Online Casino License – The Best Online Licensed Casinos for 2024
The world of online gambling is expanding rapidly and drawing in more players than ever before. A 6.2% increase in the gambling market size is expected to be seen year-on-year between 2024 and 2029. As more of these online platforms show up, it’s tempting to try them all. However, there’s one thing that some gamblers often overlook. That would be the licensing of the online casino.
If you play at an unregistered and unlicensed online casino, then there are more risks that you’ll need to be wary of. In fact, the casino could be taken down due to its failure to comply with local jurisdictions, which could result in a loss of your money.
In this guide, you’ll discover everything you need to know about online casino licenses. We’ll cover why this is important, who needs one, the types, and also take a closer look at the governing bodies that can provide casinos with these licenses.
What is an Online Casino License?
Let’s start by considering what exactly an online casino license is. It’s something that you’ll often come across in the online gambling industry. When you take a closer look at these online platforms, you’ll often find that they list details about their licensing. This information is usually at the bottom of the website and can be seen on every page.
It’s a way for the casino to show their authenticity and tell you that they have gone through various steps to ensure they can legally offer gambling and gaming services in your jurisdiction. Casino licenses also ensures fair gaming practices are promoted by the operator.
One thing to keep in mind is the fact that the license isn’t granted to the online casino platform itself but rather the operator that handles the site. This is why you’ll usually see the operator’s name listed in the details when looking at the licensing details.
An online casino license can offer these platforms and operators a number of advantages when it comes to running this type of platform.
It helps the operator reach a global audience and makes it easier for them to partner up with a variety of software providers. It also adds credibility to the name of the casino, as well as the operator.
Online Casino License Benefits
The benefits that an online casino license offers go beyond the operator and platform. There are certain advantages that players can also expect.
A licensed casino goes through many steps to meet strict criteria that were developed by authorities and governing bodies. This means you’re taking on fewer risks regarding your finances and personal data when you decide to register at a licensed casino.
The fact that a license gives the casino access to a larger pool of software providers also means you can expect a wider variety of games to play.
When it comes to gambling online, it’s always useful to have a large selection of games to choose from. This helps to keep your gambling sessions fun and exciting.
As you can see, there are many reasons why online gambling companies should ensure they have the appropriate online gambling license before they start to offer online gaming services to the public.
Who Needs an Online Casino License?
Some people may wonder who exactly needs an online casino license. There are a couple of reasons why an online gaming license is important. Truth is, there are many types of establishments that require this type of license before they can legally offer their gaming services in certain jurisdictions.
Any platform that offers online gambling services needs to have an online casino license. This doesn’t just include websites that allow you to play slots with real money. It also extends to other types of iGaming services.
For example, a website that exclusively offers access to sports betting will also need to have a gambling license to legally operate.
When taking a look at a gaming facility location board, it’s always important to only look at the ones that have valid casino licenses. This way, you won’t have to worry about legal problems when entering the online gambling market.
Types of Gaming Licenses
When it comes to obtaining a gaming license, there are actually different types. It’s important to understand how they differ. As a player, you’ll be able to better recognize what kind of license a platform needs. This also gives you the ability to verify whether the platform has the right type of license.
Let’s take a look at the three main types of gaming licenses that exist when it comes to the igaming industry.
Casino License
This is the main kind of license that you’ll notice when it comes to gambling online. A casino license grants permission and authority to an operator to host an online casino website in certain areas. The jurisdiction may be tied to specific regions or an entire country.
Some of these licenses provide coverage for multiple countries, which allows the operator to target a larger audience.
If you’re just an average gambler who wants to play some slots, table games, or other titles online, then this is the kind of gaming license you should look for. Online casinos must have this license to prove they have been authorized to offer igaming services in your area.
Online casino platforms that have a valid casino license will generally share the license number on their website. If you don’t see the license number at the bottom of the website, then consider navigating to a couple of internal pages. The terms and conditions page, for example, may sometimes hold this information.
Whether it’s NYC casino licenses, Canadian options, or for the European region, it’s important to make sure the casino openly shares details about this certification. Each jurisdiction has its own requirements and regulations. For example, the US online gambling market has different requirements compared to the UK. However, the point still remains that licensed online casinos get this document to prove they have been granted authority to offer online gambling services in the online gaming industry.
Game Developer License
An online casino wouldn’t exist without a great selection of games to actually host. These platforms focus on hosting casino games and allowing players to play them. However, they’re not the ones actually developing these titles. This is where game developers come into the picture.
In the world of online gambling, these companies are sometimes referred to as the software providers.
It’s important to take note that the games they develop carry a risk. Slots, table games, and other types of gambling software require players to risk money for a chance to win. Due to the design of these games, developers also need to have a license.
They don’t have the exact same license as the online casino. Instead, this specific license gives the company permission and authority to develop gambling games.
There are lots of examples when it comes to game developers. Pragmatic Play, NoLimit City, Amatic Industries, Playtech, and Habanero are just a couple of examples. Each of these developers has its own license to create and distribute gambling games.
Individual License
There’s one other type of gaming license that we want to discuss. It’s an individual license. This isn’t the same as a casino license, but still one that you should be aware of. An individual license essentially grants permission to an individual to play games competitively.
This license allows someone to play games and gain monetary rewards for their performance. The money is usually paid to players through tournaments. In some cases, sponsors will decide to partner with a specific player who is doing this type of gaming professionally.
Best Casinos by License
There are lots of things that you should look at when it comes to choosing which casino you want to register with. The license is one thing that you shouldn’t overlook. Even when the casino has a variety of payment options, a great selection of games, and a user-friendly interface, if it’s not licensed, then you should steer clear.
That’s because a license is a legal requirement for an online casino to operate in your country.
With this in mind, there are many casinos that you can choose from when it comes to gambling online. At Slots-O-Rama, we do the research for you, and after some thorough investigation, here are some of the best casinos that have a license:
Las Atlantis Casino
The operator of Las Atlantis Casino is fully licensed and registered. The website has a clean, user-friendly design, and there are hundreds of different slot games to choose from.
You can use cryptocurrency to deposit and withdraw funds at this casino, as well as several other banking options. There are welcome bonuses that give you up to $9,500 in bonus funds to gamble with.
Leon Casino
The Leon Casino is well-established and trusted in the world of online gambling. It’s a fully regulated, licensed, and regulated platform.
There are thousands of people who trust Leon Casino. You also get access to a couple of welcome bonuses. The casino regularly offers ongoing promotions for those people who have already made their first deposit.
Vulkan Vegas
A casino that focuses on creating a classic Vegas theme design. The website works great on all devices, including mobile phones. As with Las Atlantis and Leon Casino, Vulkan Vegas is fully licensed. The website is operated by a registered company.
The casino gives you access to a wide variety of banking options. Most withdrawals are also processed instantly. There are several games from reputable providers that you can find on the website. The welcome bonuses at Vulkan Vegas offer up to $1,000. You also get up to 125 spins as part of the welcome package.
These are, of course, only a few examples of casinos that have a license to provide gambling services.
Benefits and Priorities with Licensed Casino
Now that we’ve taken a closer look at what an online casino license is and also considered some of the top casinos that hold valid licenses, it’s time that we also assess the benefits and priorities of these documents.
When a casino is able to provide evidence that they have been licensed by an appropriate jurisdiction, it’s a major benefit for both the operator and the player. However, our focus here is to help you, the player, understand what exactly it means for you.
In this section, we’re going to look at the specific benefits that these licenses hold for a player who wants to gamble online:
Trust and Security
The jurisdictions that grant these licenses don’t just hand them out. When an operator wants to start their own casino, they have to go through an application process. The specific process largely depends on the jurisdiction involved in the licensing.
However, each of these jurisdictions has a governing body, also known as gambling commissions. They oversee the application process and ensure the operator is not fraudulent.
By having a license, you know an online casino went through the necessary steps and was vetted to ensure they can provide a safe and secure environment for gamblers. Additionally, they need to have appropriate security measures in place before gambling commissions approve the license.
Responsible Gambling
When an online casino has a license, the governing bodies that issue the license will require the operator to implement certain responsible gambling solutions. The main aim here is to help reduce the risk of gambling addiction and problematic behavior among players.
This type of strategy can go a long way in helping you have more control over how much you end up spending when you gamble at these online casinos.
There are several methods that online casinos use to promote responsible gambling.
This includes options like limiting how much you can deposit at a time. Some casinos may also put a limit on how much you can deposit in a certain period. For example, the platform may limit deposits to $200 per transaction and have a weekly limit of $1,000 at the same time. This helps to ensure you don’t spend too much money on gambling activities.
Online casinos often use a Self-exclusion options. This allows you to exclude yourself from welcome packages and bonuses that the platform offers. The problem with these bonuses is the fact that they come with terms and conditions.
These terms generally require you to wager a certain amount or number of times before you can withdraw funds. They essentially promote playing more and taking up bigger risks in order to reach the withdrawal requirements.
By opting out of these bonuses, you’ll be able to avoid the temptation to risk a lot in order to get to the requirements you need to meet before you can withdraw.
Resolution of Disputes
Even when online casinos offer exceptional support, you may still find yourself in a situation where you’re not happy with the help that casinos offers to you.
If you have attempted multiple times to resolve a complaint or a problem that you have with the casino, you may feel frustrated and confused.
This is another area where a casino license comes into the picture. The license that the casino holds was provided to them by a governing body. These governing bodies regularly monitor the activities of the operator and casino, and can be a helpful resource if you need to resolve a dispute.
After your attempts to resolve a dispute directly with the casino fail, you can actually contact the governing body that issued the casino license to the operator.
The governing body will then investigate your dispute and take action from their side in order to find an appropriate resolution for your complaint.
Higher Guarantee of Payouts
After playing a couple of games at an online casino, you might find yourself with winnings added to your account. As your winnings start to count up, there comes a time when you want to make a withdrawal. This would allow you to get access to the funds that you’ve won.
What would happen if the casino refused to pay out your winnings? Or perhaps you submit a withdrawal request, but it gets declined. Maybe there are long delays and you have to continue to wait for your money.
This is something that can happen if you decide to register with a casino that doesn’t hold appropriate licenses.
When a casino has a license, the governing body will usually ensure the operator has enough funds available to cover payouts to the players who request the withdrawal of their funds.
This means you have an added layer of safety, knowing that should you want to make a withdrawal, the casino has sufficient funds available to comply with your request.
With this said, it’s important that you don’t overlook any wagering requirements the casino has.
This usually accounts for cases where you decide to take advantage of a welcome bonus that they offer. You’ll need to play a certain amount of times or with a specific amount of money in total in order to reach the threshold that the casino sets in place.
If this is the case, you won’t actually be able to request a withdrawal until you meet these requirements. Note that this is a legal requirement that the casino can set, but you can opt out of the bonus if you don’t want it.
The Most Popular Online Casino Licensing Jurisdictions
Not every online casino operator will have a license from the same jurisdiction or authority. You’ll notice a wide variety of license providers, so it’s important to understand the differences between them.
In this section, we’ll be exploring the major licensing jurisdictions.
This will give you a better idea of what to expect when you take a closer look at the license held by an online casino you decide to register at. It’s also going to help you better understand whether the specific licensing jurisdiction is valid in the area you live.
Malta Gaming License
A Malta Gaming License is actually one of the most popular ones that you’ll notice when looking at online casinos. It’s a golden standard, and the authority has been around for over two decades.
Most online casinos won’t start out with a Malta Gaming license. This is mainly due to the complicated and time-consuming process that it takes to get approval from this jurisdiction. It’s also the most expensive casino license to obtain.
However, for players, a Malta Gaming license actually holds an important benefit.
You see, when a casino has a valid license from this jurisdiction, it means they have undergone a rigorous process. It also means that the casino is trustworthy and can legally operate within the European market.
A Malta Gaming license gives casino operators access to a wider variety of payment options. This can help players choose from a more diverse range of ways to pay and withdraw funds when they gamble online.
Curacao Gaming License
When it comes to the most popular gaming licenses, Curacao is definitely among the top. It’s a very common gaming license that you’ll see at online casinos. It was also one of the first to be established.
One of the reasons it’s so popular is due to the fact that casinos are able to go live with less downtime. The process of acquiring a Curacao gaming license is much less strict and time-consuming compared to some of the others, such as a Malta gaming license. Application fees are also much lower, which allows these online casinos to go live without as much expenses.
Kahnawake Gaming License
The Kahnawake Gaming license jurisdiction was first founded in 1999 and has since provided licenses to several online casinos. The gaming license uses the operators of different online gambling platforms, including classic casinos, poker sites, live gaming titles, and lotto services.
One of the major benefits of the Kahnawake Gaming License is the fact that it focuses largely on player protection. The Kahnawake Gaming Commission is behind these licenses. The commission actually closely monitors all of the operators that they grant a license to. This means they are consistently ensuring that these operators offer a fair gambling experience to players.
The Kahnawake Gaming Commission also takes several measures to ensure any operator who applies for a license has no fraudulent activities associated with them. This is one of the steps they take to ensure the safety and security of players who decide to register at these casinos.
The Kahnawake Gaming Commission is located in Quebec, Canada. However, it’s a First Nations Reserve that actually provides gambling licenses to operators who want to target an international audience. This means operators who get approved for a Kahnawake Gaming License can provide their gambling services to clients in multiple countries.
Conclusion
There are a lot of different online casinos that you can choose from. The diversity brings about some confusion, as you have to filter through many platforms to find the ones that are a good fit for you. While assessing these platforms, never overlook the role of licensing. If a casino doesn’t have a license, steer clear. That’s a good way to play it safe when gambling online. At the same time, even with a licensed and registered casino, there are additional things to keep in mind while making a decision.
