A Look at Online Casino Legality

The goal of this association is to represent and coordinate the interests of the government, operators, and all interested consumers. Specifically, the GBGA is known as a group that coordinates the efforts of remote gambling operators that target Gilbrator-based customers. The GBGA is a member of the EGBA, the European Gaming and Betting Association. The EGBA mission statement emphasizes digital online safety for the 20 million or more European online gambling participants.

The GBGA clearly expresses its goals with critical notes directing the user to detailed material regarding rules and regulations. Along with regulations aimed at protecting the interests of online gaming above all else, the GBGA is proud of its model and its success in that they suggest that its platform should be the basis of structure for all online gaming regulations worldwide.

GBGA lists vendors currently members of the GBGA along with links to requested sites. Two important issues are detailed at length in the news section. Money laundering and game testing.

The Gibraltar Betting and Gaming Association details efforts to keep industry standards current with testing requirements. Operators have to be tested and certified as compliant. The testing of an online gambling site is listed as an effective method to decide which casino a consumer should frequent during gambling excursions. For equipment to operate properly, especially digital products like software, inspections should be done regularly and have industry certification. The parameters which the GBGA uses for industry testing are listed in detail, along with additional resources if further knowledge is required.

Another sensitive issue is money laundering and the attempts of governments to foil plans of users concealing money obtained from illegal activities. The Gibraltar Betting and Gaming Association offers documentation on ways money laundering is identified and offers methods to prevent the use of services by certain users.

The primary method utilized by the GBGA includes the verification of identity by users on the online gambling platform. Money movement is facilitated by services such as card transfers and account withdrawals. Regular users of e-commerce will note that a variety of money transfer services participate in online gaming transactions, such as Paypal, Payoneer, and Dwolla, to name a few. Requiring associates to identify the names of users, and verifying the names of users, helps to pinpoint the user’s history and possible engagement or possession of illegal funds or activities.

Documents that users submit are then verified, an additional step to certify if the documents are valid. Lastly, as part of their three-prong fight against money laundering, any accounts from which the user withdraws or deposits funds are checked to see if names match all associated accounts. These steps, all performed in conjunction with each other, represent the most advanced and thorough way to circumvent the actions of greedy and sneaky individuals attempting to thwart the rigorous system that the GBGA has in place.

The GBGA is located in Gibraltar and is active on various issues. The GBGA has engaged in fights with the always-interfering arm of government legislation. The GBGA appealed the passage of restrictions that the GBGA insisted violated current laws of the European Union. At other points in history, the GBGA had declared to members of the United Kingdom government that they were discriminatory regarding the Gambling Act of 2014.

For more information about how the GBGA lends itself to consumer safety and which methods they employ, feel free to peruse their website regarding the latest on gambling and betting data.

One of the many ways the UK Gambling Commission interacts with the public would be its involvement in overseeing current gambling activities such as the lottery. By regulating the lottery (or any other gambling activity selected), the public can see laws in action- the UK gambling commission would dictate rules around lottery sales, how lottery tickets are redeemed, where they are sold, and how the winner is paid. In theory, the sole purpose of a gambling commission would be to protect the interests of potential and current consumers when participating in an activity such as gambling at casino sites that UK players only are familiar with.

For those interested in applying for a gambling license, the website offers a link to a page where the user can apply online with an e-form. Even the best online casinos benefit from such a quick avenue on their path to becoming properly licensed. The procedure of having an online form highlights the rapid advancement of society and resources about gambling as well as avenues to gambling. Before the form is filled out, the user can access valuable information- which types of licenses are available, which license would be best suited for their prospective business, how much the fees are, and the regulation of whichever license is selected.

A section is also available for those who choose to break or circumvent the full terms of industry regulations. One of the main focuses of the UK gambling commission is to “ensure that gambling is fair, safe and crime free.”

The UK Gambling Commission explicitly states that license holders who violate regulations will be struck with various fines, including but not limited to the suspension and revocation of the license. There is a mention of cooperating with local authorities. The above punishments did not mention the possible filing of criminal charges or jail time for cheating license holders- hopefully, the UK Gambling Commission would work with UK crime bureaus to prosecute legally and financially.

Since localities might have slight variations in the types of games played or the employment of qualified individuals, the UK Gambling Commission has made available resources for licensing authorities.

One of the various types of data that a local authority must provide for legal online gambling real money is the gaming occurring, how frequently the gaming happens, the financial effects of the gaming, and how that gaming is currently licensed and regulated. To help with the process, the UK Gambling Commission offers guides and even a monthly newsletter. As games, innovation, and industry change, the license holder's primary responsibility is to stay current with industry trends.

The item with perhaps the most pressing nature is the resource that instructs new and existing gambling consumers on ways to select a reliable gambling vendor like All British casino. Endorsing a proactive approach, the consumer is prodded to research the background of the games and the selected casinos. For instance, the consumer should check on a gambling website to see if they are actually licensed. Researching the origins of the license and proper display of and enforcement of company rules regarding minimum wagers and account balances are encouraged for the educated consumer to read before beginning play.

The UK Gambling Commission provides valuable tools to the discerning gambling consumer. To prevent over gambling, the website also offers a link to a tool that helps consumers track gambling amounts and the licenses of online gambling companies. As advised by the UK gambling commission, it is the operators' inherent and legal responsibility to disclose how funds are held and the risks associated with such.

Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake is 48.05 square kilometers of an Indian reserve. Kahnawake is one of the many existing Kanien (’kehá: ka) territories that are part of the Mohawk Nation. Kahnawake was among the very first regions worldwide to recognize the significant potential that online gaming had when it began.

Kahnawake subsequently became one of the world’s first gambling jurisdictions, and today it is home to the well-known Kahnawake Gaming Commission, which licenses some of the best internet casino gaming in the world. The Commission’s work is to provide gaming licenses to gambling businesses, including online casinos, sports books, and poker rooms, among other online gambling outfits. The Kahnawake Gaming Commission demands strict provisions that applicants need to adhere to before they can successfully obtain an online gambling provider license.

The Kahnawake Gaming Commission was established on the 10th of June 1996. The Commission’s establishment was made possible when the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake passed the Kahnawake Gaming Law. The Commission first enacted its regulations on interactive gaming on 8th July 1999. The Commission has since consistently remained engaged in regulating and licensing and showing how to report illegal online gambling on various online gaming outfits worldwide.

The Commission operates as a regulatory body providing gambling licenses to interested businesses that want to offer online gaming services to players. Inside of Kahnawake, the Commission has also provided gambling licenses to some three land-based poker rooms.

The commission has three members, all of who operate through a term of two years. The Mohawk Council of Kahnawake, the commission's body, is mandated to appoint these members.

Technological Control & Highly Rated

An estimated 50 Internet gaming businesses have registered with the Kahnawake commission. The operators have a combined approximated 250 online gambling websites throughout this jurisdiction. So as to be approved by the commission, it is a requirement that all the gaming sites use the Mohawk Internet Technologies managed by Continent 8 Technologies as a host for their infrastructure. The commission can monitor and ensure conformity and consistency by having a technological control over all the sites that operate under it.

Why Kahnawake?

Two reasons have made Kahnawake one of the main regulatory players in the internet gaming industry. The first one is that the Constitution of Canada is responsible for providing the Indian tribes with autonomy over their land. A fiscally conservative country, Canada, may offer unreasonable laws to control internet gaming, but the Indian counsels can effect a view that is more liberal. Secondly, any operations related to Indians have a special tax guideline that is seen as favorable in the gaming industry.

Key Regulations

The Commission has set some guidelines for online gaming operators and players to enforce its regulations and rules. All operators must be approved to have one of the four types of permits offered. After licensing, operators must agree to random investigations and audits by authorized, independent agents representing the commission. These authorized agents include TST, iTech Labs, and Ecogra. For the player's sake, it is a requirement that all sites operate fairly and honestly. The sites are also required to have mechanisms that protect minors as well as any individuals that are prone to gambling issues. The mechanism needs to include a process that a gambler's family can use can petition to get the player's gambling placed under control. Another important requirement is that all gamblers confidentiality is always observed.

Types of Licenses Issued

The Kahnawake Gaming Commission currently provides four types of licenses. The permits are given under the guideline provided by the Interactive Gaming Regulations that the Commission laid down in July 1999. The Interactive Gaming Regulation’s recent amendment was on 2nd June 2010.

The four licenses given by the commission are:

1. Client Provider Authorization (CPA)

2. Key Person License (KPL)

3. Interactive Gaming License (IGC)

4. Secondary Client Provider Authorization (Secondary CPA)

Applicants interested in acquiring a license from Kahnawake have to pay the commission an initial fee. For the Client Provider Authorization License, the applicant has to pay $25,000. Every Key Person License attracts a fee of $5,000, and both fees are refunded should the Commission reject an operator’s application.

The Kahnawake Gaming Commission's official website offers more information about the various license types. Poker rooms within Kahnawake are issued with the Poker Room License (PRL) as per the commission’s Poker Room regulations, recently amended on 21st April 2010.

Kahnawake Gaming Commission and Other Regulatory Bodies

The Kahnawake Gaming Commission does not work alone at what is online gambling. The commission has, over the years, been working closely with various regulatory bodies to improve the quality of online gambling. Since 2005, the commission has been working with Antigua and Barbuda’s Financial Services Regulatory Commission through a memorandum of understanding agreement.

The Kahnawake Gaming Commission entered another similar memorandum of understanding with the Government of Malta’s Lotteries and Gaming Authority in 2006.

Other Facts Relating to Kahnawake Gaming Commission

Many online casinos and gaming sites are operating under the commission. Below are facts relating to these operators as well as about Kahnawake.

Gaming Platforms Available – Players can access casino, bingo, and poker games on the internet provided in various ways. They can access instant play versions that do not require any download. Players can simply log in from a web browser and start playing instantly. There are also downloadable versions that need a few minutes of download on a mobile device, home computer or laptop.

Several of these sites today offer players a live casino website version compatible with various devices, similar to the experiences found at casino resorts. A player can access and play from anywhere provided they have battery life and an internet connection.

Many gaming sites under the Kahnawake gaming commission offer a huge variety of casino, poker, and bingo games, so it is easy for players to find a site they will love to play on. He or she can even choose from several variants of video poker, blackjack, or other popular casino games. Players can do a little research to find the perfect match for the type of game they want. Some of the games can be played free and at no risk or for real money for anyone ready to win or lose.

Security of Financial Transactions

The Kahnawake Gaming Commission provides very strict rules in regard to the way the financial transactions of casino customers are handled. Nothing is left to chance. The commission requires all the sports betting, casino, bingo, or poker sites that operate under its licenses to have the highest protocols of security attached to their systems.

This kind of security ensures that no matter the banking method among the many supported ones a player decides to use, funding their account will be done in an encrypted manner that is safe and secure. Any transactions you make on any gambling website are supposed to be safe.

However, there are some limitations on the available deposit and/or withdrawal banking methods depending on where a player is. But players will likely have an option or two to choose from no matter where they are located. One sure thing is that whenever anyone transacts on a site that Kahnawake Gaming Commission has licensed, they can be assured security. Deposits and cashing out will be done in the most secure manner.

Accessing Player Gaming Logs

All online gaming sites that Kahnawake Gaming Commission has licensed will give any player that wants to access their real money player logs. Some of these sites will typically have direct access to the logs on the website when a player logs into their account, while others will normally send gaming logs upon a request by the player. The requested logs are normally sent to the player through their email address.

Methods Used to Send Winnings and Payouts

Players typically have an option of choosing how the money they have won will be sent to them, but some of the gaming websites will typically send payments through the same channels used to deposit funds into your online account.

Are the Online Comps Different?

There is not much difference between the online comps you earn from the comps awarded when gambling at a physical casino. Still, it is typical for some internet-based casinos to offer comps and bonuses that are of much more value to players because of the low overheads associated with running an online casino.

Available Complaint Channels

In recent years, the Kahnawake Gaming Commission has improved the process of handling player complaints. It now has designated people to handle such problems that may be experienced by players who use sites that they have licensed.

Online Gambling Minimum Age Requirement

All the gambling sites that operate under the licenses of the Kahnawake Gaming Commission have to abide by a set of strict rules regarding the minimum age at which they should allow gamblers to register. In Kahnawake, the legal age at which anyone can start gambling is 18 years old. Still, if a player resides in another territory or country that allows gambling at any other age, they must abide by their local laws.

Gambling Winnings and Taxing In Kahnawake

Online gaming players are not required to pay taxes on any of the winnings they get from any Kahnawake-licensed sites. There are, however, some taxes that gambling operators and owners should pay.

It is important to note that even though most countries do not charge tax on gambling winnings, players who play on Kahnawake licensed sites from a country where tax is charged on winnings should report the winnings as though they won from their country of residence.

Malta is a small island in the Mediterranean Sea. It’s located south of Sicily, Italy, and North of Tunisia, Africa. The country is part of the EU and has been rapidly expanding. There is a growing ex-pat community, and new jobs are always being created. Social capital is the major source of income for the island, as most jobs are centered around hospitality and tourism. The islanders and visitors enjoy beautiful weather and a Mediterranean lifestyle. The island also has much partying, including nightclubs, festivals, and bars. The first-class lifestyle is truly embraced in Malta, which is why it’s such a popular destination for people from all over the globe. As previously mentioned, Malta is home to many casinos both on land and remote, which is no surprise for an island where leisure is prioritized.

Until 2015, the Malta Gaming Authority operated as the Malta Lottery and Gaming Authority. The Malta Gaming Authority also works with other regulatory authorities such as the United Kingdom Gambling Commission to resolve customer issues. The UK states that while the Malta Gaming Authority is occasionally slow at handling complaints, a favorable result is often achieved. The UK continues by stating that they’ve dealt with other agencies that have ignored the concerns and failed to respond.

The Malta Gaming Authority is divided into several gaming sectors. Among these different sectors are:

• Remote gaming

• Advertising lotteries

• Amusement machines

• Casinos

• Commercial bingo halls

• Cruise Casinos

• Gaming devices

• National Lottery

• Nonprofit games

• Racecourse bets and sweepstakes

• Skill games

The authority also keeps statistics of all visitors to Maltese gaming sites. The number is segregated by whether the players are Maltese or not. The information provided is based on numbers alone; there is no accounting for whether they are repeat or no repeat visitor(s). The greatest variance in the statistical set is the month of March over the period of 2015-2017. In March 2016 a significant decline in the number of visitors by about 12,000 was reported It’s unclear as to what factor is creating such a great swing in the number.

Another growing trend in online gaming is remote gambling. The term “remote,” although used rather broadly in generalizations, specifically refers to offshore or distance gaming. Remote also refers to the method of gambling such as by telephone, online, mobile, and the like. A special division dedicated to remote gaming goes by the “Malta Remote Gaming Council.” Malta was the first member of the EU to be trusted with this specialized responsibility. The gaming council posts current licensing information and unauthorized and blacklisted casinos. Since many casinos and players are located remotely, this division is especially important to the organization's overall operation.

Since the Malta Gaming Authority governs gambling venues and issues illegal online gambling penalties, it has a significant social responsibility obligation. The authority has taken on this responsibility by creating legislation regarding the disclosure of responsible gaming information and creating foundations to address the issues publicly. The Responsible Gaming Foundation was established in 2014. The passage of funding initiatives to get the foundation off the ground was successful. The organization now helps to aid those affected by gambling compulsions on a path to recovery. The second organization is GamingMalta. This organization was founded in 2015. GamingMalta aims to promote Malta as an attractive gaming venue for customers and businesses. The organization’s role is also to maintain high standards to achieve this level of excellence. A new initiative is currently underway. The name of this proposed organization is the Foundation for the Development of Gaming Knowledge. The objective of this organization is to address issues in the gaming industry and to promote positive changes to maintain and evolve the image of the gaming industry.

Other interesting initiatives Malta has taken on include preventing illegal funding from being used in activities such as terrorism and other criminal activity. The Malta Gaming Authority also handles complaints regarding issues with casinos both on land and online. The complaint form asks questions about the player’s specific incident. The authority investigates and helps to resolve issues by reviewing the player’s information compared to what the casino provides. Often, the authority can resolve disputes quickly, and often the findings favor the player. The FAQ section on the authority site also provides relevant information regarding the process of resolution of complaints. Specific legislation and news regarding current online gaming matters and trends can also be found.

The Malta Gaming Authority, albeit somewhat of a newcomer, is making progress in improving the reputation of online gaming. The revenue from online gaming with real money has increased significantly over the years. The use of technology and digital security measures are helping to restore the reputation of a once-tarnished image. As players grow to enjoy and become familiarized with the online gaming world, the Malta Gaming Authority will have a chance to grow as well. The authority seems to be taking its obligation rather seriously by constantly evolving and proposing legislation that works for everyone, including casinos, players, and the government. The authority has its hands in nearly every aspect of the industry, from protecting players' funds to quality control and everything else under this large umbrella. Hopefully, the Malta Gaming Authority will continue to be a symbol associated with good times and the reassurance that players are getting fair and ethically sound treatment for years to come.

The agency was created in 2007 to promote a reliable and safe environment for online gambling. Because it is a digital environment, consumers needed protection. At the same time, it requires online gambling to be entertaining and attractive to the maximum amount of consumers. They promote the implementation of a regulated and competitive market for online gambling operators. This is according to the European Union law, and they represent six member companies and one trade association. The companies comprise Bet-at-Home, Betclic, Bwin Party, Expekt, Unibet, and Gibraltar Betting and Gaming Association. BOS and OVWG are affiliate members of the EGBA. The members of EGBA are also a member of the European Sports Association (ESSA), whose aim is to ensure fair betting for consumers.

The EGBA Mission

The mission of the EGBA is to ensure people playing on operator's websites that it is safe, reliable, and secure. To ensure this for consumers, the agency has a list of self-imposed standards that include:

• Enforcement of consistent and high-level consumer protection in Europe.

• Offering binding and independent dispute settlement for consumers.

• Being educated in the changing technology environment.

One way of protecting consumers in the EBA is standards with licensing requirements by online gaming regulators in different jurisdictions in the European Union. The agency's standards were updated in 2011 to include remote gambling standards in agreement with the European Committee for Standardization and CEN standards, which are compulsory membership requirements for operators. The operator's compliance is verified by an annual mandatory eCOGRA audit, an independent agency based in London for standards and player protection.

Included in these EGBA standards are several layers of consumer protection that include:

Responsible Gaming and Betting in Responsible, Safe Environments

Gambling and betting website operators must be legal and have an operating license from a reputable European regulatory authority. EGBA members must comply with the agency's standards and have an independent third-party assessment on an annual basis. The EGBA members must submit an annual financial statement audit and accounts by an external audit firm.

Responsible Gaming

In these standards, operators should provide consumers with detailed information about the risk of online gaming. This should include links to qualified help sources, customer ability to set deposit and betting amounts, not providing credit to consumers, and allowing customers to self-exclude.

Preventing Underage Gaming and Betting

It must be displayed no players under 18 or 21 on the operator's homepage of the website and a clearly posted link about underage gambling. Provide an explanation and link to parents about filtering programs to prevent minors from accessing gambling and betting websites. Operators must monitor underage gaming and bet with random consumer checks of compliance with age restrictions.

Customer Privacy

The website operator has the obligation to protect the customer's confidential information from being disclosed and unauthorized entities. The customer must be informed about the terms of use and conditions of the member's privacy policy.

Customer Support

Website online gaming operators have the obligation to provide customer support and satisfaction. Customers should have the benefit to logging complaints and disputes 24 hours a day, seven days a week. An independent company should be available for the resolution or mediation of disputes from customers.

Payments

The website operator should ensure prompt payment processing that is subject to the necessary checks and verifications. Customers should be allowed to open only one account and provide a minimum of information, including a unique username, password, name, age, and address.

Independent Product Fairness Assessment

Website operators should implement a product testing policy that has the support and approval of EGBA senior management. This ensures all products' internal and external testing for randomness and fairness.

Responsible Marketing

Marketing should be responsible and ethical to ensure advertisements do not attract underage betting and clearly do not target underage consumers. The advertisements should be factual and correct information to avoid misleading consumers. Consumers should not receive third-party unsolicited advertisements that are spam.

Criminal or Fraudulent Behavior

Gaming and betting website operators should have a zero-tolerance policy for criminal and fraudulent behavior with anti-money laundering policies and reporting unusual or suspicious activity. This should include unusual deposits and withdrawals and can include accounts with little or no betting activity. Login information and changes to details operators should require documentation for significant changes. This could be changing names or banking details, and operators should report suspicious transactions to international institutions and relevant national financial investigation units.

Agencies the EGBA is Associated

The EGBA is associated with agencies by sharing agreements, including the sport's governing associations, FIFA, and the IOC.

FIFA is the Federation of Internationale de Football Association and is the international governing body for football, beach soccer, and futsal. The organization was founded in 1904 to oversee the international competition of the national associations of Belgium. They are responsible for major international tournaments like the World Cup, which started in 1930, and the Women's World Cup, which began in 1991. The organization has a membership of 211 national associations and is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland.

The ICO is the International Olympic Committee, the authority over the worldwide Olympics, and is an international non-profit and non-governmental organization. They support the ethical and environmental development of sports. This organization is based in Lausanne, Switzerland. Before the commencement of the 2014 Olympics, the European Gaming and Betting Association, European Sports Security Association, and the International Olympic Committee made an agreement to report suspicious betting activity. This agreement is extended to other Olympic Games to safeguard major sports competitions from manipulated bets.

The Transparency Registry is another association the EGBA belongs to that is a voluntary lobbyist register operated jointly by the EU Commission and the European Parliament.

EGBA members are members of the European Sports Security Association, an organization that promotes sports integrity and fights match fixing.

The EGBA partnered with the European Elite Athletes Association (EU Athletes) for Project Integrity. This is a project that educates players on match-fixing. This project is co-funded by the European Commission project and the European Sports Security Association. The goal is to educate 25,000 players about sports betting integrity.

Responsible Gaming Day

One of the things the EGBA launched is Responsible Gaming Day in 2007 in Brussels, and every year this event is held. This is when EGBA organizes a conference called Responsible Gaming Day, an annual meeting on European gambling policy. It is a gathering of representatives from European institutions, stakeholders in the gambling sector, and national regulators. They discuss responsible gaming and betting practices in the European Union.

EGBA Agreements and News

The agency operators have an agreement to adhere to the Workshop Agreement for Responsible Remote Gambling Measures. This is published by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) to provide a safe and secure gambling environment for consumers through the European Union. The publication provides evidence of self-based regulatory control measures for this safe and secure environment. The CEN agreement is important for the rapidly growing gambling sector in the European Union. The online gambling part of this industry is expected to represent more than 15 percent of the total European gambling market since, in 2015, it reached € 13 billion.

The EGBA publishes a quarterly newsletter for its members with information about the current gambling industry issues at the European Union level. They include featured contributions from influential people in the industry or lawmakers like the European Commissioner. The public can find these newsletters on the EGBA website.

Percentages and Expected Gambling Projections

In published information, the EGBA states the European gambling online market is the largest worldwide, with a gross of €34.6 billion in 2015 after stake winnings. Further, more than 47.6 percent was attributed to the EU market.

They admit online gambling is a relatively new market, with the gross gaming revenue (GGR) minus stake winnings expected to rise to € 24.9 billion by 2020. Online gambling represented 17.5 percent of the total gambling market in Europe. The offline market in 2015 was €77.7 billion and is expected to reach €84.3 billion by 2020. EGBA has determined the most popular European betting of online gambling products, with it at 37 percent for betting, online poker at 24 percent, and casinos at 12 percent.

What this amounts to is online gambling does not detract from the land-based traditional gambling operators' market. It is determined the difference is that land-based operators have long-established products to offer gamblers. These include items found in casinos, bingo halls, betting shops, lottery tickets, and scratch-offs. Online gambling has different offerings, with places to bet on sports games and play online poker or other games without leaving home and, in some cases, on mobile devices. The substitution level is negligible since the player profiles differ in the type of gaming industry operation they choose. The one sector that is profitable is that traditional lottery operators can offer consumers online lotteries to participate in, along with betting and poker. This area of the industry is profitable for private and monopoly operators, with monopolies totaling more than 20 percent of the European online gambling market. When divided, this percentage is much higher in Northern Europe than in Eastern or Southern Europe. Both the land-based operators, the online operators, and the monopolies' revenue continues to expand, especially if offering their land-based products to online consumers.