Madison Genthry 
Anyone who has ever signed to an online casino before, like me, may or may not already be aware that for the owner of that iGaming website to legally operate in certain markets, it must be fully licensed and regulated by the official governing body that oversees online [and offline] gambling activities in that jurisdiction (country, state, province or territory).
However, I have learned in my years of playing on sites like this that not all gaming commissions/regulatory bodies have the same high standards.
With that in mind, let’s dive straight into separate facts from fiction to reveal what a valid gambling authority is and how the websites licensed by them are generally 100% safe and secure.
No. Throughout my research, I’ve discovered that not all licensing authorities are equal because some impose stricter vetting processes than others and will conduct more thorough, in-depth investigations and background checks on their applicants before issuing any licenses.
The safest and most secure sites that can be accessed from any decent iPhone, Android smartphone, desktop computer, tablet or laptop are typically multi-jurisdictional. In other words, they will have obtained their operating licenses from one or more mid to top-tier, internationally accredited regulators/authorities, such as the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC).
Other trusted, top-tier licensing authorities I’ve found that have equally high standards and are known for licensing the world’s best sites are the following:
- New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJDGE)
- Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB)
- Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB)
- Swedish Gambling Authority (the Spelinspektionen)
- Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission (GSC Isle of Man)
You can also trust sites that have obtained their operating licenses from the Norwegian Lottery Authority, the Malta Gaming Authority, the Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, the Alderney Gambling Control Commission, the Belgian Gaming Commission, Curacao eGaming, and the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, to name a few.
Besides mid and top-tier licensing authorities, including all of the ones I just mentioned above, you also have what many industry experts and leaders refer to as bottom-tier licensing authorities/regulators, also called ‘rubber-stamp’ authorities because they carry out little or no background checks over their licensees.
These ones pretty much hand out a license to anyone with enough cash to purchase one and open a real money gambling site. However, that’s not to say that all of the sites licensed by one or more of these jurisdictions can’t be trusted.
Just proceed with extreme caution should you find a site licensed in one of these jurisdictions, which many consider to be Panama, Costa Rica, Belize, and Anjouan / Comoros.
I’ve found that to be on the safe side, I will only ever play on UK-licensed sites, which is where I’m from and currently reside because I know that it is recognised as the industry’s shining example of what a licensing authority should be.
In fact, I’ve since found that many of the world’s less mature online gambling licensing authorities do, in fact, look to the United Kingdom to see how things are done here. They structure their own regulatory practices and vetting controls based on how the UKGC conducts its business.
They do so to improve upon their own regulatory practices and current legal frameworks to protect everyone, from the people like me who join these sites to the companies who run real money gambling sites.
They also have strict controls over the online payment processing companies that facilitate deposits and withdrawals on those sites, as well as the software providers that supply content to these legally permitted websites (e.g., computer-generated and live dealer online fruit machines, blackjack, roulette, etc.).
Whenever I’m looking for a new UKGC site to join, I always go to this same review site page: askgamblers.com/online-casinos, because each site has been carefully handpicked by a team of experts who will only ever recommend the best sites, safest sites and best bonuses for me.
I have never encountered any trouble on any of the 20-30 top-rated sites I have joined over the past decade.
How do I Know if the Site I’m About to Join Can Be Trusted?
When you land on the homepage of a new website you are considering joining, you can easily find out where it’s licensed by scrolling down to the bottom of the homepage.
The licensing authority that has issued them an operating license (along with the actual license number and a secure link to the page to confirm where it’s licensed) will be provided.
To make sure the casino is, in fact, licensed where it claims to be licensed, I suggested going to the official registry on that licensing authority’s website to see if that company is licensed there.
That’s right, some of the ‘rogue’ sites (fake/scam online casinos) in the past have even lied about where they are licensed (way back in the day) when they weren’t actually licensed by them, even going as far as to use the official logo of that licensing authority to make their claim seem even more legitimate, which is why you should always double-check.
Final Thoughts
I’ve also discovered that the most secure sites in the world that are fully licensed and regulated by one or mid/top-tier authorities also have the best cybersecurity measures and the best privacy/data protection policies and will always fully comply with AML (Anti-Money Laundering) policies.
They are transparent in their funding and day-to-day operations and will protect people like me by actively promoting responsible gambling and providing a range of ‘safer gambling tools.’
Their bonuses will always have low/medium wagering requirements. They will only accept a range of secure/well-known online payment methods and will be monitored by one or more globally renowned online casino testing agencies, such as eCOGRA.
128-bit or higher SSL encryption will protect my account (keeping my sensitive data and money out of cybercriminals’ reach) on the safest sites, and the games I can play from award-winning software providers will always have high or above-average return to player (RTP%) payout rates.
