Gambling Licences & Jurisdictions

The online casino industry is filled to the brim with casinos vying for your attention. A new online casino seems to pop up every day, offering great bonus rewards, lucrative promotions, and a fun playing experience.

For those who are new to the casino scene, it can be nothing short of overwhelming. Where should you begin? How do you possibly decide where to start playing? Will you be safe?

These are all standard questions. And while there are many factors to choosing a safe and worthy online casino, one of the most important factors is whether or not an online casino has a valid gambling licence.

If you never considered the licence held by any particular online casino you've visited, you aren't alone. Many players are unsure what they're looking for and what the difference is between different regulators. Here are some licenses we've reviewed.

Casinos & the Need of a License

Keep reading, and we'll let you in on everything you need to know about this very important online casino feature. We'll also answer questions you may have about gambling licences, regulators, and jurisdictions.

Without a doubt, we can answer this question with a resounding yes! Online gambling licences at casinos are so very important. Having a licence generally means that you can trust the quality online casino you're frequenting is more than just a tick box that needs to be fulfilled before they're legal.

Without a gambling license, an online casino cannot be legal. It's that simple. If you're playing at an online casino that doesn't display its licence in plain view, you could be playing illegally and, therefore, dangerously.

You may be wondering what makes an unlicensed casino so dangerous? If an online casino has no licence, they're essentially lawless. Pirates out at sea with no one to answer to! And that means they can do as they please with your personal information and the money you deposit into your account without being accountable by any higher powers.

Another reason online gambling licences are so important is that you cannot work with a bank, or create a merchant account, without one. Banks know that online casinos can be risky business but having a licence in hand means there's automatically a level of trust that wasn't there before.

Learn the rules of the casino gambling license

Rules Licensed Casinos Have to Follow

More than just a piece of paper or a licence fee that must be paid, certain requirements must be met for an online casino to be legal. These requirements mean you can play with peace of mind!

  • The owners and managers of the casinos must undergo a fit and proper person test.
  • The casino sticks to a list of permitted customers and notes those who are prohibited from gambling.
  • Regular testing of the random number generator used to keep casino games fair must be done.
  • Updated data on the RTP rate for each casino game must be recorded and be available.
  • Casinos must provide a telephone number and email address and offer online support for all customers.
  • It must be visible how long customers have played a particular casino game.
  • Players must have the ability to set deposit limits on their accounts.
  • There must be waiting periods on any limit increases.
  • All complaints about the casino should be handled quickly and fairly.

Jurisdictions VS Gambling Regulators

When dealing with the best online casinos and the industry as a whole, many different terms are floating around for you to understand. Jurisdictions and regulators maybe a couple that isn't quite clear.

Gambling jurisdictions refer to the parts of the world where gambling is either regulated or has specific laws in place to allow licencing and regulating gambling in its many different forms.

Gambling regulators are the organisations that have been established within these jurisdictions to enforce the laws that exist there. These regulators are the authorities on gambling within their jurisdictions and help protect you as you play.

It must be noted that certain gambling regulators are more trustworthy than others. While all regulators have a hand in making sure casinos in their area are legal, some choose to steer clear of keeping a firm hand on the industry, while others prefer to side with casinos rather than players.

Gambling Licences FAQs

Do you have any questions? Here you can find the most common questions answered by our team of experts.

How to get a casino license?

The process behind obtaining a casino licence is rather complex. First of all, it depends on the licence you want to apply for. The best solution is to head to the website of the license and follow the listed steps. The review process will take into consideration several factors, such as transparency, software provider and much more.

How much is a casino license?

The cost of a licence is very relative. They range from €217.080 for the Maltese licence to €6.827.150 for the Pennsylvania licence. For a single gambling license, you won't spend less than €48,000.

What are casino licenses?

The casino licence allows online casinos to operate in certain countries. Countries such as the UK, Spain and Italy have their own gaming licences, while others such as India, New Zealand and Ireland allow casinos with a general licence (Malta, Curacao) to operate.

What is the role of online casino licensing authorities?

The gambling authorities ensure online casinos follow the rules, payout winnings and treat their customers with respect and fairness.

Which online casino licenses are the most and the least trusted?

UKGC and Kahnawake are among the most trusted casino gambling licenses.

Where can I find the gambling license information of online casinos? 

You can find the casino license information at the bottom of their web page or in the about us section.

What does a flexible online casino license mean?

It means a license with less-strict gambling rules, like MGA or the Curaçao gambling license.

Should I gamble at a casino without a license?

No. Gambling at online casinos without a license is risking and it's not guaranteed the payout of winnings.

Mike Lorente
Casino Bonuses Expert Author & Casino Bonus Expert Mike Lorente verified symbol
Mike started his CasinoTopsOnline journey as a freelance writer and joined the team full-time shortly after. His expertise and knowledge base on casino bonuses has become extensive over the years. With a passion for giving our readers all the tips and strategies on which casino offer suits them best, Mike delivers detailed articles and goes the extra mile by explaining all the fine print in the bonus terms and conditions to help players around the world make an informed decision which is beneficial to them, no matter what experience they have.
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Reviewed by Julia Attard

Senior Author & Online Casino Expert With experience in content management, Julia is passionate about creating content for the English-speaking gaming markets of CasinoTopsOnline. When she isn’t working, you’ll find Julia reading a book on the beach, watching sports or baking something in the kitchen! Read More