Casino Licenses for Online Gambling

John Bonello

Updated by John Bonello

Content Editor

Lee James Gwilliam

Fact Checked by Lee James Gwilliam

Senior Vice-President

Last Updated 3rd Jun 2024, 07:34 AM

A gambling license is a must for operators that want to embark on a legal online casino operation. Among the most popular gambling jurisdictions are Curaçao, the island of Malta, and the United Kingdom. These countries provide remote gaming licenses (casino licenses, as well as for lotteries and other gambling activities) to betting operators. While the United Kingdom Gambling Commission is focused specifically on the UK market, both Curaçao and Malta target a wide selection of markets.

Casino Licenses For Legit Online Gambling 

Licensing is one of the most important aspects to address when launching an online casino. With a valid online gambling license an operator can operate legally in specific target markets. A casino without a valid license from a reputable authority will not be allowed to conduct legal business online, and casino software providers, game developers and providers of safe casino payment methods will not want to work with an unlicensed gaming website.

Players are very conscious of online fraud and money laundering that involves illegal gambling sites, which is why they will want to play at a properly licensed online casino. The license protects their interests, and they will have peace of mind when depositing funds at a casino.

Types of Gambling Licences

There are two kinds of online gambling licenses: international, (or offshore gambling licences), and internal, (or country-specific gambling licences).

  • International gambling licences permit operators to engage players in several markets. 
  • Internal gambling licences allow an online casino to operate within the borders of one specific country. Internally regulated markets include the United Kingdom, Sweden, Spain, Portugal, among others.

Popular iGaming Licenses

Malta Gaming Authority

The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) was the first regulator to start issuing licenses for online gambling entities. The Maltese authority is one of the most reputable gaming jurisdictions in the world, with a large number of Europe-facing online gambling and betting operators.

Curaçao eGaming Control Board

The Curaçao eGaming regulator is rapidly becoming a major player in licensing online casinos. As part of the Netherlands, the island of Curaçao is technically also part of the EU. This enables the Curaçao eGaming Control Board to issue online gambling licenses to European countries, with a few exceptions, like Germany, France and the Netherlands.

Why do Online Casinos Need a Licence?

The simple answer is: gambling sites need a valid license to be able to operate in regulated markets. 'Operate' means providing real money casino games (so, slots, jackpots, table games, live casino, sports betting, lotteries and any game that can be played with real money bets) to consumers, in this case, casino players.

Casino licenses regulate how the online casino delivers these services. It is there to:

  • prevent any connection between gambling and criminal activity
  • ensure games are fair and transparent
  • prevent children and vulnerable people from being exploited

In order to obtain a casino license, a gambling company must meet strict criteria outlined by the regulators, including:

  • identity confirmation of the person/company applying for the casino license, to ensure accountability
  • proof that the person/company has sufficient finances to run the business
  • evidence that the person or company is honest and trustworthy
  • qualifications and experience proving the person or company is capable of running a gambling business
  • proof of a clean criminal record.

Meet The Author

John Bonello
John Bonello
Content Editor Content Editor

With a passion for words, John is always thinking about what to write next. He has over 12 years of experience working with online content and as an Editor at Casinos.com, John makes sure that readers get the latest and most accurate information about the online gambling industry.

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