The Different Online Casino Licensing Jurisdictions Unpacked

While browsing through different online casinos, you may have noticed that some of them display the type of gambling licence that permit them to allow players to make use of their services. This is not a type of licence that is new in the industry, and does not only apply to online casinos.

Licences have been a part of casinos from when they first started gaining major popularity around the world. Gambling, like other pastimes, such as drinking, is not permitted to underage users, meaning that there had to be licensing put in place to ensure that everything was running properly and to the law.

Online casinos have been much the same, and although land-based casino licences were often created by the country that hosted the casino, this was not exactly the same for online casinos, due to the fact they could be hosted by any country around the world.

This is why some countries began offering international licensing for casinos that were only found online, allowing them to operate under a legitimate licence while still offering services to people found in different countries.

Antigua and Barbuda

In 1994, when the internet was starting to become more widespread and online casinos were first in their infancy, some nations began realising the need for online licensing regulations to keep these casinos in check.

Antigua and Barbuda, a Caribbean nation, was the first to start offering licences that were set under the country’s laws, and it was from here that most of the other licensing regulators began selling more online permits for casinos.

iGaming Jurisdictions

Curaçao, another Caribbean country that was colonised by the Dutch, was another company that began regulating online gaming services in 1996. This was truly the start of the iGaming licensing and IP jurisdictions, and over 200 of them now exist in different forms.

They’re used all over the world, from Australia to Canada, and those looking for a reputable casino that offers Canadian slots online will need to check that the casino they are interested in has the right licence.

Malta

Now we come to the licensing jurisdiction that is most commonly known among online casino players, and the one that many casinos are regulated under. Malta has been in the game for almost as long as the previously mentioned, first gaining prominence on the scene in 2000, and then in 2004 it released a new licensing division shortly before joining the EU.

This means that Malta is the only EU country in the world that has the ability to regulate international online casinos, and is considered one of the most respected jurisdictions in the world, with over 500 licences in circulation.

Alderney

White-listed by the UK, Alderney has been providing licensing and regulation for almost two decades, and is known for its more conservative approach when it comes to online gambling.

Despite this, and the slow growth that has accompanied this approach, it remains as one of the most respected and sought-after licensing jurisdictions in the world.

Having the right licence is incredibly important for any online casino that wants to run a respectable service, and whenever you’re looking for your next casino to join, make sure it is part of a recognised jurisdiction.