Casino Gambling License

The Importance of a Casino Gambling License

We listed a number of safe online casinos that allow you to play with and win real money. It is of the utmost importance for any online casino gambling site to have a license from a proper licensing authority. A license makes certain that an online casino site has met the predetermined guidelines, minimum standards and certain requirements, offers fair gameplay with gambling, as well as has set the correct regulations to verify the identity of their players and keep those sensitive data safe and protected. If the owner fails to in any of these, the license application will be denied or an existing licensed to be revoked.

Before an online casino is granted a license is that the operator has to pass independent audits performed by the regulator.

However, a lot of online gamblers tend to overlook or even ignore this fundamental aspect of an online betting site.

How To Check If A Casino Has A License

One of the simplest ways to figure out if a casino is fully licensed is to check out reviews wherein you find every detail and information about the online casino including info regarding the licenses and⁄or certifications they have.

Bear in mind that a casino license will protect not only the players but also the country where the casino is based or operating.

Essentially, the proper license guarantees that the online casino is thoroughly investigated and that you could trust them with you money as well as your personal and financial info.

Checking out the gaming license is one of the first steps before you should start playing.

Different Types of Casino Licenses

Although there are many different licenses available for online casinos, the best ones are those that come with the ability to operate in so called´multiple markets´. Some of the countries that offer the preferred licenses are Malta (Malta Gaming Authority), Curacao, and the UK (United Kingdom Gambling Commission).

These licenses allow casinos to create a safe and responsible gaming platform and a legally stable structure that offers online casino players the best protection available.

Other available license variations are licenses for online sports betting, interactive games, and remote gaming. Malta (MGA) provides all of these. However, gaming operators will have to apply for each of these licenses separately.

Why is a license necessary

1. Especially new players aren´t sure if an online casino is licensed or not. This becomes a problem when those players realize that they cannot withdraw their winnings.
2. Casinos operating without a license don´t have anyone responsibility towards players, meaning they don´t have to respond mails, phone calls, etc. If they decide they don´t want to pay out, they can come up with any excuse they want and simply refuse your withdrawal.
3. A casino license is a sort of stamp of acceptance before an operator can be regarded as reputable.

It is therefore imperative for the players to check out the casinos before they deposit any money. In most cases, reputable operators will provide players with all the information they need to know about the casino, such as: their license provider, available banking options, usual withdrawal times, minimum and maximum deposit and withdrawal limits, etc.
With this information, players can make an informed decision as to whether they want to play on the site or choose another option.

How do you recognize an Unlicensed Casino

This is our tip: unlicensed casinos mostly lure players with promises of big bonuses and generous promotions. More specific: these casinos promise bonuses that look awesome on the surface, but you will usually find all sorts of traps and tricky rules when you get deeper into terms and conditions designed to stop you from ever cashing out! You should never trust these operators, and should stay as far away as possible.

Even if a player somehow manages to do everything right and gets lucky enough to win, the casino can still refuse to pay them.

Popular jurisdictions

To make it easier to find a reliable jurisdiction, we discuss here a list of countries that offer the most favorable licensing terms. Each of them has advantages and disadvantages.

Curacao
Curacao e-gaming license is one of the world´s most popular gambling licenses. With 0% tax on casino profits. All that is required from owners of an online casino is to host their server on the island.

The license covers absolutely all types of gambling activities, from video slots to bingo. Getting a Curacao gambling license is a quick process.

The Curacao Gaming Authority (CGA) covers multiple areas simultaneously. Places in both Europe, the UK, the USA, and Belize. Licenses like Curacao and the MGS can help players from all over the world access the same site.

Malta
Malta Gaming Authority (also known as MGA) gives operators a permission to conduct gambling activities but they have to comply with a number of requirements. For example, providers are required to regularly provide detailed financial statements, and guarantee protection of players´ personal data.

At first, an operator obtains a temporary permit for a period of 6 months. If there are no violations and after a thorough analysis, a 5-year license is issued. Depending on the generated profit, online casinos pay about 0.55-1.25% in taxes.

The MGA license covers many European areas and the U.S. They have been the license for the popular brands you will know, including the names of software providers like Microgaming and NetEnt.

Gibraltar
Gibraltar is another popular jurisdiction where you can obtain a gambling permit. However, the requirements here are much more stringent. For example, in order to get a Gibraltar license, online casino owners have to prove their financial solvency and provide a detailed business plan with step-by-step actions.

Potential licensees must be ready to perform financial transactions and processing of players’ credit card data only through Gibraltar´s banks. The owners pay 1% of the annual gross profit.

United Kingdom
The United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) is one of the largest gaming authorities in the world. In order to obtain a license in the UK, you are expected to submit a whole package of documents, which includes proof of no criminal conviction, a ready-made business plan, and proof of financial solvency.

The UK Gambling Commission, as stated in the name, looks after the UK gambling market mainly. The top priority they have is to make sure that all laws are being followed as issued by the UK parliament.

Alderney
The Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC) has been overseeing all forms of gambling activities in the country since 2000. Applicants must prepare paperwork and deposit funds in order to successfully register. The average license fee depends on the annual gross income of the casino, the type of license and other factors.

How to Find the License

Since all online casinos carry them, you will be guaranteed to find the name of the license within the casino itself. If a casino does not have a license, that means that all of the gambling operations that occur there are illegal. This means they can easily get caught by the law, and those who run will be prosecuted.

TIPS!

1. If the casino is legitimate, you will always see the license provider´s name in full detail. Sometimes you may even find it stashed away in other sections of the website, like the ´About Us section´.
2. The brand name or logo will be the first thing you see at the bottom of the casino site. For example, MGA has its signature letters shown with a red tick. The UK Gambling Commission will simply have the title stated directly underneath.
3. Some sites have the full license number and registration right at the bottom in a layer of text for further details on the license. The license number will show you that they are official, and you can look this up on the license’s website.
4. It can also show you a date, so you will know when the license was issued.