Throwing Dice on Two Sides of the Pond: What are the Differences Between Gambling in the UK and the US
The country that we know today as the United States of America was born as a United Kingdom colony. Their relationship though history has often been complicated and this is probably one of the reasons many differences between them exist.
Two of the most famous dissimilarities are: one is a republic while the other one is still a monarchy and even though in both countries English is spoken, there are many words that are completely different. Of course, as these two powerful countries grew apart, the difference in lifestyle and the mentality of their citizens increased.
Gambling rules and habits were not immune to the latter. Here, we bring you the list of things you must know if you are from the UK but want to gamble in the US, or you are an American trying his luck in a British casino.
Law is the foundation
Because of the nature of gambling, one first must ask if it is even legal in the country you would like to do it. Casinos and gambling are legal in both the USA and the UK, but you still need more details than this, to be certain you are not breaking the law.
In the UK gambling is governed by the Gambling Act from 2005. This piece of legislation dictates the rules of gambling and the ways casinos can work. However, every country that constitutes the United Kingdom, has a right to decide whether gambling should be legal or not. And one of them, Northern Ireland, forbids it, making its inhabitants travel to Wales, England, or Scotland if they want to throw dice.
There is a certain similarity with the United States here. On a federal level, gambling is legal. But, every state can decide what to do within its territory. This leads to huge differences: Nevada and New Jersey on one hand, for example, allow almost every form of gambling, while Utah and Hawaii allow none.
The legal age to gamble in the two countries is definitely different, however. In the UK you are welcome to a casino from the moment you turn 18. For the States, the limit is 21, the same as the age you are allowed to drink alcohol lawfully.
Online gambling legislation is another dissimilarity. In the UK there are laws that clearly state this is legal and the rules for casinos to operate on the Internet are straightforward. The States are far more complicated, however. There is a piece of legislation from the 1960s called the Wire Act that still makes the lines of online gambling very blurry.
Taxes are also something dictated by the law, and the laws are different on one side of the Atlantic than on the other one. In the UK the player’s casino winnings are tax-free. In the USA, the player pays taxes on his winnings, fair and square. Unless you are a UK citizen playing in the USA, in which case you will get a tax refund.
The lingo and the rules
As for the lingo used in these countries, truth be told, there are fewer differences here than in the official languages. But it is always a good idea to revise your casino slang before a trip to a casino. And pay special attention to the odds as they do differ and they are called American and British odds for a reason.
Speaking of odds, the rules of your favourite games may be different as well. Roulette for example, is all about the dissimilarity in how it is played in America vs how it is played in Europe. So, make sure you also do a detailed check of the rules at your location, before entering a casino.
The size and the atmosphere
The union of England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland is often very similar to the rest of the continent it belongs to. And the sizes of houses, clubs, pubs, and venues are no exception to that. Brick-and-mortar casinos in the UK and most of Europe are pretty small in size, especially when compared to the endless square meters of those in the USA.
The proportions of casinos also influence the number of games available to play, of course. In the British casinos, one can only fit a couple of slot machines and some tables for games. Whereas in the American ones, there is a myriad of slots and tables as well, and even the selection of games you can play at those tables is often higher.
The vibe of casinos in the two counties is also very different. In the States, most casinos have the whole show in and around them. In Vegas, for example, you gamble but you also visit a concert by a big pop star, you visit a spa, you go shopping. On the other side of the pond, casinos are for gambling and that’s it. There might be some live music in the background, but that can never be Cher or Taylor Swift.
This difference in concept also leads to a different dress code. In the UK they want you to feel relaxed but not too much, so it is expected that you dress smart casual. In the USA the idea is to have fun, so you are allowed to wear whatever feels the most comfortable.
To conclude
As these two countries are, when observing the bigger picture, pretty different, no wonder throwing dice is like that as well. If you are travelling from one side of the pond to the other, make sure you are well aware of these differences so that you make sure you really enjoy the experience rather than making it an extremely unpleasant memory.
