Online slots don’t differ much – if at all – from country to country. They are played in the same way with the same technology and the same goal (to have fun and maybe, if you’re lucky, to win a reward too). Yet because each different country has its own gambling regulations, there are different rules associated with these online games depending on where you are playing. If you go on holiday and still want to play your favourite online Cops and Robbers slots, is this possible?
Age
Age is a big point to take note of when it comes to online slots and slot regulations around the world. Although technically there is nothing stopping an underage person from playing (it’s not like a land based casino that requires proof of age before you can go through the door), you can’t legally access your winnings if you were to hit the jackpot, or even a smaller amount. So don’t tempt fate and only play slots where you are old enough to do so.
Progressive Slots
Progressive slots have their own set of regulations as well as the standard ones that you would expect. These games have an added level of excitement to them, as the jackpots can be up in the millions, and certainly worth six figures – there is a lot at stake so there are a lot of rules too.
One example of this is that there must be a meter displayed on the screen so that the true jackpot figure is seen at all times. This was initially put in place to allow players to make the right decision regarding whether it was worth playing or not, but it has actually helped online casinos too. Imagine playing a progressive slot and seeing the jackpot money growing before your eyes; in all the excitement, might you be tempted to play and pay a little more than you were planning to?
Taxes
In the UK any winnings from a casino are tax free, which is great news. The last thing you’d want if you won a substantial amount of money would be to give half of it away to the Treasury. Yet this might not be the case in other countries, so it pays to check where your casino is based and what the tax rules are.
Is It Legal?
In the UK, gambling is perfectly legal. We have a lot of freedoms and we often take them for granted because in other countries gambling is not permitted at all, and that includes slots. Switzerland is an example of a progressive country that simply doesn’t allow any form of gambling, so if you’re heading there for a trip away, it’s wise not to try to gamble at all – the websites will, more often than not, be blocked anyway.
In large countries with many different states and provinces such as the USA and Canada, gambling is allowed in some areas and not others, so again it is wise to check this out before you start doing something that could get you into serious trouble.