The online casino gaming world is vast with thousands of betting sites claiming to be the best. However, not all these online casinos operate legally. In fact, some are scam gambling sites designed for the sole purpose of stealing players money. So how can you spot a licensed or legal online casino? In this article, we will teach you how to differentiate a legal betting site from an illegal one. Without further ado, let's get started.
Online Casino Licensing
The simplest way to tell if an online casino is legal is to check its license. Every country has its gambling laws. Those that allow some forms of gambling also have bodies that issue licenses to betting infrastructures. For instance, the UK Gambling Commission is the regulatory body that issues licenses to UK online casinos. Another top regulatory authority is Malta Gaming Authority which is known to issue licenses to most European casinos.
It is common for most online casinos to provide their licensing information on their site. After all, a good betting site has nothing to hide. In most cases, you will find the information at the footer of their site or in their About Us section. If your casino does not provide licensing information on its platform, you can go ahead and talk to customer support and request the licensing number and other associated details.
How to Verify the Validity of Online Casino Licenses
It's not enough to believe that an online casino is licensed only because it says so. You need to verify if the license is valid. Interestingly, doing this is quite easy. Once you know the regulatory authority that issues the license and the license number, simply head over to the licensing authority's website. Here, find their online database and enter the license number of the casino. This should bring all the information about the license.
Some top online casinos provide their license certificate seal on their platform. Once you click on the seal, it will redirect you to the regulatory body's platform where you can see their certificate. As a player, you should avoid playing at an unlicensed casino because it may be a rogue operator that wants to steal players money and information. So before you sign up with any betting site, verify its license to be sure that it operates legally.
Benefits of Playing at a Licensed Betting Site
Playing at an online casino that has a license comes with several perks. Regulatory authorities set some rules and regulations that these casinos have to follow. These rules are put in place to ensure that the betting site is transparent and offer the best possible services to players according to the industry standard. If a casino breaks any of the rules, it will be sanctioned. This may involve paying a huge fine, and in some cases, losing its license.
When you play at a licensed online casino, you also have the opportunity to report the betting site to its regulatory body. Although you must have proof to back your claims when reporting a casino. Top online casinos with valid licenses also only feature the best games from licensed developers. This way, you can be confident that the games are fair, and you have the same chances of winning as with everybody else.
Recap and Final Verdict
In this article, we've explained why licensing is important and how it is linked to the legality of online casinos. Remember that you can always verify a betting site's license to know if it operates according to the law. Also, don't forget that you can report an online casino to its regulatory body if it breaks rules and regulations. With all this in mind, next time you want to choose a casino, check its license.