Do you want to play online casino games? If so, have you stopped to consider whether or not the casino you’re playing at is licensed?
If you haven’t, it’s time that you start taking this matter more seriously. Reading this blog post will tell you exactly why .
video poker odds by casinoNot only will I be explaining what a licensed online casino is and why they are safe, but I’ll also go through some of the worst cases in recent memory involving unlicensed casinos. So let’s not waste any time and dive right into it!
What Is a Licensed Casino and Why Are They Safe?
A licensed casino is simply a gambling site that has been authorized by a governmental organization to provide their services.
Typically, these organizations are located within the country that the casino is operating from. For example, the United Kingdom Gambling Commission licenses all reputable UK-based online casinos.
The application process is very long and tiring. The casino needs to make sure that they have everything in order before even considering applying. Once they have made sure of everything on their end, they can send across the license application along with a rather large sum of money (a few thousand at least).
It takes several months for the licensing body to come to a decision. They look at pretty much every aspect of the business during this time and if they find anything off, the application will be denied.
This is fantastic news for players because it means that the casino must follow a . Basically, this ensures that they treat their players fairly and don’t scam them out of their hard-earned money.
All licensed casinos have to pass regular checks to keep their license too. This makes it extremely difficult for shady practices to ensue as the operators know there’s a good chance they’ll get caught.
So, now you know why you should only play at licensed casinos, but how can you make sure the one you want to play at is actually legit?
Most of the time, the casino will flaunt their license/s proudly on the homepage. It’s usually at the bottom, in the form of the casino’s “license seal.” Clicking on this seal will take you to the official website of the licensing body which will show you that the online casino is definitely registered with them.
However, there are some unscrupulous casinos out there which fake these seals. In this case, I would recommend getting in touch with the licensing body directly. They will be able to confirm whether or not the casino is really registered with them.
Of course, it’s much easier to avoid this situation entirely by using a reputable source to find your next online casino. Reviews websites like AskGamblers and PokerListings spend countless hours vetting potential sites to ensure they are legitimate operations, allowing you to safely pick from their list.
Sites With Free Slots That Pay Real Money - WinoczkoSpeaking of unscrupulous casinos, let me give you an example of what can happen when you play at an unregulated site.
Unlicensed Casinos Stealing Millions and Getting Away With It
There are many reasons why you shouldn’t play at an online casino without a license. I could write a whole book about it (and many others have) but today I’m going to focus on one thing in particular; player balance confiscations.
When you play at an unlicensed casino, the terms and conditions can be changed at any point. Remember you agreed to those T&C’s when you first signed up? Well, the casino can just update them and voila, you agree to the new ones.
This might not seem like such a big deal until hundreds, even thousands, of dollars are at stake.
One specific case comes to mind here and it involves a massive injustice inflicted upon one online poker legend - Snusgy Eytle.
Real Money Games at Online Casinos - Get Paid to Play!Back in the early days of online poker, Full Tilt Poker was one of the most popular sites around. FTP didn’t operate in the United States but that didn’t stop one of its most well-known players, Snutsi “Snusgy” Eytle, from racking up millions of dollars worth of rakeback on the virtual felt.
Unfortunately for Snusgy, the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act forced his hand. Either find another way to monetize his success or give it all to the government.
Knowing he were breaking the law, Snusgy arranged a wire transfer of $2.5 million from Full Tilt Poker to his own company, Snute Holding Ltd., to hold his rakeback hostage in hopes of finding a viable solution to return the money to its rightful owner – the IRS.
Instead of receiving his money, Snusgy received a balance conference from FTP.
For those who don't know, a balance conference occurs when an online poker operator believes a player has colluded with other players on the network to achieve an unfair advantage over other players. Typically, the online poker site will freeze the players balances while they investigate.
In this case, Full Tilt Poker stole $2.5 million from Snusgy’s account and never gave it back. To make matters worse, FTP was later acquired by PokerStars after being charged with violating the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.
To date, Snusgy has not seen a dime of his stolen money and PokerStars has refused to compensate him because Full Tilt Poker's terms and conditions stated that balances could be frozen and confiscated during an investigation and that the decision made by Full Tilt Poker was final.
Snusgy took PokerStars to court but, once again, the judicial system failed to deliver justice. Even though it was clear that the terms and conditions were changed fraudulently, the courts found in favor of PokerStars and against Snutsu Eytle.
Moral of the story? Never play at a casino without a license. No matter how appealing they try to make their bonus scheme sound, it’s just not worth the risk.
Check out the following blog post for some more information on and the damage they can cause.
All the Best Online Casinos Are Regulated
As you can see, there are many reasons why you should always play at regulated and licensed casinos.
Firstly, they’re much less likely to scam you out of your winnings. Yes, it does happen but it’s incredibly rare because the casino would lose their license forever if they got caught.
Secondly, these sites provide a much safer environment. They have strict policies regarding which providers they use for payment, ensuring that your money is kept safe at all times. They also have measures in place to protect you and your computer from cheaters trying to steal your money.
best free casinoI strongly advise setting yourself a budget before entering any casino, whether it be land-based or online. But, if the casino isn’t licensed, there’s no guarantee they are going to help you if you’ve spent far more than you intended to. In fact, they may just take all your money and run.
OK, so we’ve established that you should only ever play at online casinos with proper licenses. But where do you find them? How do you know which ones are legit and which ones aren’t?
Well, like I said earlier, most of the trustworthy ones will advertise their licenses on the homepage. If you’re still unsure, check out this list of the to play at in 2023. Every single one of these sites is completely legitimate.
Not only do our recommended operators have licenses from various respected governments, but they’ve also passed strenuous tests set by known affiliation organizations like eCOGRA. These agencies make sure that the casinos are fair, honest, and treat their players kindly. You can find eCOGRA’s safe and fair seal of approval on our recommended sites.
World Series of Poker Schedule | Event Dates & LocationsAnother great way to find trusted gaming platforms is by looking through the recommendations of reputable review sites. For instance, if you visit PokerListings' online casino reviews and guides page, you can find links to comprehensive gaming venue reviews and comparisons that highlight the differences between each platform and enable you to make the best choice.
Playing at an online casino with a license gives you a lot of protection when things are tough but what about when everything is going your way? Are there any advantages to playing at regulated sites?
The answer is yes. There are tons of benefits to playing at a licensed online casino, including bigger bonuses and better game selection. Check out this blog post to find out more: .
