Have you ever visited online gaming, and from the look of it, you knew right away that it isn’t legitimate? If you couldn’t tell, there is something else that would prove your suspicion – the gaming license. Every gaming venue, including Australian online games with real money, must have a license that proves legitimacy. If they don’t, such games are scam websites and must never be used. Are you wondering why it is like that? Well, you are about to find out everything there is to know about gaming licensing below.
What a Gaming License Does
A gaming license is a piece of document that proves the legitimacy of a gaming venue. It proves that such a game is registered for operations within certain jurisdictions. It is provided by a regulatory authority – mostly government-commissioned. With various jurisdictions having designated regulatory authorities, it is only normal to expect different established rules and regulations for operation.
However, these rules are for a common goal – to promote safe and fair gaming. That means these authorities monitor everything that happens within a gaming site, including the workforce and users. Likewise, all accounting and auditing procedures are overseen by them. A lot of gamers choose crypto for business and there is very interesting information about the technology that made Bitcoin possible.
Top Licensing Authorities
As aforementioned, several government-commissioned authorities are saddled with the responsibility of providing licenses to online games. These authorities can be international or local. However, for international authorities, you should expect a multi-jurisdictional approach. This strategy is aimed to provide an internationally recognized license to more casino operators. That being said, the top licensing regulatory bodies include:
Government of Curacao
Curacao e Gaming (also called the Government of Curacao) is one of the world’s known authorities in the iGaming industry. It is definitely one of the oldest regulators since it was established 25 years ago. One of the objectives of this entity is to provide a license that will enhance player confidence when playing games online. Other objectives include providing brand-to-brand accreditations, resolving disputes, and offering license verification certificates to operators. The license provided by this body is valid for five years. And amidst these things, Curacao e Gaming is one for responsible gaming, as it supports measures such as self-exclusion, time limits, and deposit limits.
Malta Gaming Authority
Another top regulatory body is the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA). It is a recognized authority in Europe and is often referred to as the foundation for establishing and growing the iGaming industry. This entity is committed to several things – first, it protects minors and vulnerable players; next, it ensures a safe and fair gaming environment. MGA’s vision is to raise the standards of the iGaming industry and to do that, it indulges in granting licenses to games and monitoring their activities. Likewise, it researches how to improve its services so that online games can effectively contribute to a country’s economy. Malta Gaming Authority has four different licenses and chooses what is specific to an operator – however, each is valid for ten years.
United Kingdom Gaming Commission
The United Kingdom Gaming Commission is the biggest regulatory body for gaming in Great Britain. This authority regulates, monitors, and provides guidance and license to online game operators and players within the jurisdiction. The sole reason it was created was to ensure safe and fair gaming exists in the countries. That is why UKGC ensures that three objective conditions are met before issuing a license to an online game. These objectives include preventing crime gaming, enhancing fair and open gaming, and protecting minors and vulnerable people. The UKGC license is expensive but remains valid for ten years.
The Kahnawake Gaming Commission
The Kahnawake Gaming Commission is another recognized body in the industry. It has been issuing licenses to operators since its establishment in 1999. It is known specifically for providing licenses and regulating gaming activities within and from the Mohawk Territory in Kahnawake, parts of North America, including Canada. Its services, however, aren’t restricted to online games; it also provides them to land-based gaming venues. And with an active commission, interactive gaming has been more than incredible – safer, fairer, and better. The Kahnawake Gaming Commission also shows its strength by offering a special live dealer studio license for live dealer games.
Gibraltar Commission
Gibraltar Commission is also a regulatory entity in the British territory. It was established in 2005 as an authority to provide gaming licenses to operators in different parts of the world. And according to the objectives, Gibraltar promotes safe and fair gaming. Currently, it issues six different types of licenses to game operators – each designed to meet the products casinos offer. Notwithstanding, a Gibraltar license is valid for up to 7 years.
How to Obtain a Gaming License?
Generally, a license is defined as a document containing information about a business and terms and conditions guiding the running of such a business. In short, it is the piece of evidence that makes a company legal. Visiting a licensing body is the way to obtain such a document. And even if each licensing authority in various jurisdictions takes different procedures before providing this document, especially in online casinos, basic things must be done or provided. They include:
- The online games’ physical address or location.
- Copies of scanned documents bearing the company’s registration details and contact information.
- Annual income and expenses generated, bank data, and account statement.
- Application form for license issuance to the regulatory body of that jurisdiction.
Once you gather these documents, you can submit them to that jurisdiction’s licensing body. It could be online or at a physical office – most times, operators opt-in for the online method. The commission collects these documents and verifies if they meet the requirements needed to obtain a license. If the online gamer operator does, they are provided with a license document. If otherwise, the regulatory institution refuses to issue a license.
How to Find a Gaming License?
Without saying too much, you already know that the proof of a legitimate game is the gaming license; therefore, you should always look for it. Doing this is important because it determines your entire gaming experience online. But before you do that, endeavor to know the gaming authority in that location first.
When you do, visit the gaming site and go to the bottom page to find information about the regulatory body. Usually, games provide this info alongside their parent company, physical address, and license number.
If a gamer Doesn’t Have a License
The essence of having a license is to practice safe and effective gaming. It won’t only be beneficial to players but also to the gamer itself. So, if you discover that a game doesn’t have a gaming license, you should avoid registering or using such a platform. Only scam sites operate under false registration and without a license. In fact, you could report the site to help other people who might become victims of using such an online game. If you like to play games and consider them more reliable then it will be interesting for you to read about the surge of virtual reality games.
Conclusion
This article is an eye-opener for someone who doesn’t know much about gaming licensing. From explaining what a license does to describing the various authorities in different jurisdictions, it shouldn’t be difficult to know why it is important. So, check the regulatory authority against your next gaming session with a new online game. Knowing who is in charge of ensuring safe and fair gaming on such a platform doesn’t hurt. More so, you know who to contact if you ever experience fraudulent activities on a gaming site.
