In the United States, each state is independent when it comes to legislation governing casino gaming and issuing licenses, while in Spain, there is a centralized model under national legislation and a national licensing authority.

In the United States and Spain’s Legally Compliant Casino Gambling works under different frameworks. In the US, individual States decide on the forms of gambling and which licensing rules to apply. New Jersey and Nevada, for instance, have implemented comprehensive regulations on land-based vs. online gambling and sports betting, whereas other States have a tighter grip on gambling.

Conversely, Spain has a coordinated national licencing from a single authority, the Directorate General for the Regulation of Gambling (DGOJ). Once DGOJ licenses an operator, the operator can service Spain’s gambling market online. Each model has implications for market entry, compliance, and player protection.

Understanding the US Casino Regulatory Framework

Legally, in the United States, there are no federal licenses applicable to all gambling activities. Each state has sovereignty to enact legislation stipulating what gambling activities are legal and can establish its own licensing system. By the end of 2025, all but 3 states (Idaho, Utah, and Hawaii) will have some form of legal casino gaming, either commercial or tribal, legal sports wagering, or both.

States have varying commercial casino legal frameworks for operating casinos, and there are legal frameworks from regulatory permissive to Nevada, where gaming is legal throughout the state, and there are hundreds of licenses, to states where gambling in the state is restricted to specific gaming venues and/or specific gaming activities. Legal sports betting is regulated in 38 states and Washington, D.C., in a combination of in-person and mobile legal betting frameworks.

Each state has its own legal and regulatory framework allowing state-specific gaming regulatory authorities, for example, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement and the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, to issue regulatory licenses, determine the applicable tax rate, and maintain regulatory oversight and enforcement of the state gaming laws.

Because of this state sovereignty, each state has the ability to establish its own gaming regulations, which has resulted in inconsistency from state to state. This is especially problematic for operators intending to offer their services in multiple jurisdictions, as they are required to obtain distinct permits in each state, as well as fulfill different criteria in each state, each of which has their own different legal financial obligations, legal requirements for responsible gambling initiatives, legal requirements for anti-money laundering, technical regulations, and legal requirements for reporting.

How State-by-State Licensing Works in Practice

State-by-state licensing is further proof of the US’s fractured approach to governance. A state like New Jersey will create comprehensive systems that cover both land and online casino operations and conduct detailed supervision and audits. Other states might allow very limited forms of gambling, like retail sports betting, or tribal gaming and gambling through compacts which mirror the federal Indian Gaming Act.

Many states also impose tax rates on gross gaming revenue that run the gamut from very low rates to rates that exceed 50% in states with sports betting, like New York, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire.

Because of the starkly different legal environments, marketing practices, offers, and bonuses legal in one state may be outlawed in the neighboring state. Industry guides and directories that display promotional practices like free spins and bonuses, like Toroslots, which emphasizes no deposit free spins bet other promotional mechanics, illustrate the extent to which promotional practices differ from state to state and the varying competitive environments to which they respond.

Operators are required to comply with each state’s application criteria independently. This includes background checks, financial disclosures, bonds or security funds, technical certifications, and more. Just because someone holds a license from one state, that license holds no weight in another state.

The Role of State Gambling Commissions

The US regulation is built around the state gaming commissions and control boards. They are the ones who get to decide if someone gets a license, oversee the actions of operators, follow up on complaints against these operators, and ensure that the operators are following the state’s laws.

The states also decide on the player protection measures that are implemented, such as age restrictions, self‑exclusion lists, advertising bans, and more. This is also the reason why some states have more focus on and implement responsible gambling measures, resulting in different levels of protection and different consumer experiences.

Because these commissions are very independent, players might have access to something in one state that is completely illegal or very restricted in the neighboring state.

Key Features of Spain’s National Casino Licensing System

Spain has developed a national licensing model. This is in accordance with the Spanish Gambling Act of 2011. The DGOJ, as the regulator, issues licences for online sports betting, poker, and casino games; operators must first qualify for licences by passing rigorous criteria. Operators must first procure general licences, which last ten years and then singular licences for each game type for periods of up to five years. As of the first half of 2025, there were 77 licensed operators in Spain, of which 64 were licensed to offer online casino games and sports betting, poker, and bingo.

This is a centralised system; as soon as an operator is awarded a licence and satisfies the financial and technical criteria, they can provide services all over Spain without having to obtain further approvals in other parts of Spain.

The DGOJ oversees responsible gaming, general technical requirements for traceability and security, and a single taxation system. Generally, licence holders are taxed on a predetermined percentage of gross gaming revenue, and are expected to meet specified financial risk and player protection expenditure requirements.

• SCCG Management. The Gambling Industry’s Global Connector. Access Here.
• Source: https://www.americancasinoguidebook.com/blog/how-the-us-state-by-state-casino-system-differs-from-spains-national-licensing-model.html