A license is the first thing I investigate when choosing an online casino.
Online casinos, they’re great, but let’s face it – there’s loads of them. The only real way to tell the most reputable from the questionable is by checking for and verifying an online casino license.
Considering the mainstream iGaming industry has been around for nearly 30 years, you might think that disreputable sites are a thing of the past, but they’re not. Online gamblers continue to get scammed by sites masquerading as legitimate casinos. It’s surprising and disgusting that there’s still (and will continue to be 😡) sites out there that exist only to cheat players out of their money.
It was fearing this type of scam that stopped me from trying gambling online sooner than I did. In fact, it wasn’t until Ontario came out with its own regulatory iGaming market (coupled with the pandemic 😷) that I felt comfortable to give it a try.
Do you verify the casino gaming license for the brands where you play? If not, or you’re not sure how, I’ll explain why it’s important to take this step and how to do it (spoiler alert – it’s way easier than you think! 😁)
Online Casino License Verification
What is a casino license, why is verifying it important, and how do you do it? These were all questions I wondered, once upon a time. If you’re wondering about them too, here’s what you need to know.
What is an Online Casino License, Anyway?
An online gambling license is a legal document issued by a regulatory authority to an online gambling operator. This regulatory authority governs remote (online) gambling activities within its jurisdiction and upholds online gambling laws.
A casino gaming license allows a gambling operator to run an online casino platform (the sites where we play) in certain regions or territories. Under this license, the licensee (casino operator) must comply with specific regulations and standards set by the regulator.
There are online gambling licensing authorities all over the world, each with their own regulations and standards. Aside from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (Ontario’s official iGaming regulator), some of the more well known governing bodies include the Malta Gaming Authority, UK Gambling Commission, Gibraltar Regulatory Authority, Curaçao eGaming, Kahnawà:ke Gaming Commission, etc.
An online casino may hold one license or multiple casino licenses from different regulators. Each one allows them to operate and offer their services to players in different regions. As an example, for a casino to offer its games to players in Ontario, they need a license from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO). However, if they want to target players in the UK, they need one from the Gambling Commission.
Operators pay for each license they hold, and these licenses don’t typically come cheap. For instance, in Ontario, an AGCO online gambling license costs an operator $100,000 per site.
What Online Casino License(s) Matters in Canada?
The license authority to check for depends on where you reside in Canada.
Ontario Casino License
The only casino licensing authority that matters if you’re an Ontario online casino player is the one issued by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario and managed by iGaming Ontario (iGO).
iGaming Ontario is a subsidiary of the AGCO and is responsible for conducting and managing internet gaming through private gaming companies (operators). Only operators who have successfully registered with the AGCO and fulfilled an operating agreement with iGO, can offer their games to players in Ontario.
While it is possible to play at casinos with Curaçao licenses (e.g Curaçao eGaming)* and possibly licenses from other regulators (I honestly haven’t investigated that too much), if you reside in Ontario, I’d highly recommend that you don’t. It’s better to stick with those casinos licensed and regulated by iGO and the AGCO. Why? I’ll get into that later when I explain why verifying an online casino license is important.
Casino Licenses for the rest of Canada
Currently (at the time I published this post) no other Canadian province or territory has designated an official governing body to regulate online gambling within their region. As such, if you’re a Canadian who plays outside of Ontario – to the best of my knowledge – the main online casino license Canada-friendly regulators you’ll want to keep an eye out for are:
Of all these I’ve listed, the Malta Gaming Authority and Kahnawà:ke Gaming Commission are the regulators I’d trust the most.
The MGA is based out of Malta and was established in 2001. It is among the first regulators to regulate online gambling and is renowned for its commitment to protect minors from gambling, ensure funds security for players, and guarantees fair and responsible gambling operations.
The Kahnawà:ke Gaming Commission has been around since 1996 and is located in the Kahnawà:ke Mohawk Territory, Quebec. It is North America’s largest regulatory body for online casinos, online poker rooms, and online sportsbooks, and has a good reputation and player protections.
*👩💻Mia’s Note: In a previous post I shared my opinion about Curaçao licensed online casinos and explained that I don’t think it’s worth it to play at one of these sites due to the number of them that wind up blacklisted. Although it is reportedly working on cleaning up its poor reputation in the iGaming industry, the reality is that casinos under Curaçao’s umbrella do not have the same stringent and careful regulation standards as reputable licensing authorities like the MGA. In short, Curaçao’s player protection standards are low.
Why Playing at an Online Casino with a Legitimate License is Important
A site with a legitimate casino license means that the casino is committed to providing an ethical gaming environment and protections for players. More specifically, a casino with a legitimate license must comply with the rules of the licensing authority.
While rules and standards differ from one regulator to the next, the most reputable of the bunch – AGCO included – require licensed operators to:
- Prevent underage gambling.
- Protect the young and vulnerable from gambling harms.
- Provide controls/tools that gamblers can use to control their gambling.
- Ensure players receive their winnings.
- Have anti-fraud and anti-crime systems in place to ensure gambling doesn’t become a source of criminal activity.
- Ensure the security of player funds (even in the event the casino goes bankrupt) and personal data.
- Guarantee game fairness to ensure all outcomes are random**
Failure to adhere to the rules of a regulator can lead to the offending operator being fined, losing its license, or even being shut down.
At a licensed gaming site, you can trust that the casino runs an ethical operation and has these player protections in place. That’s why playing at a licensed site is important.
So, why does it matter that you play at an AGCO and iGO regulated site if you’re in Ontario? Because the rules and standards were created specifically to protect Ontarians. If you have a problem with the casino, you have a better shot at getting help from our local regulator than you do from an overseas authority.
**👩💻Mia’s Note: Guaranteeing game fairness is important and it is made possible through industry-recognized, independent third-party auditors. These accredited institutions (e.g. iTech Labs, GLI, eCOGRA, etc.), perform random tests on an online casino’s gambling software and systems. These tests check to make sure Random Number Generator (RNG) software is operating as it should.
This guarantees results are always random and the RTPs (Return to Player percentages) listed for games are accurate. Often times (but not always), casinos will list the testing agency they use in the same area where you’ll find their casino gaming license listed. It may also be mentioned in their “about us”, “privacy policy”, or “terms and conditions” sections. If you can’t find the information and you’d like to know, you can also contact their customer support to find out.
How to Verify an Online Casino License
You might think that all you need to do to verify if a casino is licensed is to look for the logo of the gambling regulator on the casino’s site. In actuality, this is only the first step.
Truth is, just checking to see if a casino lists a license on its site, isn’t enough. Why? Simply because a casino says its licensed doesn’t mean that it is licensed or that its license is currently valid with that regulator. You need to take the extra step of checking with the regulator itself.
Don’t worry, this is not as complicated as it might sound.
Take these steps to verify the validity of a casino gaming license
1 – Go to the casino’s homepage and look for the iGaming Ontario (or another regulator) logo. Usually, it is at the bottom of the site.
2 – Go to the official site of the gambling authority associated with the casino’s license.
3 – Search for the casino or operator on the gambling authority’s site. Reputable regulators are fully transparent about their licensees, and anyone can conduct this search. For example:
– On the iGaming Ontario site select the “Operators” tab.
From there, you can search for a casino. If the casino’s in the list, it’s legitimately licensed.
– On MGA’s site, select the “Licensee Hub” tab. From there, select “Search Licensee Register”.
There, you can search for the casino operator’s name to check their current license status.
That’s all there is to it.
Mia’s Final Thought About Verifying Online Casino Licenses
Even though taking the time to verify an online casino license may be a nuisance when you just want to get on to the fun playing part, it’s safer for you in the long run if you do it prior to signing up. The last thing you want to do is skip this step and get scammed.
Bottom line, if an online casino isn’t legitimately licensed, I don’t trust it, and neither should you.
If you have any questions or comments for me and/or want to share your experience, as always, please fire away below or you can message me on one of my social channels.
Until next time, good luck, have fun, and beware of scams.
Mia 👩💻
**I’m not affiliated with anyone.
***All links and images in this post are for informational purposes only.
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