to operate legally within the country.
Despite these restrictions, playing at mobile casinos is as popular a hobby in Russia as it is in the rest of the world. Mobile casinos are, in fact, one of the top forms of gambling in Russia, especially since in person gambling is limited to a few regions in the country. It is still possible for people living in Russia or other countries with similar laws to play at the top online casinos according to casino portal casinotopsonline.com/ru. They can still play at offshore online casinos, though there could always be potential legal ramifications that should be considered.
This means that the online casinos that players in countries with these kinds of laws play at won’t necessarily be designed for them. The features of these casinos will be tailored to audiences where the casino is based or where it is allowed to operate legally. But does this really matter?
Language is the obvious major difference in online casinos that operate in more than one country. This article will look at some of the other differences that might not always be readily apparent.
Licensing
If you’ve ever been searching for a favorite show to watch only to realize that it’s no longer available on your country’s streaming services, then you know a bit about how annoying licensing can be. Movies and TV shows have licenses that determine where they can be shown. This extends to other media uses.
If you’re unsure how this relates to online casinos, take a look through the movie- and television-inspired slot machine games. While some are goofy knockoffs, others are licensed games that use exact likenesses of various characters. Some of the best, such as the Lord of the Rings game, use actual scenes from the movies as cutscenes in the games. Due to licensing restrictions, these games won’t be accessible in every country.
Different algorithms
The classic, old fashioned fruit machine style slot machine games are going to have fans all over the world because they have become such an iconic genre. They might not have the best graphics or the most innovative gameplay, but that’s part of their charm. These games are nostalgic and can easily appeal to a global audience.
In this day and age, we’re all relatively familiar with the power of the algorithms that influence what we see online. Algorithms basically learn what is popular — or what should be popular — and pushes that content to the forefront of our social media feeds and ads. It’s no different on online casinos.
Not every game is going to resonate with players in every country. For example, the United States has a much higher percentage of practicing Christians than most countries in Europe, so Bible slots will likely have a US audience but not have the same appeal for European players.
Currencies and payment methods
Now that so many of our payments are made online, we don’t have to think as much about transferring money into different currencies. Our banks and credit card providers usually handle that part of the transaction for us — for a fee of course! Online casinos can make their customers’ lives easier by accepting multiple different currencies so there are fewer fees associated with playing.
The UK and Germany, for example, have banned casinos from accepting deposits made with credit or debit cards. Meanwhile, that is one of the top payment methods in the United States and in Latin America. There are also many payment apps that only work in certain countries or regions. Online casinos that serve many different markets will generally accept the payment apps that are the most used in each of those markets.
Depending on what country you’re playing in, the currency for bets will likely be different too. This is something to pay close attention to. Betting $10, ¥10 or ₽10 is not the same wager!
If you’re curious to see just how online casinos vary to serve different countries, you can check them out without having to spend a ton on flights. You can use a VPN to change your connection’s apparent location. This will allow you to see what your favorite casinos look like to players around the world.