If you read our casino guide, you probably are familiar with the casino licenses. We always recommend checking if the website is certified by certain jurisdictions when looking for real money online casino to sign up with. This casino license may indicate how trustworthy the site is. Not all those licenses, however, are equal. Best online gaming websites have prestigious certification from well-known licensing authorities.
What is license for anyway and how to get this?
When an online casino site is regulated by certain jurisdictions or authorities, it will give the player some peace of mind when they give their financial information or when they deposit some amount to the Indian casino. The players will have the assurance that their money is safe when they bet.
Players can also send complaints to their regulators if they think the online casino site is doing shady business or has breached their license contract. For example, they won’t allow you to withdraw your winnings or you think their games are rigged. Typically, a licensed casinos’ random number generator is regularly checked by a third-party auditor or by the regulator itself. A compliance certificate is given based on the results of the RNG audit.
Of course, the license is not only for the peace of mind of the players. A government that offers licenses usually have one sector that regulates. One of the main purposes of the licensing system is to prevent any connection between gambling and criminal activity such as money laundering.
Before a casino is certified they have to prove the identity of the person or the company to ensure accountability. They also need proof that the company or the person who is applying for a license has enough money to finance and run the gambling business. Moreover, they need to show evidence that the company is honest and the services they offer are trustworthy. Here, they need to show proof of a clear criminal record. Finally, a company that wishes to start a gambling business needs to pay tax and other processing fees.
Most of the real money online casinos that target Indian players are based outside the country. It’s no surprise because another qualification of getting a license is physical presence within the jurisdiction.
As of this writing, the Indian government doesn’t issue any license to any online casino sites. The state of Sikkim is only the state that offers online horse betting and lotteries. In 2010, the state announced that the state will offer three online gambling license, but this plan failed.
Common licensing authorities
There are limited numbers of reliable jurisdictions that offer certification to online casino sites. The Indian casino which wants to operate legally may need to acquire a license from one or two of these regulators. Here are the most common licensing authorities you will meet when you play online gambling for money in India.
Curacao eGaming
The Curacao license is perhaps the most common license you find in the gaming industry. The reason why this jurisdiction is so popular with Indian casino operators is that it charges a tax of just 2% of their profits. The processing time is also fast. It would only take one to two months before the operator received its license when they are qualified. Curacao gambling laws are also friendly for the casino operator.
Only one license is needed to operate any gambling operation under the jurisdiction. The master license holder is also allowed to give sub-licenses to anyone but the master licensee is responsible for all the activities of its sum-license holders.
Malta Gaming Authority
A certification from Malta is one of the most reputed licenses in the gaming industry. Any operators which received a license from this jurisdiction will be listed on the UK Gambling Commission’s “white list”. When an operator is listed under this, they are allowed to target British players aside from Asian players.
There are several stages operators should go through before they receive their license. When they are qualified the online casino site will receive a temporary license for six months. After that, the regulator will examine the site if they are qualified to receive a five-year online gambling license. The operators will have to pay some taxes and other fees depending on the type of their license.
Isle of Man Gambling license
The license from the Isle of Man is also respected in the industry. Any online gambling website that receives a license from this jurisdiction is considered safe and secured for real money playing. This licensing authority is also tag as whitelisted by UK’s Gambling Commission. Operators which receive licenses from this jurisdiction are allowed to offer gambling services to British players.
Some of the most reputed international online casinos have Isle of Man certification. Before the operator received this license, the regulator examines the people involved in the business, the background of the business, the terms and conditions, the game rules, the operator’s software provider, financial status, and business plan.
Gibraltar Gambling Commission
Gibraltar is one of the oldest jurisdictions that offer licenses to online casinos. They have been providing certification way back since 1998. This license is also attractive for many online casino operators because of their clear regulations and lower fees. Operators which want to receive this license need to pay 1% of their annual profit, but no less than £85.000.
The good thing about this license is that players can send complaints to the regulator once the operator breaches their license condition. On the regulator page, you can download the complaint resolution request form. Once filled out the information needed, you can send it to their email gccomplaints@gibraltar.gov.gi.
Alderney Gambling Control Commission
Alderney is also a member of the UK’s Gambling Commission whitelist. The license is highly regarded in the industry and all their licensee are considered safe and legitimate. This jurisdiction has been regulating some of the biggest names in online gambling.
Before the operator is granted this license, the applicant will have to meet with the Gambling Control Board face-to-face. During the meeting, they will have to discuss the operator’s business plan, financial status, internal controls, and their gambling software.
When the casino is granted the license, their funding will be monthly tested so the players will have no issue in withdrawing their winnings. The regulator also insists that the operator should have a self-exclude option for the players who are struggling with addiction.
POGO from PAGCOR
The Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator or POGO is one of the most controversial licensing authority right now. The reason is because of the increase in their tax for their licensee. All casino operators that received their license will have to pay a 5% tax on turnover replacing the previous 2% gross revenue tax. According to a senator in their country, they signed it to law to help close the gap in the country’s’ relief fund during the health crisis. The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) declared that they are not going to issue more POGO license since last year.
How can I tell if the Indian online casino is licensed?
Checking if the Indian casino site isn’t complicated at all. Players can scroll down to the website footer. Those licensed casinos usually show their regulator seal or stamp at the bottom of their page. Most of the time these seals are clickable and will direct you to the regulator page. You can also check the license number typically located at the footer or on the about us page. Finally, you can also visit the regulator page and search for the operator’s name. Here, you can assure that the casino license isn’t fake.