Gambling online doesn’t end with sports betting, casino games, and horse racing. There is also a chance to bet on events and other activities depending on where you’re playing from. One of the top events that have managed to find its way into some of the gambling markets around the world is the Eurovision songfestival.
Despite Eurovision’s fame in Europe, Netherland and other EU regulated markets do not seem to agree with its place in the online gambling space. As you read further, we’ll discuss why betting on Eurovision song contests is illegal in some countries. Before that, it’ll be nice to understand what the Eurovision songfestival is and how it has become a topic in the gambling world.
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What is the Eurovision Song Contest?
The Eurovision Songcontest is a singing competition dating back to 1956. It is more than a simple television show. Competing for fame and national pride, top acts participate in this international competition called the Eurovision Song Contest. Furthermore, this show is unlike any other singing competition. The Eurovision stage has seen the likes of ABBA, Celine Dion, Madonna, Justin Timberlake, and Olivia Newton-John.
With a collaborative purpose similar to that of the Olympic Games, Eurovision is described as “an international competition.” In addition to what the show provides in terms of entertainment, there is another way to spice things up; betting.
With the option of betting on Eurovision online, people in some parts of the world may wager real money on the competition’s winners and other outcomes. It is possible to win real money if you know which acts advance to the next stage and which acts win. Still, betting on eurovision songfestival isn’t legal in some countries, mostly due to the rules and regulations of the gambling market.
Is Betting on the Eurovision Song Contest legal?
The question of whether or not betting on Eurovision is legal can only be answered after special consideration of the laws governing your country’s gambling market. Depending on where you are in the EU or around the globe, the gambling regulatory laws state what kinds of games are legal. In the Netherlands, for example, online gambling is strictly regulated with restrictions on online gambling advertising and the minimum age for bonus issuance.
In the Netherlands bets can only be placed on sports controlled by a national sports union or organisation in the Netherlands. Because the Song Festival is not a recognized sport, it lacks a governing body, so betting on the Song Festival is illegal in the Netherlands.
However, the same can’t be said for the UK. The gambling laws in the UK accommodate non-sports betting, making it legal to bet on the Eurovision songfestival.
Where is Betting on Eurovision Illegal and Why?
Despite the fact that online gambling was legalised in the Netherlands in October 2021, fans hoping to place a bet on this year’s Eurovision Song Contest have been disappointed. Sports betting and horse racing betting is legal, but the government has declared that it will continue to restrict gambling on some events, including presidential elections and television shows mainly due to what they consider to be a risk for match fixing.
This means that Eurovision is off limits to online gamblers in Holland. Another country where players are not allowed to bet on events like Eurovision is Spain. The gambling laws of Spain share some similarities with what’s available in the Netherlands, especially around acceptable games and activities for betting. The only exception is that participating in lotteries is allowed in Spain, aside from betting on casino games and sports.
Our research so far shows that there are constant improvements in gambling laws in the EU and other parts of the globe. Hence, there’s a chance that more countries will consider making it legal to gamble on events like the Eurovision songfestival. However, in most of the places where betting on such events is prohibited, the major reason is often lack of legislation or an overall ban on gambling.
The Future of Betting on the Eurovision Song Festival
We anticipate that the legal environment for Eurovision betting will improve (i.e., become more liberalised). There is a shift in public attitude in many nations worldwide regarding gambling and sports betting, and this could include Eurovision songfestival betting.
In fact, online gambling in Netherland had no regulatory representation until late 2021. Seeing such an improvement from where the gambling market was a few years ago suggests there could be hope for the legalisation of Eurovision betting.
