This guide helps you confirm an online casino holds a legitimate licensing certificate so you can avoid gambling platforms out to scam you! (Photo by FLY:D on Unsplash)
If you are worried about signing up for an online casino looking to scam you, then well-done!
You are aware that there are scams out there, and that you need to make sure you do some proper due diligence before choosing the right gambling platform for you.
Do you know the number one rule when it comes to online casinos?
No, it isn’t the one that offers the best games. Although, I admit that is important. You want to have fun, after all. Yet, having fun and winning funds you cannot withdraw or result in your casino account being shut down is no fun at all.
So, what is this cardinal rule?
I know you already know. The title gives it away! So here it is…
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- Only sign up for online casinos that hold reputable online casino licensing!
As easy as that sounds, there is more to it than simply confirming a casino claims to have licensing. Some casinos claim to have licensing cert and even use an authority’s logo, yet it’s a blatant lie. Others have expired licensing. Plus, there are those licensing authorities out there that are, let’s say, a little questionable on how they keep operators in check. And I promise I am not trying to scare you here, but there have also been reports of fake online casino games at casinos without licensing. I published a news story Online Casino Sites Cheat with Fake Slot Titles on 21 August last year!
With the information I just provided in the introduction in mind, I will take you on a brief journey on how you can use a few simple research points to help avoid scam casinos. It is simple due diligence that once you know how, you’ll be able to confirm a legit casino in less than a minute.
Step 1: Finding the Casino’s Licensing
This is the easy part. When you have found an online casino you like the look, then there are 2 ways to check that the casino claims to have legitimate casino licensing.
- Scroll to the casino’s footer and look for the logo for the licensing authority.
- Check the casino’s ‘Terms & Conditions’ – you will usually find the link to the T&Cs in the footer.
The logos in the table accompanying this section
The main countries on Casinoplusbonus are the UK, the Republic of Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, India, and Canada. Therefore, the main licensing authorities we cover are the UKGC, MGA, CeG (Curacao), KGC, and AGCO. The AGCO has a subsidiary called iGaming Ontario. You will see the logos here.
All these licensing authorities ensure casino follow certain rules:
- Player balances are in separate bank accounts to the casino’s bank accounts. This way your casino balance does not count towards the casino’s balance sheet. As a result, if the casino files for insolvency, player casino balances are safe from debtors the casino may owe money too.
- Another important role licensing authorities play is making sure the game developers (software providers) apply for a B2B licensing certification. For a software provider to gain its certification to offer casino under a certain licensing authority, it must hold valid RNG algorithm testing certificates.
Each licensing authority available for each of the geos covered here on the Casinplusbonus iGaming portal are covered more comprehensively on our guide to reputable casinos webpage.
| Licensing Logo & Website to Check Licensing | Country |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) Check UKGC licensing here |
For UK players |
 Curacao Master Licensing (CeG) Check CeG Casino Licensing here |
Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, India, Canada |
 Kahnawake Gaming Commission (KGC) Check KGC Licensing here |
Canada |
 Alcohol and Gaming Commission Ontario (AGCO) Check iGaming Ontario Licensing here |
Ontario Canada |
 Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) Check MGA licensing here |
Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Canada |
Step 2: Checking the casino’s licensing exists
Just because the casino has a logo and says it has licensing in its T&Cs does not always mean it has a legitimate iGaming or sports betting licensing certificate. I know, right? Unfortunately, some casinos will claim they have licensing, but they are faking it.
Example of an operator faking an MGA licensing cert: From a recent report on the MGA news coloumns I found this – MGA has no connection with kaiyun.io. This casino mentioned in the report uses the MGA logo in its footer, but the authority is making it clear that the casino is falsifying its licensing claim.
How do you check the casino is regulated by the licensing authority it claims to hold a certificate with?
You will need the casino’s operator name to search for its licensing number. However, before I get into that, here are 3 steps you can take to make sure the casino you are interested in playing at holds valid licensing.
- Click on the logo in the footer of the casino. This will usually bring up the licensing details.
- Go to the official website of the authority licensing the operator and search for the operator’s name. (See the table in Step 1).
- Check the licensing is ‘Active’
If the operator does not show up when you are searching the licensing authority’s website, you can email the authority. Alternatively, you can ignore this casino and move on to another online casino that you like the look of.
How to use the Casino Operator’s Name to Search for Licensing
The casino name itself does not hold the licensing certificate. You will need to find the name of the casino’s operator. Then, you can use the operator’s name to search for its licensing.
- The operator’s name will show in the footer of the casino.
- The operator’s name will also show up in the casino’s T&Cs.
An Example of Leon Online Casino’s Licensing and Operator Identification
In this screenshot, you can see the Leon Casino operator’s name at the bottom. The two arrows pointing up show the Curacao Licensing logo (left) and the Kahnawake Gaming Commission (KGC) licensing (right).
Casinoplusbonus Casino Review: All our casino tests show who the operator is and gives you the licensing the operator uses. We check for ourselves to ensure at the time of the review the licensing is valid. However, always continue to check for yourself because some operators may allow their licensing to expire after we’ve reviewed it. You can see all our casino reviews here. You’ll find a licensing section, and a section dedicated to telling you about the casino operator.
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