Online games are meant to be entertaining and fun, and then you should be able to feel completely confident that the casino has its casino licenses in order. You must be confident that the games are fair, confident that your money is safe and that you can get help if something goes wrong.
The vast majority of non GamStop casinos are serious and they know that you are concerned about security, but as in all other industries, there are also unscrupulous players online. You will mostly find that all casinos without GamStop have licenses to be able to offer real money games, but there are many different rules and far from all licensing authorities have equally strict requirements.
In this article, we will take a closer look at the different casino licenses a casino can have and what the different licenses have to say for your safety.
How a Non GamStop Casino License Works?
The first thing you have to do if you want to offer games online is to obtain a license from the licensing authority. Examples of such authorities are the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) and the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) in the UK.
A license is proof that the company behind the casino is a legal company that has all its papers in order and that it is not owned or operated by people who have previously been convicted. The company must also prove that they have the finances to cover all winnings you win as a player and that they work with approved banks.
Without a license, the company will not be able to enter into agreements with payment providers, nor will they be able to obtain agreements with serious game developers such as NetEnt, Microgaming and Yggdrasil.
That Is Why Casino Licenses Are Used
There are many reasons why casino licenses are used today, but the most important of all is that you gain some control over the industry and ensure that everyone follows the same rules of the game. It is essential to ensure that you, the player, have a fair and safe gaming experience. In addition, licenses are an important tool with regard to taxation of the companies and to prevent money laundering.
For casinos that obtain a license from a recognized licensing authority, it is also a stamp of quality that tells their players that they are serious player who takes you as a customer seriously.
Sets Strict Requirements for the Casinos
It is no easy job to obtain a license to run an online casino and the process can be both lengthy and expensive without any guarantee that the license will be granted.
The requirements for the company applying for a license are many and they vary widely depending on the authority from which the license is applied for. Among the most common demands made are:
Detailed Explanation of Players’ Rights
In the application, the applicant must attach a detailed description of the requirements and restrictions their players must comply with. This includes, among other things, a description of their requirements for turnover of bonuses, and rules for deposits and withdrawals.
Bank Connection
Applicants must prove via a licensed bank that they have the finances to run the casino properly. They must also provide details showing expected turnover, total investment, and expected loss and income.
Detailed Business Plan
An applicant must explain in detail which games, such as slots, poker, table games, lotto, etc., they plan to offer at launch and what plans they have to expand their offer on an ongoing basis.
Ownership
The applicant must provide evidence of the company structure and shareholders, as well as explain how the company expects to pay any dividends.
Games & Platform
Applicants must describe in detail all types of games they intend to offer their players, as well as specify which platform and software will be used to operate the casino.
How to Check Which License the Casino Has?
When you have to assess whether a casino is right for you, there are many things you should check and that they have a license should always be at the top of the list. You can almost always find information about the casino’s license in the footer of their website. That is, at the very bottom of the website, where you normally also find information such as “About us” and payment solutions.
The license should be displayed with the logo of the licensing authority that issued the license and there should always be a link to the certificate which in turn should contain a link directly to the authorities that issued the licence.
If license information is not readily available on the website or does not link directly to the authorities, you should take a few minutes to check a little more before you set up an account and transfer money to the non GamStop casino.
How Non GamStop Casinos Acquire a Licence?
The company behind a casino or sportsbook is free to apply for a license from all of the authorities we have mentioned. The application process varies widely and the costs range from a few thousand euros to several tens of thousands of euros.
The first thing a person applying for a license must do is check which of the various authorities offer a license for the type of game and business they want a license for. After that, it is largely just a matter of ordering application papers and getting started.
The requirements for an application vary enormously and the process can take anything from a couple of months to over a year with the more demanding authorities.
How the Licenses Are Enforced by the Issuers?
Regardless of the authority from which you apply for a license, the license will have a duration of between 3 and 6 years. After that, the license must be renewed, but as long as you have complied with the regulations, the whole process is very quick and simple.
During the lifetime of the licence, the non GamStop casino must comply with a strict set of regulations which vary widely among the various authorities. Requirements can vary from as little as only delivering approved accounts within the applicable deadlines, to, for example, annual checks of RNG machines and inspection of the casino’s entire operating platform.
