Why are gambling licences so important?
Since online casinos deal with your money and are required to obey the law, they cannot operate legally if they’re not properly licensed. Apart from that, an unlicensed casino is not guaranteed to offer fair games, and thus cannot be trusted by the players that want to play casino games in a safe and legit environment.
Playing at a licensed casino also means that games come from reputable providers, that players know that their money is being handled legally thanks to trustworthy payment options, that laws regarding money laundering or other illicit activities are not being broken, and that players are offered the best offers and promotions to improve their gaming experience.
Lastly, legitimate casinos also encourage Responsible Gambling, for added safety to their players.
Here at NZCasino, we promote the best legal licensed casinos.
What are gambling commissions and how do they operate?
Gambling Commissions are government agencies that establish the regulations, monitor and enforce these rules linked to the way casinos operate. This process ensures that players are protected from any illegal activities thanks to transparent gaming policies.
Apart from regulating casinos through licensing, gambling commissions also work with the New Zealand government to tackle any gambling-related law-breaking by investigating such cases, and ensure the safety of casino players by issuing online gambling licences.
Gambling licences in New Zealand
Here are the licences that online casinos in New Zealand can acquire:
- Alderney Gambling Control Commission
- Antigua and Barbuda Financial Services Regulatory Commission
- Gibraltar Regulatory Authority
- Curacao Gaming Control Board
- Kahnawake Gaming Commission
- Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission
- Malta Gaming Authority
- UK Gambling Commission
- Dutch Gaming Authority
How to get a gambling licence?
Acquiring a gambling licence requires casinos to go through a rigorous process of adhering to strict financial, business and management criteria. Casinos will also need to agree to being constantly monitored by the Gambling Commissions, if they hope to acquire the online gaming licence.
What are the criteria for casinos to be licensed?
Although online casinos cannot be licensed in New Zealand, casinos operating in New Zealand should be licensed by a recognised gaming authority.
Let’s take a look at what a casino needs to be covered, thanks to the following list of criteria.
1. Financial stability
Many licensing authorities including the MGA and the UKGC demand proof that the casino can fund its operations by providing regulators with their financial details, and undergo regular audits.
The financial ability of a casino also translates to paying taxes every year.
2. Adherence to regulations
Casinos have to first show that they can operate an online casino. Then, the casino in question has to ensure and promise that they will not break the law and go against the regulations that award them their licence.
3. Proactive in Responsible Gambling
Certain authorities take promoting Responsible Gambling very seriously with each licensee having its own method of ensuring that legit casinos incorporate this system.
Licensees also test the fairness of the games (one method being whether games contain RNG), and run a background check for criminal history.
These are just some of the criteria that are considered by the licensing authorities before granting a licence.
Can a casino operate without a licence?
Despite the checks and balances put in place, there are casinos that operate without a licence.
Keep in mind that if a player chooses an unlicensed casino, in case of any difficulties, there is no way for any reputable authority to step in and safeguard the player’s rights. Our advice to you is to avoid these illegal casinos and to not trust them with your personal information, and money.
What are blacklisted casinos?
Blacklisted casinos are those that implement shady practices and are not transparent with their customers. Once an unlicensed casino has been identified as a casino in operation, the relevant authorities start working to shut down their entire operation and put the casino on a blacklist.
To ensure that players are not tricked into using these casino, each gambling commission keeps a copy of their blacklisted casinos that can be accessed on their sites, so that players can know which casinos to avoid.
We’ve got your back – Unlicensed casinos don’t!
When it comes to the world of casino, we don’t cut corners, and you shouldn’t too! Before joining a casino, always make sure that it has been properly licensed, and that it is a casino that is checked periodically by an independent and internationally approved testing agency such as eCOGRA.
Remember that a legit casino will always show their licence information, feature games from legit providers, offer recognised legal payment options such as Bitcoin, are well-rated and have positive reviews, and have a working customer care section.
Stay safe out there, and we invite you to find the perfect casino by reading our reviews!