Gambling Industry and Political Power

When news broke last month that such a top sector venture in the gaming market with increasing globalization may be using its power and influence on Austrian politics to obtain behind-the-scenes advice or openly advocate in a business-related matter, a fierce discussion erupted over two problems.

Any Taxman’s Dream

The British gambling industry paid $4.1 billion in taxes at the end of the fiscal year 2017-2018, which equates to $4.01 billion in today’s exchange rate terms. That is a massive sum! To provide a better comparison, the equivalent Austrian figure at the end of fiscal year 2016 was $725 million delivered to the government. When we consider the population size and multiply the numbers, we can conclude that, with some room for adjustment, gambling is a popular leisure activity in both countries.

Any Parents Concerned 

This draws us to another side of the issue: To make those massive tax payments possible, someone must first explore a physical gaming center or its digital site. True, most states make it illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to enter a casino.

However, online alternatives where children can use their parents’ credit cards are not uncommon. But let’s pretend we all have good parental supervision and that being underage means no gambling at all.