Gambling control regimes
This chapter explores gambling regulation regimes, looking at the different control structures used, and their effectiveness in serving the public interest. Gambling has always been regulated by public policy, and in whichever way the industry is developing, government regulation is always involved. Regimes of gambling regulation involve both public and private actors and institutions. Public monopolies may be stronger in the area of consumer protection than restrictive licensing, associations-based operations or competitive markets. In considering the choice of regulation regime, policymakers would be well advised not to weigh the pros and cons or the costs and benefits of legal gambling in itself but to consider whether it is the best way to achieve the public interest goals compared to the alternatives.