Online gambling houses often display an approval license. It is established by a government authority which will then be responsible for managing any dispute that may arise between players and the casino.
This license attests to the reliability of the online gaming establishment. To obtain it, a casino must meet certain standards imposed by the organization which grants it, particularly in terms of the security of information and means of payment. However, among the licenses offered around the world, we do not find the same levels of requirements. First thing to do is to check out on casinos’ websites if they have a license.
In addition, no international standard has yet been established to harmonize the system for granting these approvals. Therefore, one license is not necessarily worth another. To know if a license guarantees the reliability of the games on a site, it is essential to find out in advance about the conditions of its allocation.
Here is an overview of three (among others) main licenses:
| License | Antigua and Barbuda | Curacao | Kahnawake |
| Year of Inception | Not specified | 1996 | Not specified |
| Regulatory Body | Antigua and Barbuda Gaming Commission | Curaçao eGaming | Kahnawake Gaming Commission |
| Licensing Criteria | – Anti-money laundering policy<br>- Player support service<br>- Age verification<br>- Audit of accounts | – Security rules compliance<br>- Confidentiality requirements<br>- In-depth investigation | – Exclusion of minors<br>- Rapid winnings recovery<br>- Game reliability<br>- Player info protection<br>- Procedures for compulsive bettors<br>- Monitoring data collection servers<br>- Anti-money laundering measures<br>- Dispute resolution |
| Licensing Cost | $70,000 + 3% tax/year | $11,000 + 2% tax/year | $30,000 (Paid in three installments: $5,000, $15,000, $10,000) |
| Popularity | Well-known and recognized internationally, endorsed by the British government | Popular among French-speaking and European online casinos | Common in North American online casinos, but legitimacy questioned |
| Notable Mention | Supported by the World Trade Organization, penalized the United States for hindering its marketing | Used by many online casinos, including Millionz casino | Known for strict regulations but facing legitimacy concerns |
Antigua
At the top of the list, Antigua is one of the most famous licenses in the world, because it is extremely difficult to obtain. To win it, casinos must comply with very strict regulations. networthhaven They must in particular:
- Adhere to the anti-money laundering policy;
- Offer a support service to players who need it;
- Systematically check the age of players;
- Then submit to an audit of the accounts.
It is all these requirements that guarantee the reliability of a casino that presents an Antigua and Barbuda license. Its notoriety is such that in 2008, the British government decided to officially recognize its legitimacy.
The World Trade Organization even intervened by penalizing the United States for hindering the marketing of this license. The US government put legislation in place that prevented its sale to some of its casinos.
To obtain an Antigua and Barbuda license, online casinos that have been validated by the licensing commission must pay $70,000 and submit to a tax of 3% per year.
Curaçao
The Curaçao license was born in 1996 on a small island in the Netherlands. Just as famous as Antigua, the Curaçao license is undoubtedly one of the most used online casinos. A prominent casino such as National Casino is among the gambling platforms that own this license. It is also very widespread among online casinos in Europe.
It guarantees the legality and security of transactions carried out on a gaming site. This is the case, for example, of the Millionz online casino. To deserve it, a site must meet drastic security rules and comply with the confidentiality requirements of Curaçao eGaming. This is why each establishment that requests it will be subject to an in-depth investigation, particularly regarding its accounts.
All information about the casino is gathered and then analyzed to determine whether it is suitable for receiving the license. Curacao is very popular with online casino owners because its use is much more beneficial for them. They only pay $11,000 to acquire the certificate and only have to pay 2% tax per year.
Kahnawake
Kahnawake is also a reference in terms of licensing for online casinos. This certificate is distributed from Canada by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission. The commission imposes on establishments some very strict rules such as:
- The exclusion of minors;
- Rapid recovery of winnings;
- The reliability of the games;
- Protection of player information;
- The establishment of procedures to limit the losses of compulsive bettors;
- Monitoring information stored on data collection servers:
- The fight against money laundering;
- Managing disputes between players if necessary.
To obtain it, casinos must invest no less than $30,000 to be paid three times. They first pay $5,000, then $15,000 and finally $10,000. The Kahnawake license can be found at most North American online casinos. Despite this popularity, the legitimacy of this certification is beginning to be undermined.
Particularly because it was distributed to a very large number of online casinos. There are no fewer than 500 establishments that currently hold this license. As a result, many people think that it is not necessarily attributed to the best casinos.
