When you play for real money online, you must keep security in mind. Whether you are placing sports bets, playing casino games or engaging in any other form of gambling, your safety is of paramount importance online.
What is common in safe online casinos?
The virtual world opens up amazing opportunities. While these are mostly positive, you know that there are rogues who want to exploit them to make a quick buck.
Some of them are in the online gambling business. If you don’t use the safest legitimate licensed online casinos, you could become a victim.
The good news is that nowadays there are many reliable legit online casinos. You should always look for safe casinos that have proven to be trustworthy and offer excellent customer service.
You don’t have to take risks with operators who either pay out or don’t pay out your winnings. But if you want to be safe online, choose wisely.
Do you know what the most trusted online casinos have in common?
They are all licensed and regulated by a statutory commission or gambling authority.
Online casino licensing
The safest online casinos are usually licensed by the most reputable gambling commissions.
Here are some reputable online gambling regulatory bodies.
- UK Gambling Commission
- Malta Gambling Authority
- Isle of Man Gambling Control Commission
- New Jersey Casino Control Commission
The role of the Online Gambling Commission
Regulators issue licenses to legitimate online casinos so that they can legally offer gambling services.
Before doing so, however, they ask all applicants to provide the following information.
- Criminal background checks;
- Operating model, including bonus settings, deposits, withdrawals, jackpots, servers, site security, etc.;
- Third party providers – fraud detection, age verification, geolocation;
- Financial records;
- Software engineering standards – submission for independent Game testing;
- Legal status of the company;
- A huge deposit or license fee.
Each authority has different rules and regulations.
Licensed and legitimate online casinos for UK players
Online gambling is legal in the UK, but operators and gambling providers must comply with certain rules and requirements. Here’s everything you need to know about regulations and licensing.
Since 2005, when the Gambling Act came into force, offering online casino games to players in the UK has been legal, but online casino operators and gambling providers must first obtain a license from the Gambling Commission to accept UK players.
The aim is to ensure that operators and gambling providers meet the highest possible standards of security, fairness, anti-money laundering, anti-fraud, customer awareness and above all responsible gambling and player protection.
UK Gambling Commission:
The UK Gambling Commission is responsible for regulating all commercial gambling in the UK, including the National Lottery. It does this in conjunction with other licensing bodies (see below).
HOW TO FIND OUT IF AN ONLINE CASINO IS LICENSED IN THE UK
- Licensed online casinos in the UK must display the Gambling Commission logo at the bottom of their website, whether on desktop or mobile.
- Clicking on the logo will take you directly to the operator’s license on the UK Gambling Commission’s public register.
- Check that the license is ‘active’.
LICENSING AUTHORITIES
Some online casino operators are licensed by other regulatory bodies called Licensing Authorities in addition to the UK Gambling Commission. These are jurisdictions outside the UK that play a similar role to the UK government.
SAFE ONLINE CASINOS IN THE USA
The regulation of gambling and casinos in the USA is not easy. The problem arises because gambling is legal under federal law. However, each state can regulate certain issues or restrict certain activities within its borders.
For this reason, in some states in the United States all gambling is prohibited, while in some states all gambling is legalized. However, in most countries, some forms of gambling are legal and some are not.
However, this is not the only problem with gambling laws in the United States. The issue of online gambling is more complex and some states have enacted national laws to legalize and regulate online gambling.
Currently, online gambling is legalized and regulated in the states of Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware. California and Pennsylvania are considering legalizing online gambling and discussions are currently underway.
Online gambling in Nevada
Nevada has long been considered one of the leading destinations for gambling and casinos, not only in the United States but around the world, especially in the city of Las Vegas, which has become synonymous with gambling for millions of people around the world.
Online gambling in New Jersey
New Jersey has also become the epitome of legitimate online casinos and gambling, as the gambling industry here is so extensive. Atlantic City is the second most popular gambling destination in the United States after Nevada.
Online gambling in Delaware
In Delaware, some gambling and casino activities have long been legalized. Delaware is considered to be one of the most liberal states when it comes to gaming and gambling.
Licensed and legit online casinos in Canada
Many jurisdictions have their gambling authority that licenses casinos.
For example, Malta is licensed by the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), the UK Gambling Commission in the UK and the Kahnawake Gaming Commission in Canada. These authorities also set their own requirements for obtaining a license.
In addition to these licensing authorities, there are other reputable gambling authorities. However, we believe that the MGA and UKGC licensed online casinos are the safest option for Canadian players. As a general rule, you should avoid casinos with unknown licenses.
Canadian provinces that license casinos
- Ontario
- Quebec
- Nova Scotia
- New Brunswick
- Manitoba
- British Columbia
- Prince Edward Island
- Newfoundland
- Saskatchewan
- Alberta
- Kahnawake
In order to obtain a casino license or other license in Canada, an applicant must first pass a series of security and background checks. This is necessary so that the Gambling Commission can ensure the safety and integrity of the applicant’s casino. These checks include background checks, integrity checks, RNG checks, tax records checks, financial background checks, business background checks and criminal background checks.
Gambling license requirements
Gambling authorities such as the Kahnawake Commission in Canada have developed a list of gambling license requirements that legit online casinos must meet in order to obtain a gambling license. Below is a list of the various things that Canadian gambling authorities check before issuing a valid casino license.
Why is it important for online casinos to be licensed and regulated?
Only a casino license in good standing will ensure that a gambling site complies with the laws of the jurisdiction in which it operates.
Why are some Canadian casinos licensed differently?
In addition to a Canadian casino license, many Canadian gambling sites have other gambling licenses. Many casinos operating in the Canadian market hold an MGA license issued by the Malta Gaming Authority.
The main reason operators seek additional licenses is that holding an additional gaming license allows operators to offer their services to players in other countries. This is also the main reason why most Canadian online casinos are licensed abroad.