Casino online license
New casino sites to play real money
The amendments to the gambling, licensing and advertising act of 2014 further provides that online casinos based in these countries or territories should have a base element of their equipment or facilities in the UK to retain their remote licence. This gives the gambling commission of the UK the jurisdiction over these whitelisted casino operators.
- Alderney
- Antigua
- Barbuda
- European economic area countries
- Gibraltar
- Isle of man
- Tasmania
Online casino licenses
Online casino licences is a must-have for all gambling sites on the internet.
It does not matter if the site in question is offering casino games, lottery, e-sports or betting, they all need a gaming licence to do so.
But all gaming licences are not equal.
In fact, they are far from, and we’ll explain why:
As the online casino industry is growing at a phenomenal rate and, as with any industry that is experiencing exceptional growth, there will always be unscrupulous operators who are trying to make a quick buck by manipulating the system or defrauding unsuspecting people.
Therefore, it is essential for gamblers to avoid dodgy online casinos and only play at sites that are safe, secure and trustworthy.
The best way to ensure that the online casino that you choose is safe and trustworthy is to check the licences that the casino holds.
All online casinos based across the united kingdom must have a UK gambling commission licence.
However, there are other online casinos that you might frequent that operate from offshore, like isle of man, curacao, malta or alderney, and it is important to check all casino licences before you join a site.
Here at online.Casino we have put together a comprehensive guide to all the licences that casinos can hold.
This way it’s easy to understand what a specific licence stands for and to choose a trustworthy operator.
Online casino licences explained
Online gamblers are attracted by welcome bonuses and VIP promotions but very few players take the time to check a casino’s licence. Before you get caught up in all the excitement, take a few minutes to check that you are signing up for a reputable online casino with a valid licence. Since the introduction of the 2005 gambling act that was amended in 2014, most of the top online casinos in the UK are licenced and controlled by the UKGC.
The gambling act gives the legal provision to regulate the interactive betting, such as the online sports betting, bingo and the casino games. The gambler should be of the majority age which is 18 years. The advantages of licensing this system are:
- To ensure that all online gambling games are transparent, honest and fair.
- Prevent the exploitation and harming of vulnerable people and children (players must be over 18).
- Prevent any links between gambling and criminal activity.
Casino licences are designed to regulate the industry and protect the interests of players. To obtain a licence from the UKGC, an online casino or gambling operator must meet certain criteria, including:
- Confirmation of identity – this is to ensure that the operator who is applying for operating licence can be held accountable.
- Proof of enough finances to operate an online casino – ensuring that the casino will not go bankrupt after the players deposit their money with them.
- Proof of both the experience and the qualifications – to ascertain if the operator has the capability of running an online gambling business.
- A clean criminal record.
What are offshore licences?
While most top casinos across the UK are licenced by the UKGC, there are sites that operate under offshore licences from countries like malta, curacao and cyprus.
The gambling act of 2005 empowers the UK gambling commission in the regulation and licensing of all gambling businesses in the UK.
However, there are a number of legal exceptions that allow online casinos based in other countries to operate in the gambling industry across the UK under the regulatory framework of the UKGC. These countries and territories include;
- Alderney
- Antigua
- Barbuda
- European economic area countries
- Gibraltar
- Isle of man
- Tasmania
The amendments to the gambling, licensing and advertising act of 2014 further provides that online casinos based in these countries or territories should have a base element of their equipment or facilities in the UK to retain their remote licence. This gives the gambling commission of the UK the jurisdiction over these whitelisted casino operators.
How to know what licences a casino holds
All online casinos that operate in the UK require a UKGC licence or a valid offshore licence. If you want to know if your favourite slot or the casino you want to sign up for has a licence to operate in the UK, you simply need to look at the casino website.
Most sites display the stamp, crest or name of all their licences in the footer of the website, along with their company details and contact information.
But just because an online casino site claims to have a valid UKGC or offshore licence does not necessary mean that they are in fact licenced.
If you have any doubts about the licences a casino site holds, you can make a note of the licence number on the casino website and then look up that number on the UK gambling commission website (or relevant offshore regulators site).
The UKGC also has a search page where you can find any licensed casino operator and where they are based.
UKGC licence requirements
The UKGC has the responsibility of regulating the online gambling industry and acquiring a gaming license in the UK is nor easy or cheap.
To meet all the conditions of the UKGC will take a lot of time. However, other than the time and the costs involved, casinos need to follow all the correct procedures and obtain a UKGC licence.
It is illegal for operators to run non-licensed casinos in the UK. Only the casinos licensed by the UKGC are allowed to advertise in both print media and TV.
For the operators who fail to comply with the rules set by the UKGC, there are heavy fines. UK online casino operators should pay a yearly point in consumption tax which is 15% of their total profits.
Part of this tax id used for funding programs such as gambling addiction initiatives.
As a player, you are not subjected to taxes on your casino winnings if you won from a UKGC licenced website.
1. Social responsibility
For the majority of players, betting is a fun and harmless form of entertainment.
Unfortunately; there are some people who can’t gamble responsibly or who become addicted to gambling which can destroy their lives. Therefore, it is a priority for the gambling commission of the UK to protect vulnerable people.
Social responsibility is an important component of the UKGC licence requirements, and it is all about protecting the interests of the players and reducing the negative impact of gambling on families and communities.
Gambling is won by chances so, any form of gambling has inherent risks but the UKGC strives to protect players by enforcing marketing and advertising guidelines and regulations, preventing underage gambling, implementing fair and transparent terms and conditions, and requiring sites to have self-exclusion options.
As of 2019, the new regulations have been enforced to do more safeguard the vulnerable players and minors. The licensed casinos in the UK are supposed to confirm the identity and the age of each new member they register before they place their initial gaming money on the site.
The UKGC constantly reviews its regulations and introduces new measures to protect players and they work closely with a number of partner organisations to implement treatment, education, harm prevention and research programmes as well as improve social responsibility in the online gambling industry.
2. Anti-money laundering
The UKGC is serious about preventing crime in the online gambling industry and forcing online casinos operating in the UK to comply with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing laws and legislation.
Not only do all UKGC licenced casinos have to comply with the industry laws and regulations regarding financial transactions, but the commission is also committed to raising the standards of anti-money laundering and counterterrorist financing across the casino industry and encouraging casino operators to do more to regulate themselves and protect the industry from exploitation by criminals and terrorists.
The UK gambling commission has formalised an agreement with HM revenue and customs (HMRC) to reflect recent changes in money laundering legislation under the money laundering, terrorist financing and transfer of funds (information on the payer) regulations 2017 (MLR 2017) and the commission will undertake to draw the attention of online casinos to the guidelines issued by HMRC. The UKGC works tirelessly to prevent criminals from profiting from online gambling.
3. Technical standards
Any form of betting for real money has its own set of risks. It is a game of chances, however for most players, that is what makes gambling exciting.
Technology has completely changed how the game operates. It has made gambling easier for the fraudsters in this industry to defraud the gamblers and to alter the results. To safeguard the interests of gamblers, all licenced UK casinos must comply with the technical standards and requirements of the UK gambling commission, but these standards should not be used as the sole measure of reliability, quality or security.
There are also a number of independent assessment bodies in the gambling industry that encourage online casinos to sign up and commit to various technical standards.
Independent agencies include:
- Ecogra
- GLI
- Technical systems testing
- The european sports security association
The agencies above all monitor casino websites, and reports are available to the public. Sometimes you can find these reports linked in the footer of casinos.
4. Alternative dispute resolution
The UKGC dispute resolution system has been set up to protect the rights of the gamblers and requires casinos to comply certain set of rules when dealing with complaints and to settle the disputes facilitated by a sovereign third party or any ADR facilitator.
The onus is on the casino to ensure that their dispute resolution procedures and requirements for handling the disputes are fair and transparent and must give players easy to understand and accessible information on the process of filing a complaint including timescales, contact details and arrangement for referring disputes to an ADR facilitator if the casino cannot effectively resolve a dispute within eight weeks.
Online casinos need to accept complains launched by a person, through the phone or email and provide customers with written confirmation when the complaints process has reached a conclusion.
The casinos are not allowed to set up unreasonable time limits for players to launch a complaint. They must provide information on how to quicken and refer a complaint to an ADR provider. They also need to issue feedbacks from the ADR facilitators not more than 10 days late.
Online gambling licenses
Online gambling has proven to be an incredibly profitable and popular business model in many countries. Each year, over one hundred are being launched and the government worldwide tries to keep up with their pace by regulating markets.
There are several different licenses all over the world right now and both players and governments demand that more casinos should have a valid license. We guide you to licenses for online casino and gambling. Make sure to gamble at trusted sites when playing online.
The importance of an online gambling licenses
In many countries, online gambling is neither forbidden nor allowed. These markets are called “grey markets” and if you play in a grey market country there are some risks attached. Obtaining an online gambling license is a very complex process which involves a variety of due diligence requirements which must be fulfilled. New casinos online that have a license are much more safe and secure than casinos that doesn’t have them.
All legal online gambling businesses have at least one license to be considered as a safe online casino. Some licenses are harder to obtain than others. For an example, the UK gambling commission is regarded to be the toughest one to get for casinos because of all the requirements. If you are a casino player, you can therefore feel safe when you are playing at a casino with an UK gambling commission license. Other popular licenses are malta gaming authority and curacao egaming.
At casinomir, we only list online casinos with a proper license/licenses and with the best casino bonuses and free spins. This is very important for us, because we only want to list casinos that are totally safe and reliable. Another great thing with casinos that has a license is that all of your winnings are completely tax-free.
Make sure to play casino with the right license for your region
Online gambling license
A reliable online casino business starts with obtaining an online gambling license. It allows running a legal casino online and warrants the casino operator’s trustworthy behavior and commitment to a fair gaming policy. A license is also an indicator of transparency in business operations and security of the gaming software offered to customers.
It is impossible to set up a merchant account in a bank without a proper gambling license. Banks are very careful about their business partners and are always willing to cooperate with a company acknowledged by a regulatory body in a certain jurisdiction.
Online gambling legislation varies greatly from country to country. There are many jurisdictions all over the world that issue gambling licenses to online casinos. Such licenses are issued only after the online casino business meets the requirements of the chosen jurisdiction. You can find out more about how to obtain a gaming / gambling license.
Jurisdictions with gambling licenses
On the island of curaçao (netherlands antilles) the main jurisdiction certified for issuing gambling licenses is the curacao gaming control board. It has been functioning since 2002 and has broad certification and licensing capabilities. A curaçao license is an ideal option to start an online casino due to the optimal mix of cost and time frame.
This is the first country in the european union that introduced the regulations with regard to remote gambling and started issuing online gambling licences. A lot of companies prefer to apply to this very jurisdiction for a number of reasons. Gaining a license in malta opens the doors to many banks around the world where it will be possible to open a merchant account for processing banking cards.
Online gaming services provided in great britain are regulated by the UK gambling commission (UKGC). Online casinos need to obtain a remote license from the UKGC in order to to accept players from the UK and promote themselves on the local market. Learn more about how to apply for a gambling license in the UK.
The gambling ordinance regulates the process of online gambling license issue in gibraltar. Licensing covers poker, bingo, betting and online casino websites.
A “free market approach towards e-gambling” was introduced here in 2005 by the alderney gambling commission (AGC) and since then any online casino with the license of this jurisdiction can operate on the international level.
The online gambling regulation act (2001) and the electronic transactions act (2000) stand behind the online gambling legislation in isle of man. At present this is one of the most popular jurisdictions that is known for its strict requirements, as well as professional and unbiased monitoring and control of the online gambling companies applying for licenses.
In belgium the law with regards to any gambling activity is very strict. However gambling is considered an extremely popular and lucrative activity. In this respect, there are gambling companies that operate in the country, both online and land-based, and they are allowed to do so as long as they abide by the state laws and have obtained a license.
A government agency called the danish gambling authority resides under the danish ministry of taxation. The danish tax authority (SKAT) is responsible for registration of licence holders and regularly conducts inspections them.
In estonia online gaming is only at the first stage of its development if compared to other jurisdictions. Estonian gambling regulation features one characteristic that a company wishing to operate on the online gambling market should obtain two types of licenses – one for activity and another one for operation.
In italy the autonomous administration of the state monopolies (AAMS) regulates all the aspects of online gambling in the country since 2006. It is in charge of issuing licenses and also the control of the companies’ complying with the rules and regulations of legal conduct.
We could not miss this one. A common misperception is that costa rica has gambling licensing. However, there is no gambling license in costa rica as a notion. Although companies that offer online gambling services in costa rica do need to obtain a data processing license, this is not tantamount to a gambling license and is not recognized as such by most banks and game providers.
Sportsbook gambling licenses as well as online casino and poker licenses to the companies are issued by the kahnawake gaming commission (KGC).
When choosing the jurisdiction, the company applying for a license shall consider such factors as the reputation of the jurisdiction, its licensing laws, geographical location, the cost of license and taxation. Obtaining a license, besides making an online casino legal, brings multiple advantages to casino owners:
Don’t know what to do next?
If you are planning to start an online casino business, we are ready to offer you professional assistance and support in obtaining an online gambling license
Softswiss has been working in the market of ecommerce and igaming solutions since 2008. With the advanced technical expertise and extensive knowledge of the industry, we deliver high-quality projects for clients worldwide. Softswiss online casino software is a unique tool introduced by softswiss to enable businesses start their way in igaming
Online gaming licenses & services
Online gaming has proven to be an incredibly popular and profitable business model. With the rapid expansion of the industry a number of forward thinking governments worldwide set up regulatory framework to facilitate the licensing of online gambling operations. However, as online gambling is considered a prohibited activity in a number of countries, most online gambling licenses are issued by the governments of ‘offshore countries’.
Generally speaking, obtaining an online gambling license is a complex process involving a variety of due diligence requirements which must be fulfilled, that said, most online betting and online casino businesses have some form of online gambling license.
All legal online gaming businesses must be registered and in compliance in at least one jurisdiction. The most common jurisdictions that online gambling businesses register in are caribbean nations such as antigua and barbuda, costa rica, and curacao and european nations such as malta and the UK.
With more than 21 years of real world experience in the online gaming business our team hold the necessary skills to manage your egaming business with you and guide you through the license approval process.
We ensure our clients are able to operate in the most tax-efficient way while ensuring the structure remains compliant.
We assist our clients in obtaining online gambling licenses in the following jurisdictions:
Over the years costa rica was the preferred jurisdiction for hundreds of online gambling companies operating many hundreds of gambling websites, making it an excellent jurisdiction for start-ups in the online gambling industry. It is still incredibly popular and effective today for those utilizing alternate payment methods such as crypto-currencies i.E. Bitcoin, ethereum, etc. It is low cost and easy as there is absolutely no license of any kind required.
Learn more about registering your own online gambling company in costa rica
A curacao online gaming license is our recommendation for most start ups. The curaçao gaming control board made online gambling a central industry for the island of curaçao, and with doing so expanded the island’s licensing capabilities. At this moment in time the sub-licensing opportunities that exist are both low cost and easy to obtain making curaçao the #1 top jurisdiction for launching a licensed online gaming business.
Learn more about obtaining your own online gambling license in curacao
The isle of man with its comprehensive regulatory framework in place, including but not limited to the online gambling regulation act of 2001, which legalized online gaming operations in the country make it a well respected choice. The isle of man is recognized as one of the most reputable jurisdictions, offering world-class infrastructure and services for operators in the online gaming industry of all sizes.
Learn more about registering your own online gaming company in isle of man
A kahnawake gaming commission online gaming license is a great upgrade from a costa rican gaming company or curacao sublicense. The kahnawake gaming commission have been offering licenses since 1999 and are well respected. The kahnawake online gaming license is both low cost and relatively easy to obtain. 1 license type covers any and all games of chance.
Learn more about obtaining your own kahnawake online gambling license
Malta — following the public lotto ordinance act in 2000, malta the first EU member state to introduce remote gambling regulations and deliver remote gambling services for online gambling.
Learn more about obtaining your own online gambling license in malta
Online gaming licenses & services
It is critical when choosing the jurisdiction to base your online betting, bingo, casino, esports, fantasy sports, sports betting or lotto business that you consider initial licensing costs, ongoing licensing costs, maintenance costs, availability of ancillary services and tax costs and benefits.
The basic premise of licensing online bingo, casino, esports, fantasy sports, sports book betting and lotto businesses was to improve the quality of services delivered to consumers and is now a mandatory requirement for conducting legal gaming business online.
Licensing provides players with a level of trust and as such enhances the chances of success for the business.
Having a proper legal structure and some form of license facilitates availability of:
- Banking – virtually all banks require some form of gambling license in order to set up a bank account for your business ensuring your business is legally compliant.
- Payment processing – you will not be able to set up online gambling merchant accounts and other payment processing accounts to receive payments from customers via bank cards and accounts without some form of license.
Our services
- Online gaming consultancy
- Business plan assistance
- Compliance collation
- Licence application compilation
- Compliance
- Anti-money laundering procedures
- Liaison with payment solution providers, IT hosting facilities and software suppliers
- Establishment of accounts
- Company administration services
- Liaison with regulators, lawyers and auditors
- Local employment assistance and guidance in various locations
- Customer service and support facility establishment and outsourcing.
- Company incorporation and management
- Provision of company directors, and secretary
- Maintenance of statutory records
- VAT registration
- Accountancy services (provided by licensed partners)
- And much more.
To find out more about licensing procedures, requirements and costs, please select one of the jurisdictions above.
We understand that selecting a jurisdiction to base your online betting, bingo, casino, poker or sports betting business is a challenging task. If you are not sure about which jurisdiction is most suited to your needs and budget contact us and we’ll help you make the right selection.
As our client you are at the heart of our business and our sole goal is to serve your online gambling license needs while protecting your interests.
Start an online gaming business
Now is a great time to set up an online gaming business.
Contact us to become a client and set up your online gaming business today!
Take advantage of our more than 21 years of experience and let us help you every step of the way.
Your business is important to us and we guarantee professional service.
Online casino licenses
Online casino licenses are a way to ensure the casino is licensed to have players from certain countries. As the use of internet services grow and slowly take over the most land-based business, so does the need to safeguard online interactions. Unfortunately, due to the lack of physical presence that one would benefit from land-based businesses, online casinos or as a matter of fact any other business based online have to rely on other measures to ensure its legitimacy.
We take for granted the value of being able to see and touch what is physically in front of our faces. Online casinos can also sometimes feel like blind faith. This is because one doesn’t really have something solid and tangible to hold on too.
As you can imagine, it is within reason that online players can feel guarded and uneasy trusting online services. And even more so, when the situation requires money transactions. In addition, internet fraud is very real and serious. Fake online scams and businesses grow, as criminals find new ways of taking advantage of the unassuming online goer and sometimes even the most cautious of internet users fall victim to clever cybercrimes.
For those important reasons, casino licenses across europe are also used to ensure that they are legitimate. You can think of online licenses as watchdogs or even police inspecting closely that the online casinos fulfil their duties to their clients and, meet specific guidelines and policies to authenticate casinos for the purpose of protecting the player.
Various casino licenses according to country
Licenses prevent fraud. It is a legal requirement for a casino to provide their services to customers to have a relevant license. Therefore, when looking for an online casino to invest your time and money, look for at least one of the following licensing corporations:
Malta gaming authority
Malta gaming authority – this corporation has been awarding licenses to only the finest online casinos since the lotteries and other games act 2001. Currently, there are more than 117 casinos with a maltese license.
UK gambling commission
UK gambling commission – this corporation was created to offer their services in great britain, using the gambling act 2005. There are currently more than 96 casinos with a UK license.
Curacao egaming
Curacao egaming – established in 1996, this online gaming license provides the necessary cover only great online casinos deserve. It belongs to the netherlands antilles and currently has more than 78 casinos with the license.
Alderney gambling control commission
The alderney gambling control commission controls online casino licensing in the state of alderney. There are currently more than 5 casinos with this license.
Gibraltar member (GBGA)
The gibraltar regulatory authority formed in 2000 and implemented by the gibraltar regulatory act. Find more than 19 casinos registered with a gibraltar regulatory authority.
Antigua and barbuda
Antigua and barbuda director of offshore gaming conduct a no-nonsense policy in order to create a transparent jurisdiction for any internet casino in that region. Find more than 2 casinos with this license.
Kansspel commissie
Kansspel commissie – a belgian license regulating gambling in belgium, also known as the belgian gaming commission. Find more than 3 casinos with the belgium license.
Italy – AAMS
With 9 casinos on their list, AAMS ensures all casinos that want to operate in italy get licensed by them. This includes lotteries, bingo, lotto, card games, poker, and casino games.
The danish gaming authority
The danish gaming authority is responsible for regulating the danish gaming market in cooperation with the danish consumer ombudsman and the danish ministry of taxation.
Gambling licenses
Online gaming license | egaming licence | remote gambling
Gaming and gambling licenses
Harvex provide a full stack solution to online gaming, egaming, betting & remote gambling licenses. We offer options for both fiat (GBP, USD, EUR, AUD etc) and cryptocurrency (bitcoin, ethereum, EOS) or a mixture.
Whether you are an individual or company and wherever you’re based in the world, we can support throughout the four key stages of gambling licenses; requirements, cost, application and ongoing compliance.
Gambling license requirements
There are many types of gaming, egaming and remote gambling licenses – make sure you select the correct one.
Gaming license cost
Costs of gambling licensing varies across jurisdictions – find out the cost of the gambling license necessary for your business.
Applying for A gambling license
Ensure your gambling license application is correct and the entire process is efficient.
Ongoing gaming compliance
Make sure you stay compliant with the rules of the gambling license, with aspects such as reporting and geo-blocking countries.
Gambling license check
Firstly you need to assess whether you need a gaming, egaming, betting or remote gambling license and whether the restrictions of the license are suitable for your business.
Types of gaming license
There a few igaming licensing hotspots around the world and assessing these upfront is essential. The type of license you require will depend on a wide variety of factors, the category of gaming, gambling or betting, the jurisdiction you and your customers are based in, and the currencies (including cryptocurrencies) you plan to accept as payment. Each licensing authority has a different list of positives and this will influence the decision.
Through our extensive experience and knowledge of the sector, harvex will work with you to find the correct type of gambling license. We are connected with all the main licensing authorities, including sub-licensors.
Categories
There are a wide range of categories, including online poker, bingo, slots, roulette, casinos, sports betting, sportsbooks, lottery sites, plus many more. It is important to align your online gaming license with your activity.
Cryptocurrency | bitcoin gaming licence
Harvex can also arrange the appropriate licencing for crypto gambling operators. This type of license is unique and brings a specific set of requirements. Harvex can support with licensing for your related category.
Gambling license UK
Isle of man (IOM) licenses
Gaming licenses malta
Gaming glibraltar license
Kahnawake gaming license (canada)
Curacao gaming license
Channel islands licenses
Antigua and barbuda license
Dutch gaming license
License costs
The costs vary between the different jurisdictions. Some licenses are viewed more favourably with regulators in other international jurisdictions, reducing the number of countries of which users need to be restricted. This process is known as ‘whitelisting’. As a result, these licenses command a premium for registration.
Harvex can inform you of the exact costs involved, prior to starting the process.
Applying for A gambling license
Once you decide where to register your online gambling company, you’ll need to file a formal application. In some cases this is obtaining a license from the regulator, in others it would be obtaining what’s know as a ‘sub-license’ from approved and regulated license holders. In either case, the application process can be supported by harvex.
Igaming regulation
Complying with the rules of the license issuing regulator is, of course, essential. During the application process, the regulation will be explained and an applicant will need to confirm they will adhere to the guidelines. Harvex will work with you to ensure you select a license that regulates your online igaming business suitably.
Crypto casino
The application process for online gambling with crypto as a payment method has an enhanced level of due diligence. The application may be slightly longer, however it is possible to obtain a licence to cover punters using cryptocurrency.
Gambling | gaming company incorporation
A potential gambling license holder may be required to incorporate a company in the jurisdiction in which they are applying for the license, irrespective of where the license holder is geographically based themselves. With the connections harvex have, this process is usually fast. We can then applying for an online gaming bank account.
As a result, harvex can oversee the entire process of opening a gambling or gaming company for you, including completing and filing all paperwork. To date, harvex have opened companies in over 50 countries.
How to obtain offshore gambling license for online casino
Obtaining a casino/gambling license is one of the most important steps towards entering the online casino scene, in order to gain the credibility of your players and to avoid any problems with the international law.
The easiest way to do this would be to get in touch with a lawyer specialized in online gaming from your country, so you can get guidance from a professional who is accustomed with all the legal aspects of obtaining an online gaming license. Many jurisdictions around the world have designated specific laws regarding the online gaming industry, and many of these only allow online casinos which operate with a local gaming license.
An alternative to this would be to create an offshore company in countries like malta, cyprus, costa rica, panama and obtain a gambling license there. The low prices available in these countries have made them gain the reputation of "the heart of casino operations". Yearly license costs can go as low as 20,000 EUR.
What is a gambling license?
A gambling license is a certificate of authority issued by a regulatory agency, typically referred to as a gambling control board. Gambling licenses are usually required by organizations that offer any type of games of chance or those that involve wagering, such as roulette, poker, slots, pari-mutuel racing and lotteries, among a few. The requirements for the issuance of a gambling license might vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.
Requirements for licensing
It is one of the primarily roles of a gambling control board to issue a license. The issuance of a license is based on those standards that are broadly described in the controlling act that grants authority to the gambling control board, which are further defined and explained by the rules and regulations promulgated by the gambling control board.
Some of the requirements that may be imposed on organizations that desire to conduct a gambling business within a state or other jurisdiction include meeting certain standards of good character, honesty and integrity, disclosing detailed financial and organizational information about the gambling establishment, its owners, partners and other associated persons and providing employment and criminal information on certain individuals within the organization.
The requirements and standards that must be met to obtain a license to conduct a gambling business are comparable to those standards that financial institutions also have to accomplish, such as banks and insurance companies. The purpose of these stringent requirements is to discourage application by certain persons who may be engaged in organized criminal enterprises or may lack the required experience or financial stability to properly engage in the operation of a gambling enterprise.
Many gambling control boards have undertaken a process of allowing for multijurisdictional application as a way to ease and streamline the process of registration for establishments doing business across several state lines.
Before applying for a casino license
There are several steps that online casino operators must follow before applying for an online casino license. Obtaining a casino license can sometimes be time-consuming, and being familiarized with all the legal aspects will drastically decrease the time frame between applying for and actually obtaining an online casino license.
- Find all information about the gambling jurisdiction, requirements, gambling license costs, taxes and application processing time.
- Find out how to start a locally registered company which allows you to run an online casino.
- Be ready to prepare all personal documents required, including bank reference letter, certificate of no criminal record, passport copies and other documents which could already be listed on the gambling commission’s website.
- Find out if your online gaming provider offers games and software which comply with the local requirements of the jurisdiction, including RNG, software functionality and more.
The simple solution
Companies like slogold, capstone group and fastoffshore.Com provide a way to accomplish the licensing and registration of a gambling entity. They can offer ways to obtain licensure in offshore jurisdictions at a low cost, as well as conduct any necessary research and other legal and compliance work that is required by a jurisdictional gambling control board. This type of assistance may provide a benefit for the gambling organization that wishes to conduct business in certain jurisdictions and lack the manpower or expertise to navigate the laws, rules and regulations within.
Licensing a gambling enterprise offshore requires the creation of a company for the service of process, billing and payments and getting that entity licensed.
Top offshore casino options
There are certain regions around the world which have specific legislation in place, that allows companies to operate online gaming sites. These regions are called online gaming jurisdictions, and their authorities are the ones you need to contact if you want to open an online casino.
If you decide to start a gaming company that offers services over the internet, it is important to familiarize yourself with the legal aspects that apply in the country where you want to start your business.
If the legal practices allow you, an interesting and widely-used solution is opening an offshore online casino. There are multiple jurisdictions where you can open an offshore company, and operate your online gaming site with a license obtained from their licensing authorities.
Here are some of the most well-known jurisdictions where you can obtain an online gaming license and start an offshore casino:
Costa rica
NAME: COSTA RICA ONLINE GAMING COMPANY
INITIAL SETUP COSTS: $3,800
ANNUAL FEE (STARTING FROM 2nd year): $1,150
TIME REQUIRED TO OBTAIN LICENSE: 2-3 weeks
OTHER DETAILS: includes registered agent & registered office fees in costa rica and government maintenance fees in costa rica
Currently there is no governmental or regulatory framework governing online gaming in costa rica, with no official gambling license solution existing. Businesses and operations related to online casinos in costa rica are not regulated or supervised. Like so, you cannot obtain an online gambling license from the government.
Therefore, since there is no authority to regulate the local gambling industry, operators can open an online casino using a gambling license alternative from the costa rica online gaming company. To start an online gaming site in costa rica, you would need to open a costa rica corporation, with affordable costs and fees, with basic due diligence required and all nationalities accepted as directors or owners.
In our opinion, opening an online casino in costa rica can be beneficial in terms of costs, but since the industry is not regulated in any way, online gaming sites which operate in costa rica tend to have a bad reputation. Since the activity is completely uncontrollable, many operators have resorted to laundering money or using pirated software. Even so, many operators decide to work with a dedicated company who can help with opening a corporation in costa rica and an online casino in the shortest amount of time.
You can start your online casino with a costa rica license by contacting fast offshore
Curacao
NAME: curacao gambling commission
INITIAL SETUP COSTS: $19,850
ANNUAL FEE (STARTING FROM 2nd year): $17,810
TIME REQUIRED TO OBTAIN LICENSE: 8-12 weeks*
OTHER DETAILS: a deposit of around $35,000 is required and payable to the country's department of justice for the purpose of investigating the licensing application
*the fees specified above are issued by fastoffshore.Com.
The nation of curacao has been active in issuing offshore gambling licenses since 1996 and is considered to be one of the most stable providers of licensing services for gambling enterprises. Curacao offers a single license type, covering all games of chance and skill, as well as sports betting bookmakers.
Gambling enterprises wishing to be licensed in curacao must be registered with the netherlands antilles chamber of commerce and designated as either an on or offshore legal entity.
Prior to the issuance of any license, a deposit of around $35,000 is required and payable to the country's department of justice for investigating the licensing application. Gambling enterprises pay a monthly fee of $5,000 that is charged for a period of two years. The fee can be renegotiated at the end of this two-year period.
Gibraltar
NAME: gibraltar licensing authority
INITIAL SETUP COSTS: none
ANNUAL FEE (STARTING FROM 2nd year): gaming tax is levied at 1% of turnover for bookmakers with the tax capped at £425,000 . Minimum gaming tax payable is £85,000 per year.
TIME REQUIRED TO OBTAIN LICENSE: the consideration of applications can take several months, as a result of the extensive due diligence carried out.
OTHER DETAILS: licenses are renewable annually on the payment of a fee of £2,000 .
Operators who want to obtain a remote gambling license from gibraltar must contact the local licensing authority to apply for an online gaming license. According to the gambling commission’s website, the licensing process can prove to be difficult, as the licensing authority only considers licensing blue chip companies with a proven track record in gambling, with good financial standing and a realistic business plan.
The licensing authority currently requires detailed documentation along with a business plan, details and references on owners and personnel, evidence of previous licenses, expertise in offshore gaming and financial standing.
For fixed odds betting, the gaming tax in gibraltar is currently set at 1% of the turnover up to £42,500,000 with the gaming tax capped at £425,000 per year, with a minimum tax payable of £85,000 per year. For internet casinos, the gaming tax is levied at 1% of the gaming yield of gross profit.
Licenses are renewable annually for a fee of £2,000 if all terms and conditions on the license are fully satisfied.
Operators who want to apply for an online casino license in gibraltar must take several actions regarding customer privacy and data protection, and must ensure that all advertising and promotion methods will exclusively target adult players and will be truthful and accurate, while also respecting the anti-money-laundering code of practice.
Another aspect that operators should consider when applying for a gibraltar license is that all the products they will offer must be tested and certified in compliance with gibraltar’s regulatory model and standards. Like so, the games that will appear on your casino website must be approved by an independent test house, such as itech labs or BMM compliance.
You can find more information about how to open your online casino with a gibraltar license here.
Philippines
NAME: PAGCOR (the philippine amusement and gaming corporation)
INITIAL SETUP COSTS: application and processing fee of $50,000 for online casinos, and $40,000 for sports betting, and another $200,000 and $150,000 , respectively, upon approval of the license.
ANNUAL FEE (STARTING FROM 2nd year): $10,000 /month per table, for RNG-based games $100 /month per player, and $40,000 for sports betting, plus $20,000 to cover probity and site visit, for accreditation as POGO gaming agent.
TIME REQUIRED TO OBTAIN LICENSE: depends on a range of factors.
OTHER DETAILS: the corporation has recently been forced to impose a license limit for gaming operators. The cap is 50 licenses, and 40 have already been granted.
The authority which regulates the online gaming industry in philippines and issues online casino licenses is called the philippine amusement and gaming corporation, or PAGCOR. PAGCOR issues licenses for offshore-based operators, for e-casinos (including table games, slots, other card, wheel and dice games, skill games, arcade-type games) and sports betting.
Operators who want to start an offshore casino in philippines must open a business organized in the philippines or any other foreign country (with the condition to have a philippines offshore gaming agent). The applicant should also comply with the regulator’s licensing process and requirements, including a probity check conducted by a third party, a review of the business plan and a review of the gaming system, which must be certified by a PAGCOR accredited gaming lab.
The fees for an online gaming license in the philippines consist of an application and processing fee of $50,000 for e-casinos, and $40,000 for sports betting. Applicants must also pay the corresponding fees after the license approval, which are $200,000 for e-casino and $150,000 for sports betting. Gaming taxes also apply.
Licensees are first allowed to pay fixed gaming taxes for the initial six-month period of implementation, for live studio set-up, $10,000/month per table, for RNG-based games $100 /month per player, and $40,000 for sports betting. The applicant should also pay $20,000 to cover probity and site visit, for accreditation as POGO gaming agent.
The philippines online gaming license can be costly, but it can prove to be unique and highly valuable, because it is the only license available to companies who want to start an online gaming business in the lucrative asian gaming market. The corporation has recently been forced to impose a 50-license limit on its attractive licenses, despite receiving more than a hundred applications from gaming providers. All information about the philippine license can be found here.
Isle of man
NAME: isle of man gambling supervision commission
INITIAL SETUP COSTS: application fee of £5,000
ANNUAL FEE (STARTING FROM 2nd year): £35,000 per year, runs for five years
TIME REQUIRED TO OBTAIN LICENSE: depends on a range of factors
OTHER DETAILS: 0% corporation tax and competitive gaming duty (based on profits), ranging from 0.1%- 1.5%.
Excellent reputation for targeting the asian gaming market
In the isle of man, the licensing authority is called the isle of man gambling supervision commission. If you want to establish your online casino business in the isle of man, you should satisfy a few criteria, including establishing a manx company, having at least 2 local, individual directors, appointing at least one resident designated official or an operations manager, registering players on isle of man servers or operating under a local network services license, while also locating the gambling and trading accounts in a bank in the isle of man.
The legislation that regulates the online gambling industry in the isle of man is the online gambling regulation act of 2001, or OGRA. The application starts with completing an application form and paying the application fee of £5,000 , followed by an inspection process during which the inspectorate and the designated official or operations manager discuss the business model. The OGRA license which permits gambling activities costs £35,000 per year and runs for five years.
The gambling supervision commission will perform several analyses during these five years, including analysis of the financial accounts, analysis of ownership, analysis of game rules and technical checks on games, analysis of transaction recording for games, and more.
IMPORTANT: isle of man has developed an excellent reputation for targeting the asian market.
You can find all required information about how to open an offshore casino with an isle of man license here.
Malta
NAME: malta gaming authority
INITIAL SETUP COSTS: application fee for new license of €2,330
ANNUAL FEE (STARTING FROM 2nd year):
- Yearly license fees – €8,500
- Renewal fees – €1,500
- Approval fees for transfer or assignment of license – €1,500
- Administrative fees (where applicable)
TIME REQUIRED TO OBTAIN LICENSE: approximately between 12 to 16 weeks
OTHER DETAILS: the gaming tax differs from one class to another. The applicable tax rates can be found in the fourth schedule of the regulations, which may be found in the remote gaming regulations on the authority’s website here.
Malta is known for its dynamic and fast-growing gaming sector. If you want to open an offshore casino in malta, you should know that the malta gaming authority (MGA) issues licenses under the provisions of the remote gaming regulations.
During the application process, the MGA tests the applicants to find out if they comply with a few criteria: the applicant must be fit and proper to conduct gaming business, must have the operational and statutory requirements to meet the obligations prescribed by law and policy, should be correctly prepared to develop a business strategy and should test and implement all technical aspects before opening the online casino.
The MGA issues 4 classes of gaming licenses – the class 1 license has been designed for remote casino gaming, including casino-type games and online operators.
The costs of obtaining and owning a malta casino license include: an application fee for new license of €2,330 , a system review of €2,500 , the license fee of €8,500 , plus other approval and compliance fees. The compliance review is €3,500 .
The MGA has clear procedures and prevention instruments regarding money laundering issues. The MGA claims to take affirmative steps to prevent money laundering and other suspicious transactions, the applicant being obliged to provide the MGA with the necessary due diligence documents of key officials, directors and shareholders. Players who make payments which are above the value of €2,330 should also be verified by the online casino operator.
You can find all information regarding obtaining a malta casino license here.
Panama
NAME: panama gaming control board (junta de control de juegos)
STARTUP COSTS: license fee of USD $40,000
ANNUAL FEE (STARTING FROM 2nd year): annual license fee of USD $20,000
TIME REQUIRED TO OBTAIN LICENSE: depends on a range of factors
OTHER DETAILS: internet gaming companies domiciled in panama enjoy complete tax exemptions.
The online gaming industry in panama is supervised by the panama gaming board. Operators who want to start an offshore casino in panama need to request a casino license through a panama attorney, and fulfill a series of requirements.
If you are looking to open an online casino in panama, you should know that the laws here allow operators to be exempt of all taxes. As long as the income made from online gaming is from outside panama, there are no taxes, including income tax, sales tax or VAT. More than that, offshore companies are not subject to foreign exchange control.
To start an online gaming site in panama, operators must not have any criminal record and need to ensure that all software and games comply with the regulations of the panama internet gaming license. Operators must also monitor game payouts and make sure that records of all transactions are available for inspection by the government. More than that, all operators must comply with international money laundering regulations.
The panama initial license fee costs $40,000 , and the additional annual fee costs $20,000 . The license lasts for 7 years.
Antigua and barbuda
NAME: financial services regulatory commission
STARTUP COSTS:
Interactive gaming license fee $100,000
Interactive wagering license fee $75,000
ANNUAL FEE (STARTING FROM 2nd year): annual renewal fee for each license $5,000
TIME REQUIRED TO OBTAIN LICENSE: decision will be granted after 60 days of receipt of requirements.
OTHER DETAILS:
Reserve requirement of $100,000
Monitoring system fee – 1 license: $25,000 ; 2 licenses: $45,000
Obtaining a license in the twin-island caribbean nation of antigua and barbuda requires approval from the country's financial services regulatory commission and its division of gambling. The nation is the first jurisdiction to permit offshore licensing of gambling establishments, since 1994.
The licensing process encompasses 3 schedules and a non-refundable $15,000 to be submitted for conducting investigations, due diligence and assessments of the applicant. After 60 days, a decision will be granted by the commission.
After the application has been approved, operators of establishments that maintain a primary server in the nation should pay an interactive gaming license fee of $100,000 /interactive wagering license fee of $75,000 annually. The annual renewal fee for each license costs $5,000 , and the key person license fees consist of $1,000 for the first year and $250 for the second year and there onwards.
There is also a reserve requirement of at least $100,000 , acting as a security form for the benefit of players, to ensure that license holders obligations to players can be fulfilled. A monitoring system fee, $25,000 for one license and $45,000 for two licenses, per year, are also included.
Belize
NAME: gaming control committee of belize
INITIAL SETUP COSTS: $18,000 for 1 year
ANNUAL FEE (STARTING FROM 2nd year): to extend the license one should pay $10,000
TIME REQUIRED TO OBTAIN LICENSE: very fast procedure of getting the license: if all license legislation requirements are conducted, the license is issued within 24 hours
OTHER DETAILS: gaming license includes all gambling types for computers and other devices
Belize is a small english-speaking country in central america which has started regulating the online gaming business and offering online casino licenses since 2000. The process of obtaining an online casino license by operators is controlled and regulated by the gaming control committee of belize. Gaming companies registered here are prohibited to take bets from belize citizens. On the other hand, belize is considered to be an interesting solution for offshore businesses, thanks to the profitable taxation policy.
To operate an online casino, you would have to obtain an online gambling license which costs $18,000 for 1 year, and $10,000 per year for extending the license. The annual license expires on march 31, despite the issue date.
The belize jurisdiction has set up strict requirements for operators, including:
- The applicant must run an international company registered in belize;
- Applicants must provide their fingerprints;
- Company founders who don’t stay in the country and are not citizens, should apply for citizenship;
- The company should make a deposit in the central bank of belize to prevent possible debts;
- If funds on deposits run out, it must immediately be reported to the gambling commission.
Kahnawake
NAME: kahnawake gaming commission
INITIAL SETUP COSTS:
Key person license application fee of $5,000 for each proposed key person.
ANNUAL FEE (STARTING FROM 2nd year):
Client provider authorization $20,000 per year
TIME REQUIRED TO OBTAIN LICENSE: 4-8 weeks (time to complete due diligence report)
OTHER DETAILS: -
The mohawk territory of kahnawake is located in quebec, canada. It’s an indian reserve that’s about 48.05 square kilometers. The kahnawake gaming commission is the regulatory authority which issues gaming licenses. Currently, the kahnawake gaming commission issues four different types of licenses.
Operators who want to start an online casino in kahnawake have the following license options:
- Interactive gaming license (IGC)
- Client provider authorization (CPA)
- Secondary client provider authorization (secondary CPA)
- Key person license (KPL)
You can read more about these license types at the official site of the kahnawake gaming commission.
To apply for a license with the kahnawake gaming commission, the applicant should pay an initial fee to the commission. This fee is $40,000 for a client provider authorization license. There’s also an application fee of $5,000 for each key person license. Both fees are refundable if the commission rejects an application.
To ensure that players are treated fairly, the kahnawake gaming commission requires operators to follow a set of guidelines which include:
- The company and persons that own and operate the interactive gaming site are of good character, honesty and integrity.
- The software (including the random number generator, where applicable) and systems used by the interactive gaming site have been thoroughly tested to ensure accuracy and fairness.
The software and systems used by the interactive gaming site are comprehensively audited on an annual basis by at least one of the commission’s approved agents.
BY CASINOWEBSCRIPTS PUBLISHED 10 january 2018
Online casino licenses
Online casino licences is a must-have for all gambling sites on the internet.
It does not matter if the site in question is offering casino games, lottery, e-sports or betting, they all need a gaming licence to do so.
But all gaming licences are not equal.
In fact, they are far from, and we’ll explain why:
As the online casino industry is growing at a phenomenal rate and, as with any industry that is experiencing exceptional growth, there will always be unscrupulous operators who are trying to make a quick buck by manipulating the system or defrauding unsuspecting people.
Therefore, it is essential for gamblers to avoid dodgy online casinos and only play at sites that are safe, secure and trustworthy.
The best way to ensure that the online casino that you choose is safe and trustworthy is to check the licences that the casino holds.
All online casinos based across the united kingdom must have a UK gambling commission licence.
However, there are other online casinos that you might frequent that operate from offshore, like isle of man, curacao, malta or alderney, and it is important to check all casino licences before you join a site.
Here at online.Casino we have put together a comprehensive guide to all the licences that casinos can hold.
This way it’s easy to understand what a specific licence stands for and to choose a trustworthy operator.
Online casino licences explained
Online gamblers are attracted by welcome bonuses and VIP promotions but very few players take the time to check a casino’s licence. Before you get caught up in all the excitement, take a few minutes to check that you are signing up for a reputable online casino with a valid licence. Since the introduction of the 2005 gambling act that was amended in 2014, most of the top online casinos in the UK are licenced and controlled by the UKGC.
The gambling act gives the legal provision to regulate the interactive betting, such as the online sports betting, bingo and the casino games. The gambler should be of the majority age which is 18 years. The advantages of licensing this system are:
- To ensure that all online gambling games are transparent, honest and fair.
- Prevent the exploitation and harming of vulnerable people and children (players must be over 18).
- Prevent any links between gambling and criminal activity.
Casino licences are designed to regulate the industry and protect the interests of players. To obtain a licence from the UKGC, an online casino or gambling operator must meet certain criteria, including:
- Confirmation of identity – this is to ensure that the operator who is applying for operating licence can be held accountable.
- Proof of enough finances to operate an online casino – ensuring that the casino will not go bankrupt after the players deposit their money with them.
- Proof of both the experience and the qualifications – to ascertain if the operator has the capability of running an online gambling business.
- A clean criminal record.
What are offshore licences?
While most top casinos across the UK are licenced by the UKGC, there are sites that operate under offshore licences from countries like malta, curacao and cyprus.
The gambling act of 2005 empowers the UK gambling commission in the regulation and licensing of all gambling businesses in the UK.
However, there are a number of legal exceptions that allow online casinos based in other countries to operate in the gambling industry across the UK under the regulatory framework of the UKGC. These countries and territories include;
- Alderney
- Antigua
- Barbuda
- European economic area countries
- Gibraltar
- Isle of man
- Tasmania
The amendments to the gambling, licensing and advertising act of 2014 further provides that online casinos based in these countries or territories should have a base element of their equipment or facilities in the UK to retain their remote licence. This gives the gambling commission of the UK the jurisdiction over these whitelisted casino operators.
How to know what licences a casino holds
All online casinos that operate in the UK require a UKGC licence or a valid offshore licence. If you want to know if your favourite slot or the casino you want to sign up for has a licence to operate in the UK, you simply need to look at the casino website.
Most sites display the stamp, crest or name of all their licences in the footer of the website, along with their company details and contact information.
But just because an online casino site claims to have a valid UKGC or offshore licence does not necessary mean that they are in fact licenced.
If you have any doubts about the licences a casino site holds, you can make a note of the licence number on the casino website and then look up that number on the UK gambling commission website (or relevant offshore regulators site).
The UKGC also has a search page where you can find any licensed casino operator and where they are based.
UKGC licence requirements
The UKGC has the responsibility of regulating the online gambling industry and acquiring a gaming license in the UK is nor easy or cheap.
To meet all the conditions of the UKGC will take a lot of time. However, other than the time and the costs involved, casinos need to follow all the correct procedures and obtain a UKGC licence.
It is illegal for operators to run non-licensed casinos in the UK. Only the casinos licensed by the UKGC are allowed to advertise in both print media and TV.
For the operators who fail to comply with the rules set by the UKGC, there are heavy fines. UK online casino operators should pay a yearly point in consumption tax which is 15% of their total profits.
Part of this tax id used for funding programs such as gambling addiction initiatives.
As a player, you are not subjected to taxes on your casino winnings if you won from a UKGC licenced website.
1. Social responsibility
For the majority of players, betting is a fun and harmless form of entertainment.
Unfortunately; there are some people who can’t gamble responsibly or who become addicted to gambling which can destroy their lives. Therefore, it is a priority for the gambling commission of the UK to protect vulnerable people.
Social responsibility is an important component of the UKGC licence requirements, and it is all about protecting the interests of the players and reducing the negative impact of gambling on families and communities.
Gambling is won by chances so, any form of gambling has inherent risks but the UKGC strives to protect players by enforcing marketing and advertising guidelines and regulations, preventing underage gambling, implementing fair and transparent terms and conditions, and requiring sites to have self-exclusion options.
As of 2019, the new regulations have been enforced to do more safeguard the vulnerable players and minors. The licensed casinos in the UK are supposed to confirm the identity and the age of each new member they register before they place their initial gaming money on the site.
The UKGC constantly reviews its regulations and introduces new measures to protect players and they work closely with a number of partner organisations to implement treatment, education, harm prevention and research programmes as well as improve social responsibility in the online gambling industry.
2. Anti-money laundering
The UKGC is serious about preventing crime in the online gambling industry and forcing online casinos operating in the UK to comply with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing laws and legislation.
Not only do all UKGC licenced casinos have to comply with the industry laws and regulations regarding financial transactions, but the commission is also committed to raising the standards of anti-money laundering and counterterrorist financing across the casino industry and encouraging casino operators to do more to regulate themselves and protect the industry from exploitation by criminals and terrorists.
The UK gambling commission has formalised an agreement with HM revenue and customs (HMRC) to reflect recent changes in money laundering legislation under the money laundering, terrorist financing and transfer of funds (information on the payer) regulations 2017 (MLR 2017) and the commission will undertake to draw the attention of online casinos to the guidelines issued by HMRC. The UKGC works tirelessly to prevent criminals from profiting from online gambling.
3. Technical standards
Any form of betting for real money has its own set of risks. It is a game of chances, however for most players, that is what makes gambling exciting.
Technology has completely changed how the game operates. It has made gambling easier for the fraudsters in this industry to defraud the gamblers and to alter the results. To safeguard the interests of gamblers, all licenced UK casinos must comply with the technical standards and requirements of the UK gambling commission, but these standards should not be used as the sole measure of reliability, quality or security.
There are also a number of independent assessment bodies in the gambling industry that encourage online casinos to sign up and commit to various technical standards.
Independent agencies include:
- Ecogra
- GLI
- Technical systems testing
- The european sports security association
The agencies above all monitor casino websites, and reports are available to the public. Sometimes you can find these reports linked in the footer of casinos.
4. Alternative dispute resolution
The UKGC dispute resolution system has been set up to protect the rights of the gamblers and requires casinos to comply certain set of rules when dealing with complaints and to settle the disputes facilitated by a sovereign third party or any ADR facilitator.
The onus is on the casino to ensure that their dispute resolution procedures and requirements for handling the disputes are fair and transparent and must give players easy to understand and accessible information on the process of filing a complaint including timescales, contact details and arrangement for referring disputes to an ADR facilitator if the casino cannot effectively resolve a dispute within eight weeks.
Online casinos need to accept complains launched by a person, through the phone or email and provide customers with written confirmation when the complaints process has reached a conclusion.
The casinos are not allowed to set up unreasonable time limits for players to launch a complaint. They must provide information on how to quicken and refer a complaint to an ADR provider. They also need to issue feedbacks from the ADR facilitators not more than 10 days late.
Best online casinos with a swedish license
All reliable online casinos for players from sweden 
Since the start of 2019 online casinos can only accept players from sweden when they have a valid swedish gambling license. In the past every online casino could target swedish players. And all online casinos accepted players from sweden. But things have changed now. The swedish government launched an online gambling bill in 2018. And this new bill is active since the start of 2019. A big shock in the online gambling industry because loads of online casinos had to close their doors for swedish players. On this page I am going to explain you all you need to know about legal online casinos for players from sweden. And you find an overview of best online casinos with a swedish license.
New regulations and license applications
The new regulations are finally happening in sweden. After years of planning sweden decided to follow their neighbours denmark to open their online gambling market for private companies. At the 1st of august the swedish authority started to accept license applications. On the first day 22 operators applied for a swedish license. In total over 60 operators applied for a license.
Best online casinos with a swedish license
Before I am going to tell you more about the swedish license and the new regulations I will show you an overview of the best online casinos with a swedish license. In the table below you see a quick overview of reliable online casinos which received a license from the swedish gambling authority. Underneath the table you find more information related to the best swedish online casinos and other casinos with a valid license.
| KASINON | RECENSION | BONUS | ÖVERSYN | UTAN INSÄTTNING | SPELA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | videoslots | 100 kr + 100% (2.000 kr) |  | 100 kr gratis | |
| playgrand | 50 gratis spins 150% bonusar | | 50 gratis spins | ||
 | playojo | 50 gratis spins + 30 spins | | 50 gratis spins | |
 | dunder | 20 + 100 gratis spins 100% - (1.000 kr) | | 20 gratis spins | |
 | jonny jackpot | 100 gratis spins 100% bonusar | | - | |
| casilando | 3.000 kr 90 gratis spins | | - | ||
 | 21casino | 121% bonusar (13.000 kr) | | 21 gratis spins | |
| leovegas 18+ år - regler & villkor gäller, stodlinjen.Se | 200% - (4.000 kr) 30 gratis spins | | - | ||
 | casumo | 200 gratis spins 12.000 kr | | - | |
 | bethard | 25 gratis spins 200% boni | | 25 gratis spins |
More information related to casinos with a swedish gambling license
In the table above you see our top 10 swedish online casinos. Casinos in this table have received a swedish gambling license. Now it is time to tell you a bit more about regulated online casinos in sweden.
Videoslots.Com
Videoslots is the biggest online casino on the internet. At this casino you can play over 3.000 different games. You can play these games on your desktop, tablet, smartphone or smart TV. Every week videoslots adds new games to their online casino. And new players from sweden receive an interesting welcome bonus. Videoslots was one of the first casinos that received the new swedish license. Videoslots is actually a swedish company owned by swedish owners.
Welcome bonus (minimum deposit €10)
11 wager free welcome spins
€10 free play money
100% bonus up to €200
Leovegas casino
Leovegas is a very popular online casino because they offer casino games and sports betting. The casino is one of the biggest gambling companies in the world. Leovegas has licenses is most regulated countries. They have a danish, swedish, italian, spannish and polish license. Swedish players can download the leovegas app on ios or android and play all the games on their mobile phone.
Welcome bonus
50 free spins (no deposit needed)
200% bonus up to €50
300 free spins on deposit
Dunder casino
This casino is owned by 2 swedish entrepeneurs. They decided to move their company to malta because they could get better tax rates and business opportunities there. After they received a swedish gambling license they could move back to sweden. Dunder casino is a relative new online casino but in my eyes it is one of the best. The casino offers over 1.300 casino games on desktop, tablet and smartphone.
Dunder offers super-fast payouts. You receive your money within a few minutes after you requested a withdrawal. It is a very player friendly casino and they offer the best terms and conditions for swedish players.
Most important points new legislation sweden
From the 1st of january 2019 the new swedish gambling law is forced (SFS 2018:1138). The main points in this law are listed below:
- 0% tax rate for non-profit gambling activities (companies that organise gambling activities without making a profit don’t have to pay any tax)
- 18% tax for online gambling companies with a commercial perspective
- There a six different swedish licenses
- Companies pay between 400.000 – 700.000 SEK for a valid license
- Players have to be 18+ when they want to play online
- Players have to be 21+ when they want to play at a land-based casino
Sweden wants to create a regulated and safe gambling envirnoment for swedish people. The new legislation focuses on game security and protection of the consumer. Players have to possibility to pause or self-exclude their accounts at all casinos in a single action. Illegal gambling and match fixing will be punished directly. Companies that have a license and don’t follow the rules can receive huge fines and punishments. They could lose their license permanently.
6 types of swedish gambling licenses
Lotteriinspektionen (the swedish gambling authority) offers 6 gambling licenses. The following licenses are available for companies that want to target the swedish markets:
- State owned games – license for state owned companies
- Public purpose games – license for non profit organisations
- Commercial online games – any company that meets up with the quality criteria
- Betting – any company that meets up with the quality criteria
- Commercial land-based games – any company that meets up with the quality criteria
- Cruise ship games – license for ships on international waters
Gaming companies with swedish roots could move back to sweden
There are a lot of swedish gambling companies that moved out of sweden a few years ago. They left sweden because of the recent monopoly situation in their country. Companies moved to the igaming hub malta. In malta they have better business opportunities and better tax rates. With this new legislation in sweden it could happen that big software companies like netent, play ‘n go and evolution gaming move back to sweden.
Big online casinos like videoslots.Com, leovegas, dunder and kindred could also decide to move back to sweden when the monopoly situation is gone. Sweden could be the next interesting igaming hub. Many big operators already show interest in the stockholm stock exchange.
Players from sweden receive 1 welcome bonus at an online casino
When you are living in sweden you can only collect 1 welcome bonus when you join a new casino. Casinos are not allowed to offer the players reload bonuses, cashback, free spins, loyalty points or cash bonuses.
With that in mind we can expect that players open up new accounts at new online casinos on a regular basis. For swedish players it is interesting to try multiple online casino. When you want to receive bonuses and free spins we recommend you to try a few online casinos with a swedish license.
List of online casinos with a swedish license
Why are there only a few casinos with a swedish license?
The swedish gambling commission wants to have control over the gambling market. They want to make the market safe for all inhabitants of sweden. When a country doesn’t work with licenses all casinos are able to accept players from sweden. This could lead to fraud because swedish players could end up playing at unreliable casinos. Unreliable casinos often have lower payout percentages or they have bonuses with unacceptable bonus conditions.
With a license system the gambling commission decides which casinos receive a license. Only the casinos with a license are allowed to accept players from sweden. Casinos without a valid license are not allowed to target the swedish market. When they target the swedish market and accept players from sweden they can receive a huge fine. And of course they will never receive a license when they apply for one.
This is why online casinos should apply for a swedish license
Sweden is a country with a lot of wealthy people. The internet connections are super-fast and 90% of the population has access to internet. Over 90% of all swedish have a mobile phone with an internet connection. Swedish people love to drink and gamble. Drinking and gambling is a good combination for casinos. Players from sweden have a very high player value and that is why a lot of online casinos applied for a swedish gambling license.
The licenses are not very expansive when you compare it to other countries like denmark and italy.
Can I still collect bonuses at online casinos in sweden?
Yes, you can collect bonuses at online casinos.
Keep notice that online casinos in sweden are only allowed to give you one welcome bonus. After you joined the casino you can use the welcome bonus. After you used this bonus the casinos are not allowed to give you more bonuses, free spins, cashback or free play money. If you want more bonuses we recommend you to register an account at another casino in sweden. You can collect a new welcome bonus in that case.
How did the re-regulation in sweden came together?
Below you see a timeline. In this timeline we show you the steps taken by the swedish gambling commission. After years of investigation the re-regulation became a fact on the 1st of january 2019.
- Sept 2015 – the civil minister opens an investigation on re-regulating the gambling market in sweden
- 29th oct 2015 – the general director of lotteriinspektionen is appointed to lead the investigation
- 31st march 2017 – the general director (hakan hallstedt) contacts the government and hands over the investigation (1300+ pages)
- 9th jan 2018 – the council of legislation receives a proposal for the new legislation
- 5th april 2018 – government approves the bill
- 7th june 2018 – the swedish parliament also approves the new gambling law
- 1st aug 2018 – casino operators can apply for a new swedish casino license (22 casinos apply for a license on the first day)
- 1st jan 2019 – the new swedish gambling law is live (55 operators applied for a new swedish casino license)
Our conclusion – best online casinos with a swedish license
In my opinion it is a good step to regulate the swedish market. Now swedish players are more protected against unreliable online casinos. Players from sweden now only have access to online casinos that are regulated by the swedish gambling commission. This new swedish license makes gambling saver for all players living in sweden. And the gambling commission now has a much better control over the market.
With the new law the swedish government will earn 18% tax. They can and will use this tax revenue to invest in local projects and health care.
For players it is amazing that there is a new law because now they don’t risk losing money at an unreliable online casino. And when they have a problem with a legit casino they can contact the gambling commission. The gambling commission can help players when they have issues with one of the legit swedish online casinos.
Online gambling licenses | A brief overview
Online gambling licenses are the most important certificate of trust granted by reputed regulatory authorities. For many reasons, they have become the hallmark of a legitimate and trustworthy online casino.
A gambling license comes with plenty of legal benefits. Firstly, it grants legal access to the players of a country. The casino can take advantage of the critical local infrastructure like the banking system, IT infrastructure, and so on. Once they have a gambling license, they can operate in the country legitimately, which means that they don’t have to worry about the legal consequences.
Secondly, regulators have stringent requirements for licensing the casinos. The casinos are not required to disclose their financials, but also prove to them that their casino software and casino games offer fair odds to the players. All these factors evoke a high degree of trust on the part of the punters when they see a casino licensed by a gambling regulator with an untarnished reputation.
Considering that a gambling license is so crucial for online casinos, it’s vital that online casino operators, potential online casino owners, and players understand how they work.
Online gambling licenses are the most important certificate of trust granted by reputed regulatory authorities. For many reasons, they have become the hallmark of a legitimate and trustworthy online casino.
A gambling license comes with plenty of legal benefits. Firstly, it grants legal access to the players of a country. The casino can take advantage of the critical local infrastructure like the banking system, IT infrastructure, and so on. Once they have a gambling license, they can operate in the country legitimately, which means that they don’t have to worry about the legal consequences.
Secondly, regulators have stringent requirements for licensing the casinos. The casinos are not required to disclose their financials, but also prove to them that their casino software and casino games offer fair odds to the players. All these factors evoke a high degree of trust on the part of the punters when they see a casino licensed by a gambling regulator with an untarnished reputation.
Considering that a gambling license is so crucial for online casinos, it’s vital that online casino operators, potential online casino owners, and players understand how they work.
WHAT’S A CASINO LICENSE | HOW ARE LICENSES AWARDED | GAMBLING REGULATORS | CHECK LICENSES | CONCLUSION
UK gambling commission
Malta gaming authority
Gibraltar regulatory authority
Curacao egaming
Alderney gambling control commission
What is an online casino license?
An online gambling license is a remote gambling license that allows a casino to host its infrastructure in one place and offer its services over the internet to players in several jurisdictions.
Technically, any business that offers critical casino services like an online casino software provider, online casino games provider, or a casino operator is required to obtain a gambling license. In some countries, each of these parties is required to obtain separate gambling licenses, while in some countries, they get a standard gambling license that covers all of them.
Online gambling is one of the most heavily regulated industries across the world. The regulatory requirement varies from one jurisdiction to another, but there is a common theme to the approaches of all these jurisdictions to online gambling. There are a standard set of business requirements and another set of casino-related compliance requirements that the applicants must meet to obtain gambling licenses.
Standard business requirements
- The owners of the casino must not be involved in any fraudulent or criminal activity, be it in the present or the past.
- The owners should share extensive details of their identity, origin, place of residence, financials, and so on.
- The owners should be able to prove that they have the financial capacity to operate a thriving online casino for the foreseeable future.
Gambling related requirements
- The casino owners must have the necessary experience to operate a full-fledged online casino
- The online casino must not be used as a front for money laundering purposes
- All the casino games and the casino software offered by the casino must be fair and transparent
- The casino must not take advantage of vulnerable people. That means, only adults above the age of 18 (or the respective country’s qualifying age) should be allowed to play on the casino, and that people suffering from gambling addiction should be provided with the resources they need to overcome the addiction.
Gambling, let alone online gambling, continues to be a subject of much disagreement in most countries across the world. Therefore, online gambling is legal in only a select number of countries. And, an even lesser number of countries have instituted a government body to regulate the online gambling activity. Each of these regulators has their own regulatory and compliance requirements for casinos seeking their licenses. Online gambling licenses from different regulators give the casinos access to different set of global markets. Casinos must consider this when obtaining a gambling license.
Here is the full list of online gambling regulators
- Dutch gaming authority
- UK gambling commission
- Antigua and barbuda financial services regulatory commission
- Alderney gambling control commission
- Curacao gaming control board
- Isle of man gambling supervision commission
- Malta gaming authority
- Kahnawake gaming commission
- Gibraltar regulatory authority
All online gambling regulators have mandated it that the online casinos operating under them display the licensing information at the bottom of their website. They are required to present this information prominently so that it is not lost in fine print. Therefore, players can easily find this information at the footer of all online casinos’ websites.
Not really. There are exceptions.
For instance, online casinos that operate out of costa rica do not have any gambling license because the country does not have a gambling regulator. Instead, they operate as just any other registered business. However, not having a gambling license makes it difficult for the casinos to make use of conventional banking and payment systems. They tend to rely on alternate options like bitcoins.
That said, when a casino has a gambling license, customers have the option of seeking grievance redressal from the relevant regulatory authority. That’s why players trust licensed casinos.
Gambling licenses can cost anywhere between a few thousand pounds to hundreds of thousands of pounds. Naturally, any casino with a reputed online gambling license is in the business for the long term. Therefore, they are bound to evoke greater trust from the players too.
So, let's see, what we have: guide to online casino licenses and jurisdictions for gambling. In this article, we show you where to play safe under regulated authorities | online.Casino™ at casino online license
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