Why Do Online Casinos Need Licenses?
For a casino willing to gain a solid standing in the industry, a license is alpha and omega. Without a license, a gambling site won’t be able to gain a solid market position or build a loyal following.
Licenses are issued by gambling regulatory bodies whose primary goal is to monitor and audit online and offline casinos. Having a license means that a casino is serious about complying with the gambling laws and standards that apply in the country where the license was issued.
Only countries that legalized gambling can issue gambling licenses.
A license issued in one country may be invalid in another country. It’s not uncommon that a casino operator has to obtain licenses in every country where they’re going to provide services. Knowing that a license costs a small fortune, it’s not hard to imagine how much money a casino has to invest!
A licensed casino obtains a legalized status and starts paying taxes and other fees. For major casino operators, a license issued by a reputable gambling authority is a strategic asset which is worth investing in. As for small casinos, they tend to obtain offshore licenses or even work without a license at all.
Where To Obtain A License?
Offshore states have no problem granting gambling licenses. The main thing is to make sure that your license is valid in the countries where you’re going to operate. Otherwise, you risk throwing your money down the drain.
Each European country has its own gambling regulatory body that, among other things, specializes in issuing licenses. Obtaining a European license tends to be harder than an offshore one.
Since a license costs pretty much, it’s usually valid for several years. Then it must be renewed. If a casino violates the legislation in any way, chances are that their license will be revoked. This dire prospect makes casinos do their best to comply with the applicable guidelines.
How Do I Choose A Good Online Casino?
When choosing a casino, it’s very easy to make a mistake that you may bitterly regret later. Your task No. 1 is to pick a trusted gambling site that provides an excellent user experience and has no intention to cheat its clients. Although the task may seem daunting at first, it’s not rocket science.
To make the right decision, you need to heed such things as:
- License
- Software
- User reviews
Let’s take a closer look at each factor one by one.
License
The best thing about registering with a top online casino is that you can trust them. Large online casinos tend to have several licenses issued in different countries. The more licenses, the more protected a player feels when playing on a gambling site. A license is an essential document that confirms the legalized status of a casino and boosts its reputation.
You can often see gambling websites that provide services in a country without having its license. There is no reason to panic, though. The main thing is that a casino has a license issued by a European country.
Between a casino with an offshore license and no license at all, always choose the former.
The online gambling market has a fair share of unlicensed casinos. The lack of a license doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re looking at a rogue site. At the same time, dealing with an unlicensed casino is a very risky affair.
Software
Seasoned gamblers always pay attention to the quality of gaming software a casino is using. Look out for big names such as NetEnt or Novomatic. If a major software company supplies its products to a casino, the latter can be trusted. Variety is also important. The choice of games must be big enough to suit gamblers with different tastes. Also, a website must offer new releases. An outdated portfolio is a sure sign that a casino no longer works with leading software brands.
User Reviews
Sharing experience on online casinos is a great form of camaraderie among users. Genuine casino reviews can be very helpful to all gamblers, not only novice ones. If you have your eye on a specific gambling site, be sure to find out what other gamblers think about it. Browse through as many reviews as you possibly can. Make mental notes every time players are talking about problems with withdrawals or complaining about slow customer support. Such comments shouldn’t be taken ignored. Sometimes, even a licensed casino may turn out to be irresponsible and unreliable.