Online Gaming Casino License

To legally be able to provide online casinoservices, you need a legitimate gambling license. This licensemay be provided to you by an iGaming software provider if you choose a whitelabel solution, otherwise, you are required to obtain this license on your own directlyfrom an online gambling authority. If you’re curious to learn more about theindustry’s top regulators and general online casino license information,you’ve come to the right place. Top Casino Solutions has the fundamentaldetails you need.

• Furthermore, your online gaming services will no longer be at risk of banning by any casino control commission in the world. Finding a Jurisdiction for Your Online Casino Games. Gambling regulation acts don’t allow you to register your company and receive an online casino license anywhere in the world.
• When reviewing legal US online casinos, the first thing we check is whether the site possesses a gaming license from a proper regulatory body. If it does, this tells us that the casino is well regulated and that it runs a legitimate business. I also do a thorough background check of the site’s reputation among the casino community.

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What is a Gambling License

An onlinegambling license is a certificate of authority that is issued by one ofthe world’s many licensing regulators. This license is required by any iGaming companythat offers any gambling activity, such as slots, casino games, lotto, poker, sportsbetting and other games of chance or those that involve wagering.

A validlicense serves as proof that the gambling business is adhering to legitimate,secure, fair and responsible gaming practices as required by the regulatingauthority that issued the license. That said, the requirements of a gamblinglicense vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. The special gambling committeesof the regions that offer these licenses have their own rules and laws.

Thismeans that requiring a license from one authority does not mean that you meetthe legal gambling operation requirements for all jurisdictions. In other words, depending on where you wish tooperate your business, you may require more than one license.

Why do you need a license?

A gamblinglicense is necessary if you want to operate legally within a certain regionwithout complications. It speaks to your business’ integrity and commitment toa fair gaming policy. Online casinos that are licensed regularly have theirrandom number generator (RNG) software audited to ensure that games areoperating optimally and the return-to-player (RTP) is fair. A compliancecertificate is provided based on the results of the examination.

It isnot uncommon for players who visit casino sites to first investigate where acasino is licensed before they choose to sign up.

A casinolicense is also an indication of an operator’s transparency andsecurity of the gaming software that they offer.

Additionally,you need a license if you wish to provide your players with traditional andpopular payment methods, such as credit card, debit card and bank transfer. Tooffer these payments, you will need to set up a merchant account in a bank.Banks are extremely careful when it comes to partnering with businesses and arefar more likely to cooperate with a company that is acknowledged by a regulatorybody of a specific jurisdiction.

More tothe point, some of the reasons why you need a license is to:

• Use casinogaming content from reputable and white-market suppliers
• Open a bankand merchant account
• Partner withelectronic payment system providers
• Employ moreeffective marketing strategies, which can lead to better player conversion
• Give yourreputation a boost in the eyes of players, increasing player trust and loyalty

Different Licenses for Different Jurisdictions

Every regulatediGaming jurisdiction has its own regulatory body. These authorities regulatethe gambling industry within their designated region and have the power togrant or deny licenses. Although the names of each gambling authority may bedifferent (e.g. gambling commission, gaming authority, etc.), the general termfor these regulators is Gaming Control Board.

Obtaininga gaming license begins with making the most important decision: choosing thegambling jurisdiction where you want to operate your online casino business. Therea number of regulators, with the primary differences being:

• The requirementsto which the casino operator and software must adhere
• The time ittakes to process applications
• The cost ofthe license

Different gambling licenses

Thereare multiple gaming control boards across the globe. To give you an idea of theregulators that exist, the following are among the most well known and popular regulatingbodies in the iGaming industry:

• Curaçao – CuraçaoeGaming is the primary jurisdiction certified for issuing online gambling licenses,while the Curaçao Gaming Control Board controls the regulation of land-based casinooperations. Curaçao eGaming offers a wide range of licensing and certificationcapabilities and has been around since 1996. Obtaining a Curaçao license isconsidered to be one of the best options for starting an online casino because thisregulator is very flexible in terms or cost and timeframe, has an appealing taxsystem and allows for operation in multiple jurisdictions.

• Malta – The Malta Gaming Authority(MGA) regulates the gambling industry in Malta. It was the first county in theEU to introduce regulations related to remote (online) gambling and to issues licensesfor online gambling activities. There are two types of licenses offered by theMGA, B2B and B2C. Not only does gaining a Maltese license give you access toplayers in multiple jurisdictions, including unregulated markets, but it alsogives you access to many banks around the world where it is possible to open amerchant account for processing bank cards.

• Kahnawake –The Kahnawake Gaming Commission (KGC) is located in Canada. Since 1999, it hasbeen providing licenses, making it one of the first jurisdictions for iGamingin the world. To be licensed by the KGC, an online gaming operator must be hostedat Mohawk Internet Technologies, which is a data center that resides withinMohawk Territory of Kahnawake and managed by Continent 8 Technologies.

• Gibraltar – TheLicensing Authority of the HM Government of Gibraltar issues online gamblinglicenses based on the Gambling Act 2005. To obtain a license, online casinooperators must prove their financial solvency, deliver a business plan and beprepared to perform monetary transactions (e.g. player credit card dataprocessing and the payouts of winnings) exclusively through Gibraltar’s banks.

• UK – The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) is the official regulating bodythat provides online gaming services in Great Britain. In order to acceptplayers from the UK and advertise on the local market, a license from the UKGCis mandatory. The Gambling Commission is known for being one of the strictestregulators in the industry.

Beyondthe above-mentioned authorities, other well known jurisdictions that offergambling licenses include:

• Alderney – AlderneyGambling Control Commission (AGCC)
• Isle ofMan – Gambling Supervision Commission (GSC)
• Belgium – Belgian Gaming Commission
• Denmark – Danish Gambling Authority (Spillemyndigheden)
• Sweden – Swedish Gambling Authority(Spelinspektionen)
• Italy – Angenzia DelleDogane E Dei Monopoli (AAMS)

How to License Your Casino

If you’re wondering how to get gaming license,you’ll find that there are different methods. However, ultimately, you have threeoptions:

1. Obtain a license on your own
2. Obtain a sublicense
3. Choose a white label casino

Here’s a closer look at each.

Obtain a license on your own

As previously mentioned, every jurisdiction has itsown laws and regulations. That said, in general, here’s what you can expectwhen you are seeking to get a gambling license.

• You will need to meet certain standards of decentcharacter, honesty and integrity.

• You will be required to provide detailed informationregarding finances and your organization as well as information about yourgambling establishment, its owners, partners and anyone else who may beassociated with your business.

• You will need to give employment and criminalinformation on yourself and certain people within your organization.

• You will need to be prepared to adhere to specific regulations. Some of these may include (but are not necessarily limited to):
  – Advertising guidelines
  – Payout of prize money
  – Gaming duty
  – Customer privacy and data protection
  – Codes of practice
  – Accounts and audit
  – Anti-money laundering requirements
  – Testing requirements
  – Self-exclusion and other responsible gambling measures
  – Remote technical and operating standards

Whatever the requirements and standards may be,they must be met if you wish to obtain a license and hold on to it to conductyour gambling activities. The reason why the requirements are so strict is todiscourage those who are only interested in applying for a license for criminalpurposes or who may lack the financial stability or experience to sufficiently operatea gambling business.

Most authorities have their application formsavailable on their sites or you can obtain them by contacting their support.

Considerconsulting a lawyer

All thatsaid, keep in mind that if you are intending to independently acquire alicense(s) from a legal authority, while you can obtain help and guidance froman experienced iGaming company, the easiest way to obtain a gambling license isto contact a lawyer from the country where you wish to operate.

A locallawyer who is qualified in this field can provide you with the necessary andmost current information you require to get a license.

Obtain a sublicense

Certain jurisdictions allow sublicensing, such as Curaçao and Malta. If you choose to obtain a sublicense, you are purchasing the right to operate under a license owned by someone else to avoid up front costs and to share your partner’s costs. In many cases, you also end up using the license owner’s software since the vast majority of these deals are created by software companies that want other companies to use their platform.

Choose a white label casino

If you wantto completely sidestep the regulatory process, you can purchase a white labelsolution. Many of the gambling software providers TCS reviews offer thesesolutions, which essentially come pre-licensed and ready-to-launch. The onlyaspect you’re typically in charge of is marketing your casino brand. Thesoftware company takes care of all the other operational requirements. If you’dlike to learn more about this solution, you can read up on white label casinos here.

How Much Does aGambling License Cost?

One ofthe first things you will no doubt notice when you start to look around for alicense is that these certificates of authority do not come cheap. You canexpect to pay hundreds of thousands to over a million dollars by the time theprocess is through.

The feesassociated with obtaining a casino license typically include:

Thecost associated with the application process – This size of this fee usually depends on whoyou are and the complexity of your business. You need to develop a businessplan that addresses social responsibility, the safe holding of customer funds,anti-money laundering, due diligence costs on shareholders and directors, andcertifying your technology and hosting provider. Each of these aspects costsmoney and contribute to the long application process.

Thecost associated with the actual license – The price of the license is often areflection of the authority’s government’s fiscal attitude and varies from onejurisdiction to the next. For instance, Gibraltar charges a minimum annual licensefee of £85,000 on 1% revenue up to a maximum per yearfee of £420,000. Meanwhile, the UK’s annual license fee is lower thanGibraltar’s, but because there is 15% tax on revenues, it doesn’t work out tobe cheaper in the end.

Thecost associated with compliance – Once you’ve paid for the application and the license, this doesn’tmean that the fees are done. On the contrary, you will need to pay for thelicense each year. Compliance costs include regularly reporting to theregulator, on-going certification of new games, inspection costs, and havingyour RNG software re-seeded and re-certified on a continual basis.

Thebottom line is that you will need to have a lot of capital and just as muchpatience to obtain and maintain an online gambling license.

Tips for Acquiring an OnlineGambling License

Here area few tips to keep in mind before you obtain a casino gaming license:

• Learnabout the gambling jurisdiction(s) where you want to operate – Choose the region(s) thatmakes the most sense to your business goals, needs and possibilities. Take thetime to investigate their rules, requirements, taxation policy, applicationprocessing time, costs, etc.

• Make surethe casino software you have selected meets the requirements of your chosenjurisdiction – Licensingauthorities have a certain set of rules and requirements related to softwarethat is used by a casino. For instance, in most cases, the licensing body willrequire the software you use to have the appropriate functionality to support acasino self-exclusion policy.

• You mayrequire a locally registered company – The jurisdiction may require your casinoto be run by a legal business local to the region.

• Prepareyou personal documents ahead oftime – To obtain a license you will require certain personaldocuments including a copy of your passport, proof of address, a bank referenceletter, a certificate of no criminal record from the police, and so on.

• Readygaming software documents – This includes preparing agreements with the software providers, thecertificate of the RNG, detailed description of the functionality of the gamesand software, etc.

• Make surethe information on your website is transparent – It is a common practice among gamblingjurisdictions to check that the information they require your casino to have isincluded on your site, such as terms and conditions, withdrawal policy,responsible gambling, self-exclusion policy, etc.

The moreyou understand about gambling licences, the better you will understand theprocess of obtaining and holding a license as well as finding the jurisdictionthat is right for you.

Gambling License –Final Thoughts

Online Casino Gambling License

Acquiringa casino license helps a gambling operator to work in compliance withregulations and laws. It can draw players in who are seeking completetransparency, fairness of the gambling process, and secure financialtransactions. Licensing gives your operation integrity, builds you a place ofrespect in the industry and can lead to loyal players.

Thatsaid, securing an online casino license on your own takes effort and is a timeconsuming and costly process. The moreyou know and the more prepared you are, the smoother the process will be.

If youare looking for help obtaining a gambling license, you will find that TCSreviews a number of casino software providers that offer licensing consultingsupport with their turnkey casino solutions to help you choose the rightgambling jurisdiction. This support can also include preparing the necessarydocuments, ensuring that the software meets all requirements and evenfacilitating communications between you and the licensing body.

That said, if you’d prefer to launch your online casino as quickly, easily and cheaply as possible, a white label solution is pre-licensed and ready-to-go. Discover the iGaming providers with the best white label casino solutions today.

Contact TCS

We’re always here for you! Have a question or just want to get in touch? Drop us an email any time.

Not all online casino gaming licenses are created equal. For example, a license from Curacao is not viewed the same as ones from Malta or the UK Gambling Commission. In fact, there are some sites licensed by Curacao that are somewhat suspect.

However, that is about to change. The global pandemic has forced Curacao to get help from The Netherlands, and that help comes with a cost. Curacao must change some of their policies in how they conduct business, including how they regulate online casinos. In the end, it will actually improve the quality of licenses from the country.

Online Gaming Casino License Plate

Curacao to Change Licensing Procedures and Guidelines

The global pandemic has forced all of us to make hard choices and Curacao is no different. They have been forced to reach out to The Netherlands for financial assistance and that help comes at a cost. Curacao must now give in to certain demands on how they conduct business, and that includes how they issue and regulate online gambling licenses.

The first difference is the price. Curacao was one of the cheapest legitimate online casino licenses to acquire at around $35,000. Now, licenses will cost online casinos $134,000. That’s a significant increase which will probably drive away smaller casinos and those that are less than legitimate.

Online Gaming Casino License Application

Curacao License — Why Does the Curaçao Gaming Control Board Regulate So Many Casinos?
🔗 https://t.co/7oUvObpaUcpic.twitter.com/AeAX0lYKQv

— Gaming Licensing (@LicensingGaming) November 23, 2020

Next, some of the guidelines for licensing will toughen. Casinos must follow EU guidelines regarding privacy and customer protections. Also, if a company that holds s a license is purchased by another, the new company is responsible for following licensing procedures of the license will be immediately revoked.

Next, online casinos must stop the practice of player targeting. For example, casinos cannot go out of their way to target high rollers or other potentially vulnerable customers. Also, casinos must have tools in place to prevent customers from overspending, thus reducing problem gambling on the website.

Curacao Will Actually Act Like a Regulator

One reason that Curacao was a popular regulator was that the company was very hands-off. They didn’t do a lot of the things that you see major regulators do, such as inspections and testing of websites. That will change under the new guidelines.

Online casinos will now undergo regular testing and inspections by Curacao. Sites will also be subject to information requests like the UKGC and other primary regulators. Gone will be the days of Curacao issuing a license and the casino doing what they want until they show significant signs of fraud.

Casinos will also need to show they are financially stable and able to pay out winnings, especially prizes for progressive jackpot slots. Casinos will likely be required to prove they have segregated funds for players. Players that remember the Full Tilt Poker fiasco understand the importance of this.

What Will Happen as a Result of These Changes?

Online Gaming Casino License Plates

The most significant impact will be on online casinos that are taking a minimalist approach to online casino gambling. Those casinos will be forced to change their procedures to meet new guidelines or forced to give up their license.

For small casinos, we could see some go offline completely. Others may simply operate without a license. Those casinos should be avoided as you never knew when they will shut down and take your funds.

How Will the Changes to the Curacao License affect Online Gambling? https://t.co/4jexdSoaqh

— European Gaming Media (@EU_Gaming_Media) November 24, 2020

Online Casino Gaming Commission

These changes will also impact new casinos. Legitimate online casinos will have to shell out more money to launch, and this may slow the growth of new legitimate casinos. Granted, scam casinos will continue to pop up, but they will be a bit easier to spot as they can’t just throw a little money at Curacao to get a license.

The biggest change will be in the quality of the Curacao license. Now, a license from Curacao will have more weight than in the past. It will be on par with licenses from Malta. The stigma of a Curacao license will be reduced, and in time a license from the Government of Curacao will actually be seen as a good thing rather than something to raise an eyebrow at.