When it comes to the regulation of bingo and gambling in general, it’s pretty black and white in the UK. 

Bingo sites are required to be regulated by the UK Gambling Commission, but as the country leaves the EU, what is the situation in the rest of Europe?

Well, it’s very interesting and rather complex depending on which country you are playing bingo from…

How Is Bingo Regulated In The EU?

Bingo and all forms of gambling aren’t regulated or licensed by a specific set of EU regulations with countries regulating independently.

However, countries within the EU do have to comply with the fundamental freedoms that apply under the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. 

For a brand to offer bingo games, they therefore are required to apply separate licenses for the countries they wish to operate in, with different countries requiring to meet different measures when it comes to the likes of security, player support and offering as a whole. 

Which EU Countries Have Legalized Online Bingo?

In Europe there are a large number of countries in which online bingo is legal. 

In many of these, the likes of bingo sites and casinos are required to be licensed by a local regulator. These are:

Countries Where Gambling Sites Must Be Regulated By Local Regulators:

• Austria
• Belgium
• Bulgaria
• Croatia
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Italy
• Netherlands
• Poland
• Romania
• Spain
• UK

However, there are also countries in Europe where bingo sites and gambling brands aren’t restricted at all. These are:

European Countries Where Gambling Sites Aren’t Restricted:

• Albania
• Andorra
• Belarus
• Faroe Islands
• Gibraltar
• Isle of Man
• Kosovo
• Liechtenstein
• Malta

From there it gets a little more complex, with some countries allowing foreign gambling sites to operate within them with any form of license, with only local gambling sites requiring local licenses.

European Countries Where Only Local Sites Require Local Licenses:

• Greece
• Hungary
• Ireland
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Macedonia
• Moldova
• Monaco
• Norway
• Montenegro 
• Norway
• Portugal
• San Marino
• Slovenia
• Sweden
• Switzerland

Can I Play Bingo In These Countries?

Whether you can play bingo in these countries depends on your own circumstances. As with the UK, each country will have a legal gambling age which players first must adhere to.

Across many countries you will have to prove your age through official documentation.

Additionally, players will also be required to be within the borders or a resident of a country. If playing outside of the area, you may be blocked with some sites having geo-blocking in place. 

Check Key Regulations Before Playing

If you are looking to play bingo online in a country which you aren’t sure about the laws, it’s always a good idea to read up on the regulations and licenses, not only to ensure it is legal for you to play, but also ensure the brand you’re thinking of playing with is safe to do so. 

You should only play with brands that are licensed and regulated, and ones that have a good reputation. Searching the brands online is always a good indicator of discovering about reputations as you’ll also find plenty of reviews and forums discussing the best bingo brands.