It is important at live casinos that they have a trusted license. We not only explain which licenses are the most common, but also what is behind them. It is important that there is not only a license, but that the casino is also constantly monitored. The monitoring of the random number generators as well as a clear control of the payouts is essential for a reputable provider. The live casinos recommended by us all have a valid and reputable license.
Malta
The Malta Gaming Authority, MGA for short, is one of the leading gaming licensing authorities in Europe. It was founded by the government in 2001 and since then has been the most important supervisory body for gaming operators. If an online casino manages to obtain a license from the MGA, you can be sure that both the odds and payouts are strictly monitored by the authority. The website of the MGA provides all the details about the online casinos and gives information if there are any questions. Player protection and addiction prevention is also an important issue for the MGA.
Kahnawake
The Kahnawake Gaming Commission, KGC for short, is a commission in Québec (Canada). KGC was established in 1996 and the regulation of interactive gaming came into force in 1999. The Commission issues the “Client Provider Authorization” – the license for online gambling. The licenses are issued for online casinos, sports betting and poker sites. The Commission monitors the payout of winnings, ensures that players are of legal age and protects against money laundering. Furthermore, the protection of players against gambling addiction is also a focus here.
Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda are two small islands in the Caribbean Sea, which together form a state in the Commonwealth. The country has been licensing online gambling since 1994, but has only been taken seriously in recent years. Antigua and Barbuda hope to improve things in the future with the stricter requirements. This has already led to green light from the UK, allowing online casinos from Antigua and Barbuda to expand into the UK market.
Gibraltar
The Gibraltar Gambling Commission, or GGC for short, is one of the most popular providers in Europe alongside MGA. If you have a license from the Gibraltar licensing authority, you can assume that the casino is trustworthy. The Gibraltar Regulatory Authority (GRA) has been responsible for monitoring online gambling since 2000. Due to the ever increasing number of offers and the variety of games of chance and sports betting, the Gibraltar Gambling Commission was installed. The authority has the task of constantly checking whether the online casino actually adheres to the strict guidelines.
Isle of Man
Isle of Man lies in the Irish Sea between Great Britain and Ireland. In 2001, the government of Isle of Man introduced special legislation for online gaming. The Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission, or GSC for short, is concerned with the promotion of gambling companies and the protection of customers. The Isle of Man is directly subordinated to the British Crown. The licence ensures that the games are fair and that the operation of online casinos is based on trust and fairness.
Cyprus
Online gambling was fully regulated in Cyprus for the first time by a directive in 2012. The National Gaming Authority Cyprus is a member of the EU and offers licenses for online gambling, online betting, the promotion and marketing of games from Cyprus and the hosting of gambling services. The licence regulates deposits and withdrawals, the monitoring of gaming operations and the random number generator, but the monitoring of these points is rather mediocre. It is difficult to make a clear judgement on a licence in Cyprus, as the information is often not easy to find.
United Kingdom
The online gambling market in the United Kingdom is considered one of the best regulated gambling markets in the world. Since 2007, the UK Gambling Commission has issued strict rules that must be observed. Not only responsible gaming, data protection, deposits and withdrawals as well as good customer service are regularly monitored. Clear business and bonus conditions are also important to comply with the licence conditions. If violations occur, there are hefty fines up to and including exclusion.
Netherlands Antilles (Curaçao )
Curaçao, an island in the Caribbean, has been issuing gambling licenses since 1996. The regulatory authority Curaçao Internet Gaming Association has its headquarters in the Netherlands Antilles. Its mission is to control the gambling scene on the net and ensure a good balance. Each of the licensed companies undertakes to comply with the CIGA code of conduct. The authority expects professionalism, trustworthiness and seriousness from its licensees in all circumstances. In Europe, although the Curaçao licence is considered less credible than the licence from Malta, it can still be considered serious.
Northern Territory Government (Australia)
In 2017, the Australian Communications and Dedia Authority (ACMA) revised the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (IGA). The ACMA intends to take tougher action against illegal gambling. It is forbidden for companies based in Australia to offer and advertise online gambling. However, the act does not prohibit the use of such games. That means it is indeed illegal to offer online casinos for the user, however, playing is not prohibited by law.
Costa Rica
Despite a large number of licensed online casinos, Costa Rica has no laws and regulations regarding online gambling. While online gambling is illegal for citizens of Costa Rica, it is legal for players outside the country. Due to the lack of legislation and supervision for online gambling for online casinos licensed in Costa Rica, they are not subject to regulation or monitoring. This also means that there is no authority controlling gambling.
Belize
Belize is a state in Central America, on the east coast of Central America. The license from Belize is still rather unknown, but scores with high security standards in terms of player protection and vendor control. With the Gaming Control Act of 2000 and the Gaming Control Regulations, the entire gaming sector is regulated. The process of issuing licenses as well as the entire monitoring is under the supervision of the Gaming Control Board of Belize.
Certification
In addition to the casino license, there are also gambling certificates, which also provide for a monitoring of the casinos:
- eCOGRA
An internationally recognised testing body and organisation for player protection and standards – based in London. - iTech Labs
A certified testing laboratory for online gaming systems certification and Quality assurance testing – based in Australia (head office) and Italy. - GLI (Gaming Laboratories International)
Delivers land-based, lottery and iGaming testing and assessment services – based in New Jersey. - NMi (National Measurement Institute)
- BMM Testlabs