MGA
Malta
Strict protection
Malta’s regulator has its own player support team and a public list of the firms it licenses.
+10Casino Licences
Casino licences decide who you can turn to when a payout goes wrong; each regulator here shows its level of player protection.
- Protection level
- Licence numbers
- Licensed casinos
Strict casino regulators
Strict regulators hold casinos to rules on player funds, ads and ID checks, and most name a free dispute service. A licence from one of them is the best sign that a refused payout can be taken to someone outside the casino.
+10UKGC
United Kingdom (UKGC)
United KingdomStrict protection
The UK regulator sets rules on player funds, sends disputes to a free service and fines firms that break the rules.
Register: gamblingcommission.gov.uk
SGA
Sweden (SGA)
SwedenStrict protection
Sweden opened its market to licensed firms on 1 January 2019, with tight rules on bonuses and deposit limits.
Register: spelinspektionen.se
DGA
Denmark (DGA)
DenmarkStrict protection
Denmark opened its online market on 1 January 2012, and its regulator runs the ROFUS self-ban list.
Register: spillemyndigheden.dk
Online casino regulators in the US and Canada
In the US, each state makes its own rules, so a casino licensed in New Jersey can only take players who are in New Jersey. Ontario runs a market of its own in Canada, and the other provinces sell online play through their lotteries.
iGO
Ontario (iGO)
Ontario, CanadaStrict protection
Ontario opened its own market in April 2022, run by iGaming Ontario under the AGCO.
Register: igamingontario.ca
Offshore and moderate casino licences
Offshore licences cost less and come with lighter checks, so a dispute rests more on the casino’s own goodwill. Curaçao is moving from its old master and sub-licence model to direct licences, which adds rules over time.
CGA
Curaçao (CGA)
CuraçaoModerate protection
Curaçao has given out direct licences since 2023, in place of the old master and sub-licence model.
+9KGC
Kahnawake (KGC)
Kahnawà:ke, CanadaModerate protection
This regulator in Quebec has licensed online casinos since the late 1990s.
+3TGC
New Brunswick (TGC)
New Brunswick, CanadaModerate protection
A regulator based in New Brunswick, on the east coast of Canada.
AOFA
Comoros (AOFA)
Anjouan, ComorosLight protection
A low-cost offshore licence with little enforcement behind it.
+10How to do a casino license check
- Find the numberThe licence number sits in the casino footer or the terms, next to the operator’s company name.
- Open the registerSearch for the number on the regulator’s own website, never on a link supplied by the casino.
- Match the companyThe company on the register should be the operator named in the casino’s terms.
- Check the statusAn active licence shows no suspension, and a lapsed one is a reason to stop.
The 4 checks take about 5 minutes, and each casino page here lists its licence numbers with the register status already shown. A number that cannot be found, or that belongs to another company, is reason enough to pick a different casino.
What a licence does for you
A casino licence is a contract with a regulator: the casino accepts audits, rules on player funds and a complaint route in exchange for the right to operate.
How well that protects you depends on how strictly the regulator enforces it, from fines and licence suspensions at the strict end to little action at the offshore end.
- Strict casino licences let the regulator order a casino to pay and fine it if it refuses.
- Licences set rules on ID checks, so 1 set of documents tends to clear each casino under the same regulator.
- Most strict regulators run or name a dispute service you can use for free.
Common questions
Which casino licence protects players best?
The UK Gambling Commission, the Malta Gaming Authority and iGaming Ontario set the strictest rules on player funds and disputes. Offshore licences cost less and protect players less.
How do I check a casino licence?
Copy the licence number from the casino footer and search for it on the regulator’s own register. If the number is missing, or the register shows another firm, the licence is not proven.
Is an unlicensed casino always a scam?
Not always, but you lose any outside help if a payout goes wrong. Without a regulator, a complaint has nowhere to go beyond the casino itself.