Technology is a beautiful thing as it has brought us many things. In the gambling sphere, it has brought us brands such as verdecasino.com. Thanks to these organizations, players can now access casino games anywhere, at any time. Since there are hundreds of online casinos, you must be confident about the brand you are visiting.
Online casino licensing bodies ensure you are safe and secure while playing online. Thanks to their stringent rules and regulations, only reputable and reliable brands get licensed. The licenses prevent any scams and deter potential risks.
Therefore, before signing up with any online casino site, you must ensure it holds a license from a respected and reputable online licensing body.
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Responsibilities of Online Casino Licensing Bodies
Online casinos are required to get a license from any recognized and reputable licensing bodies. Licenses are meant to help them operate legally within certain gambling jurisdictions and are only awarded to brands that meet the vital standards of fairness, safety, security, confidentiality, and reliability.
Any online casino that wants to operate must adhere to several regulations and rules set by the corresponding licensing body. Nearly all licensing bodies demand players satisfy the following requirements before issuing a seal of approval.
- A casino needs to display the time spent playing games on its platform.
- Set deposit limits.
- Offer customer support services via email, phone, or live chat.
- Test owners and senior management with a “fit and proper person” evaluation test.
- Test and validate its software.
- Publish the RTP of its games.
- Include a list of permitted and restricted players.
The Best Online Casino Licensing Bodies
As untrue as this may sound, 2 out of 3 top-rated online casinos were licensed by one of the following bodies. These organizations are considered the top three in the online gambling industry.
The UK Gambling Commission
As the name suggests, this is a licensing body that licenses online casinos that operate in the UK. The body was formed with the backing of the Gambling Act of 2005. Its role is to regulate online gambling in Great Britain in collaboration with other licensing bodies. The UK Gambling Commission is sometimes referred to as the UKGC.
Malta Gaming Authority
Abbreviated as the MGA, the Malta Gaming Authority regulates multiple areas of the online gambling industry. It is meant to ensure fairness and transparency of games offered to players visiting online casinos with the MGA license.
The body was founded in 2001 as the Lotteries and Gaming Authority. It only changed its name to the Malta Gaming Authority in 2015. At the time of writing this, the Malta Gaming Authority licenses more than 600 online casinos.
Alderney Gambling Control Commission
Abbreviated as the AGCC, the Alderney Gambling Control Commission was founded in May 2000. With more than two decades in the industry, it makes it one of the most respectable and renowned licensing bodies.
To ensure they are up to date with the current trends and industry practices, the Alderney Gambling Control Commission updated its rules and regulations, first in 2009 and then in 2018. This means you can rely on online casinos licensed by the body.
The Kahnawake Gaming Commission
The body responsible for issuing the Kahnawake Gaming license is located in the Mohawk Territory of Québec. Not many people know this, but this is one of the most respectable online gambling regulators globally. This is because the Kahnawake Gaming Commission (KGC) was founded in 1996, almost the same time as the first online casino was developed.
Since the organization was founded, it has become an important part of licensing and regulating the online casino industry not only in North America and Canada but also in the world at large. It works closely with other regulatory bodies, such as the MGA and Alderney Gambling Control Commission to achieve its objective outside Canada and North American territory.
Several factors make the Kahnawake Gaming Commission license popular. For example, laws and rules set by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission are quite relaxed compared to other bodies. This policy ensures some of the newer and smaller operators can get certified. Furthermore, the costs for the license are some of the lowest.
Flag Unlicensed Online Casinos
It goes without saying that should you come across an unlicensed online casino, you should report it immediately. You can report it to relevant bodies – such as the ones discussed above. There are several reviewing sites, such as AskGamblers, Casino.org, and CasinoMeister, where you can also write a review for other players to read.
Most importantly, ensure you don’t sign up at such a site. Regardless of what they may tempt you with, always know whatever good they are doing for you may come with a price. You will pay with either your personal or financial information, which will be used for malicious purposes online.
Lastly, don’t just take the casino’s word and sign up because they have a license logo displayed on their website. Cross-check the information to ensure it is indeed legitimate as it claims.
