The southern hemisphere is frequently disregarded despite making up half of the planet. Since most of the land mass is located in the upper half of the world, it is frequently assumed that this is the case. After all, 87% of the population of the world lives in regions north of the equator. Additionally, there are four of the five major oceans. Five of the seven continents also lie entirely or mostly in the far northern regions of the globe. Finally, the USA, China, and the EU are the three main world powers that are located in the north.
The southern hemisphere contains enormous amounts of sea, as may be seen by looking at a globe. Nevertheless, a lot of land is available. Nearly all of South America, as well as sub-Saharan Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, are located here. The immense Pacific Ocean tints the earth’s surface blue, and strings of tiny islands are laced across the ocean’s width.
It’s a rather sizable undertaking to provide an igaming history for the majority of the planet. There are seven autonomous nations in the Southern Hemisphere that are located in South America alone, while there are fourteen in Africa. The most we can do is a whistle stop tour as there are 32 countries in all here.
Southeast Asia
Internet accessibility has restricted iGaming in a significant portion of Latin America. However, thanks to more people having access to smartphones, millions more individuals can now use 4G and 5G networks to access the internet. As a result, by the end of 2021, South America had 422 million gamers enrolled to play.
The most populous nation in the subcontinent, Brazil, does not allow gambling. The only authorized form of gambling in the nation is the state lottery, which was made illegal in 1941. The market in Argentina, on the other hand, is regulated. Over $2 billion is produced annually by the sector. Because it is a significant source of revenue for the government, federal tax rates on internet gambling rose from two to five percent during the 2020 financial crisis.
Neutral territory
In New Zealand, gambling is common. Lotteries, horse racing, and slot machines have always been popular among Kiwis. The first casino opened in Christchurch in 1994, and the first video poker machines appeared in pubs and hotel lobbies in the late 1980s. Although there are many offshore sites to choose from, online casinos do not function in your area. On Time2Play, a dependable, independent review website, you may find a list of the top ones. Players can wager on a variety of online games in the nation, including table and live dealer games as well as pokies. Mobile casinos have recently expanded their selection even further.
Australia
The history of online gaming in Australia is a little murky. Anyone running an Australian-based online casino is prohibited by the Interactive Gambling Act of 2001. It further indicates that it is forbidden for offshore casinos to accept Australian players. However, the laws are lax and not enforced. As a result, Australians can play at offshore online casinos without fear of punishment. Furthermore, the IGA makes no mention of the fact that Australians cannot access or play at foreign websites. Consequently, there are no problems making deposits or withdrawals, and Australians enjoy playing at online casinos.
Indonesia
In Indonesia, gambling is forbidden, and repeat offenders risk a six-year prison sentence. Over half a million gambling accounts have been closed in the previous four years, and the government continues to prohibit online gaming websites. Players therefore use VPNs to circumvent the law.
Southern Africa
In 1965, South Africa banned all forms of gambling other from horse racing. While it never succeeds in doing so, this did make gambling more difficult to access. As a result, thousands of illegal casinos began to appear all throughout the nation.
Gambling was become lawful and regulated in 1996 after the National Gambling Act was modified. Casino gaming and national lotteries were included in this. In order to enforce rules and guarantee that gaming establishments adhered to certain criteria, the National gaming Board was also established. Rich casinos and resorts as a result arose and provided attractions for both locals and visitors.
The nation’s gaming regulations underwent additional modifications in 2004. Sports betting was legalized, whereas casino online gambling was prohibited. To legalize online gambling and govern the websites that engage in the industry, the National Gambling Amendment Act has been proposed since 2008. Only locally owned casinos on land are now permitted to run lawfully in the nation.
Many offshore, internationally licensed casinos are open to South African players notwithstanding these rules. Players can sign up and play safely because the websites are governed in other nations.
Licenses issued in the Northern Hemisphere control the sector.
Ironically, igaming in the Southern Hemisphere has a history of government attempts to ban it, but people haven’t really paid attention to the rules. Nobody appears very concerned about changing the fact that the majority of worldwide commercial gambling enterprises are governed by nations in the Northern Hemisphere.
Are there any upcoming changes?
Only a few nations south of the Equator have benefited from a regulated market, and Argentina is one of them. It not only makes sure that citizens are protected, but it also generates income for the government. iGaming money can complement budgets at a time of escalating prices. It appears that other nations are only now beginning to realize the potential.
