Gambling authorities exist to protect players from scams and to intervene where necessary in assisting vulnerable players. They also provide many services to the casinos themselves. The authorities (or commissions) regulate casinos based on their own codes of acceptable practice. A license from such an authority means the casino must adhere to a set of standards. Regulators can and do revoke licenses for various reasons, including non-payment to players.
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The iGaming industry continues to thrive at a time when other industries struggle, thanks to its ability to entertain people in their own homes and even teleport them to live casino tables.
Cloud gaming technology enables players to access casino games from almost any device, and the content is optimized for that device. But beyond all the sharp graphics and slick designs, how do players know which casinos to trust? This is why it's useful to understand the gaming license.
Online casino establishments based in Italy must follow Amministrazione Autonoma dei Monopoli di Stato (AAMS) regulations. This regulatory body oversees all gambling in the country, including issuing licenses and monitoring operators online. Operators that do not follow the country’s gambling laws risk losing the company’s right to offer casino and online betting services.
Cagayan Economic Zone Authority is a government owned corporation made for the development of the Cagayan province in the Philippines. It has been established since 1997 and continues to develop all kinds of projects to promote the economy in the area.
Curacao is implementing sweeping reforms to its licensing process. With license distribution historically controlled in large part by major license holders who provide sublicenses to casinos, the Caribbean Island has long offered easy-to-obtain online casino licenses to start-ups. As a result, Curacao is home to more than 450 online casinos. Curacao is one of the most reputable authorities that puts player protection at the forefront.
As with most jurisdictions where gambling is authorized, Spain has a department specifically created to authorize, regulate, supervise and control all state-level betting activities.
The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) is a regulatory body responsible for overseeing the activities of licensed land-based and online casino establishments in Malta. Licensing is a necessary step toward launching a legal online gambling business. With a solid reputation, MGA’s license holders focus on maintaining secure gambling for customers. Malta provides an ideal setting for betting operations. Online casino players will notice that the Malta Gaming Authority is used frequently by online casinos and there is a good reason for this. They are one of the most well-established and best at regulating casino activities.
Online Casinos in the Philippines must obtain a license from the regulatory agency, Philippine Amusement and Gaming (PAGCOR) Corporation. The Corporation monitors and regulates all gambling in the region, processes applications, and issues licenses to approved operators. By offering different types of licenses, the agency permits live streaming for online gambling services and business process outsourcing. Any services operating illegally or failing to comply with licensure requirements may lose licensure.
Online casinos with a licence issued in Sweden are becoming more numerous as the country opens up to interactive gaming. The Swedish Gambling Authority continues to offer a license which protects both casinos and players. The licenses started to be issued in 2019 when it became legal to get a gaming licence.
The UK Gambling Commission is actually in charge of gambling in the UK. They regulate how gambling companies conduct business. They usually collaborate with licensing bodies to ensure that there is a smooth flow of business. The Gambling Commission initially came into existence in 2005 after the Gambling Act was passed.
2022-09-17
Uruguay Moves Closer to Legalising Online Casinos
Legal online gambling is a hot topic worldwide. Authorities know that illegal online gambling means more profits for offshore online casinos, as they’ll miss out on the much-needed revenue. Uruguay realized this fact soon enough, hence the latest push by legislatures to formally legalize the activity.
2022-09-14
Hungary State Monopoly for Online Sports Betting to End in 2023
Legal online sports betting and casino gaming are becoming commonplace globally. Recently, countries like the Netherlands, Germany, and Ukraine have relooked into their gambling laws to make them more robust and accommodating. Hungary intends to follow the same direction after notifying the European Commission in February 2022 of its plans to expand its gaming sector.
2022-08-11
How old do you have to be to gamble?
Gone are the days when gambling was taboo. These days, gambling is a multi-billion dollar legal industry in most countries. But not everyone can gamble online or offline. Players must attain a certain age to play casino games in most countries around the world.
2021-07-19
Relax Gaming Gets the All-Important UKGC License
When it comes to the most coveted online gambling licenses globally, the UK Gambling Commission stands tall. As such, the Malta-based Relax Gaming Group announced on May 13, 2021, via a press release that it had finally secured a UKGC license. So, what does this critical milestone mean for one of the most popular online casino aggregators?
The purpose of gambling authorities and licenses
Why check the gambling license?
From a player's perspective, the idea of checking the casino’s gambling license may seem dull, but not all online casinos play fairly. Rogue casinos exist in abundance and, of course, their specialty is making it easy for players to lose money and hard or impossible to withdraw it.
Their customer service will be unresponsive. It's better to check a casino's credentials before depositing funds into one's account.
Double check the online casino license
Players should check the gaming license of any casino website by scrolling down the home page for details. Once a player has noted which authority the license is with, it's wise to double check it by going to that authority's website and looking for the casino on the approved list. This is best done independently rather than clicking on a logo, which could lead to a fake web page.
Of course, players who stick to big-name, mainstream casinos can forego investigating them for licenses, since no reputable casino operates without one. It's players who like to hedge bets and discover exciting new places to play that need to exercise a little more caution.
There are many gambling authorities across different continents, and some are more commonly encountered than others. From a player's perspective, it's worth noting that authorities vary in the level of protection they offer.
It's always a good idea to check peer reviews and trust sites before opening a casino account. As with insurance companies, though, peer reviews of casinos and regulators tend to be skewed towards the unfavorable, so independent review sites are useful.
List of gaming licenses
Below is a brief list of some of the most common gambling licenses behind online casinos based on location.
Curacao eGaming: One of the easiest licenses for online casinos to acquire. The license is perfectly legal and respectable, coming as it does from one of the industry's oldest regulators, but the fact it's cheap and fast to obtain means it's susceptible to use by rogue operators. Players should seek extra assurance about casino trustworthiness. Curacao eGaming does not mediate in casino-player disputes.
Gibraltar Gaming Commission: Has a reputation as one of the most respected regulators, setting and enforcing gambling rules within the EU and protecting players. This regulator is an industry leader in preventing underage gambling.
Kahnawake Gaming Commission: Based in Quebec, this commission is the largest authority in the US online casino industry. It also regulates over 250 sites in Canada. The KGC actively protects players and welcomes complaints from them.
Malta Gaming Authority: This regulator offers robust player protection and safeguards against criminal activity. Many big-name casinos have an MGA gaming license, including Bet365 and Unibet.
United Kingdom Gambling Commission: The UKGC regulates gambling in Great Britain, including the National Lottery. It offers strong protection against unfair practices and has an easy-to-use complaint system. The commission actively helps vulnerable players with gambling problems.
Swedish Gambling Authority: Tasked by the Swedish government to ensure the legality of gambling, Swedish Gambling Authority aim to provide a fair and transparent gambling market.
Danish Gambling Authority: This governmental department works towards minimising gambling addiction and keeping casinos responsible. Danish Gambling Authority ensures that the market is kept legal and to the players penefit. They have plenty of support for people trapped in a gambling addiction.
The choice of casino license is not only critical to potential new businesses in the industry but also to players looking for creative new places to play. Thus, checking the authenticity of a license is paramount.