Vatican City, the capital of Vatican City is on the highlands in the northwest corner of Rome, Italy. It is the tiniest country in the world with a land area of 0. 44 square kilometers. Gambling is forbidden in the country and therefore there are no related betting websites. Also, there are no legal provisions concerning gambling at all. If you wish to gamble online, you have to use a VPN and connect to the offshore Betting Sites in Vatican City or sports betting. To start with, I will give a short recap of Vatican City’s knowledge about gambling.
Table of Contents
The Vatican City on Gambling
The Vatican City is a place with very strict laws on gambling, which are based on the ethical teachings of the Catholic Church. The Church’s position is clear: Gambling and, therefore, betting sites as well as sports betting are not allowed in its jurisdiction. This prohibition is based on the assumption that gambling leads to addictions and more compulsive gamblers which are not ethical.
Historical Context and Legislation
The Catholic Church has always been a firm enemy of gambling. The forthcoming are the abstinences and rules of gambling.
- November 26, 2018: The Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development organized a conference on drugs and addictions that was held international. It clearly spelled out that the legalization of gambling is a source of addictions and is immoral.
- July 2022: The Church removed then-Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu from the rights of a cardinal because he was accused of embezzling money, for example investing in companies that were not related to the mission of the Church.
Gambling Law and Regulation in Vatican City – 5 Things to Know
Regulatory of Betting Sites in Vatican City
The Vatican City does not have the gambling activities oversight body, as it is completely against. However, the following entities play a role in maintaining this stance:
- Council for the Economy: This body is the forum where economic questions within the Church are discussed and policies based on them are implemented, for instance, gambling investments.
- Investment Committee: Formed according to the apostolic constitution “Praedicate Evangelium,” this committee guarantees that all investments are in line with the principles of the Social Doctrine of the Church.
Mandates and Ethical Investment Criteria
The Vatican’s new directive says that money should be used to create a more just and sustainable world. Hence, all investment decisions should be made in such a way that the Holy See’s net worth real value is preserved while at the same time generating enough return to finance its activities for a long period. Besides, investments should be in line with the teachings of the Catholic Church which automatically means that those that go against basic principles like life sanctity, human dignity and common good are not allowed.
Prohibited and Permitted Activities
Even though the Vatican City bans gambling and any other related activities, it allows investments and activities that go along with its ethical principles. Here’s a detailed look:
Prohibited:
- Gambling and betting sites
- Investments in pornography
- Actions that are against the sanctity of life or human dignity
Permitted:
- Investments which are socially and environmentally friendly.
- Activities that are for the good of all and correspond to the Church’s doctrine.
Compliance and Reporting
The Vatican put in place a one-year ban to make sure that it was complying with the ethical requirements. Till the end of October, all affected bodies have to report their investments in APSA (Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See). This includes contracts, banking information and other related documents.
The Key Events and Legislation are the following.
- November 26, 2018: Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development is against the legalization of gambling.
- July 2022: Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu was removed from his office over financial irregularities.
- June 2023: Creation of the Investment Committee in “Praedicate Evangelium. “
- October 2023: The last date of reporting investments to the APSA is.
Conclusion
The Vatican City is still a strict in its ban on gambling and betting activities and it now concentrates more on the ethical investments that are consistent with what the Church preaches. This strict regulatory regime shows the Church’s dedication to creating a fair and sustainable world, which is not affected by the moral issues created by gambling. If you are in the law department and want to know about the betting sites, sports betting and Vatican City regulations on that topic then it is clear that these activities are not allowed which goes with the Catholic Church’s ethical values.
FAQ about Betting Sites in Vatican City
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