在英国网上赌场是合法的，当然，这是由于府采取的立场在我们看来是比较开明的，这个行业可以被更好地监管，如果设立一些相关的法律制度。

　　在世界各地的其他国家的网上赌场市场是如何的呢？整个世界的法律又是如何看待这个娱乐方式的呢？

　　有一个传言，美国的布什政府一直试图扼杀这个行业。如果在美国没有一个比较成功的赌博公司，那么他们将难以进行赌博网上交易。可以预见的是，刚刚转往业界，并发明了一种新的金融工具的工具箱，以使人们能够继续打扑克，宾果等在线赌博。但对于其他国家呢？

　　瑞士正在考虑允许在网上赌场在博彩市场上进行开放竞争。根据瑞士政府的过去的有关决定，它曾试图禁止互联网赌博游戏，但基本上是一个失败的决定。所以他们打算效仿英国的政策，打算首先允许个别州（或地区）拥有网上赌博合法化的权利，并严格规范网上赌场，他们认为这样的政策是合适的、正确的。

　　因为瑞士不是欧盟的成员国，所以它可以设置自己的规则，但他们需要得到欧盟各国的密切关注，并希望得到欧盟相关政策的支持。

　　向北到比利时，然而，这里的情况有所不同。比利时政府尽管设置了很多摊位，但由于他们的计划不符合欧盟委员会的制定“欧洲联盟条约”，所以比利时网上赌场执照在数量上有一个限制。欧盟规定，比利时以及其他欧盟成员国的网上赌场的经营权利必须得到欧盟当局的承认。

　　欧盟是所有欧盟成员之间相互自由竞争一个地区，是一个自由市场，不存在关税或地方保护主义。但在网上赌场的立方方面，欧盟很多成员国家都持有不同的态度和观点。

　　译文：

　　Online casinos are legal in the UK of course, since the government has taken the stance （enlightened in our view） that this industry is better regulated than made illegal, which only serves to push it underground.

　　But what about the online casino market in other countries around the world? How does the law across the planet treat this pastime?

　　Well, famously, the US government under Bush has tried to strangle off the industry （which hasn?t gone down to well in the Eu as a lot of the more successful companies in the US were European）。 They?ve done this by making it more difficult to carry out gambling transactions online. Predictably, the industry has just moved offshore and invented a new toolbox of financial instruments to enable people to continue playing poker, bingo and on the tables online. But what about other countries?

　　Well, the Swiss are considering allowing open competition from online casinos in the betting market. The governement there have decided that trying to ban Internet gambling is basically a lost cause- so they are following the UK down the regulation road. Individual cantons （or regions） may have the right to regulate online casinos as they see fit.

　　Because Switzerland is not a member of the EU, it can set its own rules- but they will be closely watched by all the EU countries to see how this strategy will work out for them.

　　Head north to Belgium, however, and it?s a different story. The Belgium government is setting out its stall, despite a nudge from the European Commission that many of their plans do not fit with the European Union Treaty. Belgian rules would require a physical presence in the country and for operators to be possesion of a Belgian license which are to be limited in number. EU rules specify that Belgium must recognize the licensing authority of other EU member nations as well.

　　The EU is meant to be a region where all members compete freely with each other in a free market, unchained by tariffs or local protectionism. But many EU countries are falling short on this.

　　In this sense, Belgium has followed the line of France and Germany who are both risking a legal slap down from the EC for not allowing competition in their gambling markets.

　　So is there anyone else in the regulation camp along with the UK? Well, Spain seems to be heading in that direction. The rest are “wait and sees”。 The plot thickens, as they say.