Roulette Around the World
Which wheel you will meet, what the rules on zero are, and whether you can play online, country by country.
Single zero with French rules in France and Monaco; single zero across most of Europe, Asia and Australia; double zero by default in the United States. Online legality varies from fully licensed markets to outright bans.
The map in one table
Rules are set by regulators and by casino convention. The table below covers where most readers will play; the two pages that follow go deeper on the United States and Europe.
Why the wheel differs
History, not mathematics. Roulette reached America with two zeroswheelZeroThe single green pocket that no even-money, dozen or column bet covers; the source of the house edge. Also: single zero, 0.Read full → before Europe dropped one; nowhere else did the double zerovariantDouble zeroThe 00 pocket of the American wheel. Its presence raises the house edge from 2.70% to 5.26%.Read full → take root because Monte Carlo set the standard for every market that opened after 1863. Where American operators have expanded abroad (Macau, parts of Asia) they sometimes bring the double-zero wheel, and the single zero is usually a table or two away.
Why the online status differs
Three models. Licensed and open (UK, most EU states, several US states): operators pay for a license, are audited, and offer RNG and live roulette. State monopoly or lottery-run (several Canadian provinces, Nordic countries historically, Singapore): one operator, often with limited roulette. Prohibited (Australia for online casino games, most of Asia, much of the Middle East): no legal domestic offer, and offshore sites operate outside any protection. The myth page on rigging explains why the license is the thing to check.
Etiquette and language by region
French tables expect call betstableCall betA bet announced to the dealer rather than placed by hand, usually a wheel-sector bet such as voisins or tiers. Also “announced bet”.Read full → and speak French. British tables speak English, run slightly slower and tip less. American tables use color chipstableColor chipsRoulette-only chips in a color unique to each player at the table, with a value set at buy-in. Also: wheel checks.Read full → per player, pay “35 for 1” on some older layoutsequipmentLayoutThe printed betting grid on the table. Also: table, felt, cloth.Read full → (check), and dealers expect tips. Asian floors run fast, with high minimums and electronic terminals around a single wheel. Online, the layout is the same everywhere and the only regional difference is the license.
Where to play if you can choose
A single-zero table with la partageruleLa partageFrench rule: when zero hits, half of an even-money stake is returned. Halves the house edge on those bets to 1.35%.Read full →, at a pace you can afford, with a licensed operator. That sentence covers France, Monaco, the UK and much of Europe on land, and a licensed live studio online from most of the regulated markets. It excludes the default American table and every triple-zero wheel.
Questions
Almost. A few jurisdictions license card games but not wheels.
Online casino games are prohibited in Australia, most of Asia and the Middle East, and in US states without casino legislation. Sports betting is often legal where casino games are not.
France and Monaco: single zero and the player’s choice of la partage or en prisonruleEn prisonFrench rule: when zero hits, an even-money bet is held for the next spin instead of lost. Halves the house edge on those bets.Read full →.
Comic relief
Same layout everywhere. The zeros are regional.
Sources
- UK Gambling Commission. Remote gambling and software technical standards.
- Malta Gaming Authority. Gaming Devices Regulations and technical directives.
- Schwartz, D. G. Roll the Bones: The History of Gambling.