The global online gambling market is expected to reach $153 billion by 2030, with many developing countries playing a big part in its expansion. While this creates business opportunities, many governments struggle to regulate it properly. Without proper oversight, problems like money laundering, underage gambling, and tax evasion can get worse.
Some countries have outdated laws or no technology to track gambling activity, making it easy for illegal operators to take advantage. This is where tech solutions come in. Media Stream AG, a European technology company, helps governments monitor gambling activities, ensuring rules are followed and public safety is protected.
Using Technology To Regulate Gambling
Media Stream AG created ComplyGuard, which helps governments manage gambling businesses using AI-powered tools. The system can track financial transactions, detect suspicious activity, and stop operators from breaking the law.
Online casinos and sports betting platforms often operate across multiple countries, making it challenging to enforce local rules. Governments need digital tools to keep up. Media Stream AG has already worked with three national governments. The Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, and Papua New Guinea bring safer gambling regulations to their countries.
However, CEO Daniel Grabher believes that technology alone is not enough. “Regulatory success depends on government buy-in, transparency, and a long-term commitment to structured enforcement,” he says. Governments need to be fully involved for real change to happen.
Gambling Regulations Also Boost The Economy
Besides protecting people, better gambling regulations can help countries financially. Many governments lose billions of dollars each year because illegal gambling businesses do not pay taxes.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime estimates that unregulated gambling is connected to $1.7 trillion in global money laundering every year. Criminal groups use casinos and betting sites to clean their illegal money, making it harder for governments to track financial crimes.
Some countries have already started using digital tracking systems to control gambling and increase tax revenue. In 2022, the UK Gambling Commission reported a 16 percent increase in tax income after improving its online monitoring system.
Grabher believes emerging markets could see similar benefits. “There is an economic argument for regulation, not just a social one. Countries can create structured, transparent industries that generate jobs, tax revenue, and consumer confidence,” he explains.
Without clear rules, gambling often moves underground, where criminal organizations take over. Instead of banning gambling, Media Stream AG offers governments the tools to regulate it properly.
Difficulties In Enforcing Gambling Laws
Even though better regulations could help, governments often struggle to enforce them. Some countries don’t want to get too involved in gambling laws because they fear pushback from businesses or the public.
Other governments lack the technology to track gambling in real time. This is especially true in developing countries, where internet access is unstable, and financial systems are not always connected to digital platforms.
Media Stream AG works with governments to find ways to apply their technology within existing systems so they do not have to build expensive new infrastructure.
However, even with the right tools, gambling regulations only work if properly enforced. Some countries, like the Philippines and Cambodia, have strong gambling laws on paper, but illegal operators still find ways to exploit loopholes because of weak enforcement.
Where Gambling Regulation Is Headed
More governments are revising their gambling laws, and technology is expected to play a more significant role. By 2030, the European Gaming and Betting Association predicts that 70 percent of the world’s gambling revenue will come from regulated markets, compared to about 50 percent today.
New technologies like artificial intelligence, blockchain, and biometric ID checks could help make gambling safer and more transparent. Countries that introduce more potent digital tools could see higher tax revenues and better player protection, reducing their reliance on private casino operators.
For Daniel Grabher, government-backed regulation is the only way forward. “If gaming is legal, it must be structured to benefit both governments and their citizens. Without oversight, you create an industry that works for no one except those willing to operate outside the law,” he says.
Companies like Media Stream AG work with governments to develop better regulations as they rethink their gambling policies. With gambling revenue growing worldwide, the demand for technology-driven solutions will likely keep rising.
