I am sure that many of you already know that each country has its own opinion about online gambling. If in Russia there is a feeling that the government, by introducing a ban on casinos, simply does not know about the whole industry on the Internet, then in the United Kingdom gambling is completely legal. Also, in the United Kingdom there is no taxation on casino winnings. This policy was introduced to develop cash games a few years ago. The same policy of online gambling in Germany, although in some regions of Germany, it seems, there are laws prohibiting gambling. The laws on the Canadian online casinos are quite interesting and their knowledge will not be superfluous.
Online casinos are banned in US but prospering in Canada
In some states of the US, gambling is illegal. But all these bans are obsolete, since the largest number of online casino players are Americans. The Telephone Act, passed in 1961, prohibits inter-state telephone bets. Theoretically, this law should also apply to betting on the Internet. But only 19% of online casino players, according to a 2006 survey (conducted by the American Gambling Association), said that online gambling was considered illegal. Whether this law has ever been applied to online gambling is unknown. There is a notion of allowing individual states to decide freely instead of applying general federal law, but the US Senate recently passed the Internet Gambling Illegality Act (UIGEA), which affected U.S. gambling participants.
The states where there is a law banning online casinos are Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Nevada, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington and Wisconsin. The aforementioned law (UIGEA) is designed to limit the payment of services by methods such as an electronic wallet, in order to avoid financing online gambling. Many online casinos of various jurisdictions have ceased to allow American players to play. In Europe (France, the Netherlands and Italy), online gambling is also illegal. Perhaps there are other countries as well, so I advise players to verify the legality of their actions before starting to play for money online.
In Canada online casinos are completely legal. That is why players from Canada can play in Canadian online casino without any risks. So, if you are a Canadian you can feel calm and play online freely without any restrictions, you won’t break the law.
UK and Europe Online Casino Act
The law on online gambling, adopted in September 2007, had more impact on the regulation of operators than players. UK citizens can play online casinos without fear, as online gambling is not prohibited here, but licensed. Licenses of the jurisdictions of Gibraltar, Malta, Alderney and the Isle of Man are recognized in this country. Kanawake and Antigua have applied for similar status, but whether they will receive it will largely depend on how they ensure the security of their licenses.
Many European countries have strict laws regarding online gambling. For example, in France online gambling is strictly prohibited. In some regions of Germany and the Netherlands, online gambling is monitored by government. In Switzerland, the situation is similar to the Dutch, although again, the state monopoly is criticized by the public. Banning casinos in many European countries is a reality.
By the way, recently a gambling company based in Malta has successfully challenged its position to open free access to its gaming resources, which the Italian government prohibited. But, despite this, the Italian government continues to act according to its own rules.
The bottom line is that if you live in a country where gambling is prohibited, then you are at risk of being outlawed by playing in online casinos. Some casinos do not allow players from other countries, but you can always visit an online casino where this type of business is legal (for example Canadian online casinos). You can familiarize yourself with the list of countries whose players are not accepted for service on the institution’s website. Therefore, when choosing a casino, it is important to consider possible restrictions. Now let’s talk about legality of the casino itself.
How to distinguish legal from illegal casinos
It’s not always easy to distinguish between legal and illegal casinos, but there are several things that you should pay attention to when choosing an online casino. If the online casino is powered by Microgaming or Novomatic software, you can be sure that these software providers set strict restrictions on the recipients of their licenses. If you chose an online casino on the Playtech, Amaya or Wagerworks platform, then often security issues will be of a concern to you, because these manufacturers regularly control their licensees. These platforms have their pros and cons.
For legal online casinos, life is not so simple, as they are regularly checked by industry controlling organizations. But for players, this is an additional guarantee of a fair and truly random game. If the eCOGRA or GPWA badge is indicated on the casino website, this is a “stamp” of a legal casino and honest treatment of players.
If you want to check the legality of the casino, visit the About Us page on the institution’s website. There you can find information that the position of the casino is being strengthened, that the casino will provide you with privacy. We already wrote that Gibraltar, Australia, the Isle of Man, Malta and Alderney are territories with strict jurisdictions that care about their reputation and will not disseminate any information.
Choosing an honest casino with a reliable license
If you are looking for a reliable online casino, then remember a simple parameter, which 90% shows the legitimacy of the casino and its honesty – a license. All honest casinos are licensed – it is a fact! I’m not saying that if you have a license in an online casino, then you can forget about everything else. But if there is no license in the casino, I would check it three times before making a deposit.
Licensing is the official procedure for registering a gambling establishment and admission to the market by government agencies. To obtain admission, the casino is tested in dozens of parameters and is regularly checked by supervisory authorities during work. That’s why I say that having a license is a sign of fair play.
Honest casinos do not hide from external checks
In recent years, the number of newly established controlling organizations has grown significantly. The declared goal is very noble – the protection of players. However, these controlling organizations often need to control themselves. If this issue is critical, then in the modern world of online casinos there are only two or three organizations that you can trust.
Let’s start with the most controversial defense system. Controversial due to its high activity. This security system is called eCOGRA. Initially funded by Microgaming, a software maker. eCOGRA pays particular attention to resolving disputes between players and casinos using Microgaming software. Recently, eCOGRA has begun to expand its activities at online casinos using software from other manufacturers. As a result, most casinos powered by the Microgaming platform do offer fair play. This does not mean that all honest online casinos with software from this manufacturer are impeccable. The quality of support, the speed of depositing and withdrawal of funds in gambling houses vary significantly.
Where to look for information about licenses and controllers
Source No. 1. In the reviews of each gambling house on website dedicated to online gambling you will find information about the available licenses. Staff of such websites regularly monitor data on the sites of institutions and there is no need to look and check them by yourself, this is the easiest way.
Source No. 2. If you want to understand everything yourself, then after studying the review and going to the casino website, at the very bottom of the page you will always find several icons and one of them should be about the license. By clicking on it, you will go to the site of the licensing organization and will be able to read information about the issued document.
