In Europe, gambling is normally regulated at the federal level. That includes the EU and non-EU European countries. The U.S., on the other hand, regulates gambling at the state level, so each American state is a unique jurisdiction, just like European nations.
European real money gaming operators that have first contact with the American market often feel extremely surprised by this reality. The problem, however, is not confined to the gambling industry.
America has a legal system derived from many particularities of its history. Many states value the capacity to self-govern when it comes to several different subjects. Having the capacity to do so, respecting local realities, is one of the most defining aspects of American culture.
However, that flexibility comes with setbacks. Lawyers are licensed at the state level, and companies doing business across America suffer from the lack of a fully standardized federal legal system.
The private sector across all industries pushes for a more standardized legal system, and some states have initiatives to adopt uniform standards in terms of specific regulations.
Culture and Law At The State Level in America
American states are extremely different in terms of culture. While in Europe we have situations like London or Paris being different than the countryside, including political opinions and how conservative they are in comparison with each respective country’s capital, America has a far more complex cultural landscape.
California and New York are immensely different from conservative states like Texas. While that may sound obvious to many Europeans used to consuming American culture in the form of media like TV shows or movies, the depth of those differences is better understood when analyzing the immense differences in laws at the state level.
Texas has historically been among the most resistant states when it comes to gambling, as the state is notoriously religious and conservative.
Nevada, for example, is famous for the Las Vegas casinos. However, the state has always been aggressively against lotteries and online gambling, as the land-based casino resorts want customers to visit them in person.
Understanding the nuanced realities of each American state is a very important task before doing business in the American sweepstakes markets as well as other gambling verticals, and even in other industries.
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