Treated Unjust? Exercise Your Legal Rights & Get Your Money Back
The Importance of Playing at A Licensed Gambling Site
The online gambling industry is growing at an unprecedented rate, especially in India. Countries are shifting their stance on online gambling thanks to the amazing revenue it brings to economies worldwide.
Many are currently changing laws to allow online casinos and betting sites to offer their services in the country legally. This is only possible with casino licenses, a ‘seal’ of approval that makes the casino a credible option for players.
While important, the license is also one of the most overlooked aspects of online casinos. Players are easily drawn to big-money offers and thousands of games without even looking at a license first. This is a very big problem that can have unforeseen consequences.
Without a valid license, a casino is considered rogue and very dangerous. The casino can steal your money, or change the mathematics of the games so you lose.
On this page, you will learn what a license is and how it affects you as a player. You can even raise a complaint if you have been badly treated by the gambling site. Check out the table of contents below to get going.
What is a Casino License?
A casino license is a document which guarantees the safety and trustworthiness of a casino site. It’s the thing that sets apart rogue from proper online casinos for cash. A casino that has a valid license means that it satisfies specific requirements and minimum standards to which all gambling sites operate.
- Third parties – The seal of approval indicates that you can join the casino and make deposits without thinking twice. Licenses by leading authorities are not there just for show. Governing bodies conclude in-depth checks of online casinos before granting them their approval.
- AML – This also includes money-laundering measures, protecting vulnerable players, and a positive cash flow position too.
- Trustworthiness- Ownership checks are also included as are checks on all the games involved. In order for a casino site to get a proper license, its games must be safe and secure too.
A license isn’t a badge the casino can slap on its website to show off. As mentioned, it’s a seal of approval and a way for you to know which casinos are safe and which are rogue.
Does a Casino Need Multiple Licenses to Operate?
An online casino must have a licensed to operate, but it doesn’t necessarily need a few. Many sites will display several badges that show multiple licenses, but this is mostly done for show. It’s not anything bad, of course, but it’s not necessary for the casino site to operate.
Offshore Licenses, Indian Laws & Indian Players
To understand what an offshore license is and how it benefits players from India, you must first understand the legal landscape in India.
Gambling is regulated on a state level and is illegal in all states except for Sikkim, Daman & Goa. This law was stipulated around 150 years ago and does not include gambling activities on the internet. Nobody in India has been prosecuted for playing online casinos or online sportsbetting.
The Information Technology Act 2000 regulates cyber activities in India does not mention the word Gambling or Betting thereby the act was left for interpretation by the Courts which have refused to examine the matter. Further, online gambling is a banned offense in the state of Maharashtra under the “Bombay Wager Act” modified in 2013.
Wikipedias article on “Gambling in India“.
Therefore, there current legality in India looks like this:
- Offline gambling is illegal in India.
- Online gambling is not governed by any laws and is, therefore, neither legal nor illegal (only in Maharashtra).
What is an offshore license?
An offshore license means that the gambling site is licensed in a country outside of India, and offering services to residents (inside) of India.
The offices, operations, servers, etc. are all hosted outside of India. With the help of the internet, the gaming company market their services to players in India. This is considered fully legal since all activities are performed on servers in for example Malta, where it’s legal to offer real money games.
However, operating an online casino and/or online sportsbook is illegal in India. Because then the company is considered a “betting house”, which according to the 150 years old law, is illegal.
That’s why all the casinos listed at Cashup Club have their headquarters outside of India, and usually offer their services in multiple languages.
Legal offshore sites – A guarantee to fairness
When you read a casino review saying that “this casino is licensed and fully legal” it means it is fully legal in the country where its hosted, which is usually a country within the European Union.
And this is a good thing for you as a player.
Because legal casinos have to follow European laws on confidentially, consumer laws and security standards when handling money. It means the site has to be GDPR compliant – the most stringent protections for consumers online. Something which India is light years behind on.
The license also guarantees that the algorithms of the games are fair. Otherwise, the casino can change the mathematics of the game which makes you lose every bet.
Treated unfair? Raise a formal complaint!
If you consider the gambling site has done something unfair or unjust and is licensed by MGA, you can send a formal complaint to the governing body.
Before you do this we recommend speaking to the customer support, but if they are not giving after, go to this complaint form at MGA.
If a casino has made a severe breach of the regulatory requirements it can lose its license. In 2020 15 companies lost their license and during 2019 25 companies lost theirs. Some of them due to the following:
06/02/2020 – Cancellation of Authorisation for The Daily Fantasy Football Company LTD (C 76602)
This sanction is being imposed upon The Daily Fantasy Football Company LTD for having breached the following paragraphs of regulation 9 of the Regulations as per details shown hereunder: –
i) The authorised person has failed to meet commitments to players in a timely manner, or the Authority has reason to believe that such failure is imminent following the €3,483.89 liabilities incurred by the Authorised Person towards player funds;
All the casinos offered at Cashup Club offering real money bets holds a valid offshore license. This means, they are fully legal to offer cash games to players all over the world, apart from countries
Which Licenses Can I Trust?
There are several governing bodies that issue licenses in online gambling you can trust. Every country has its own, but there are licensed that are accepted worldwide. The following three governing bodies are most common in online casinos and can be trusted 100%.
United Kingdom Gambling Commission
The UKGC is the world’s leading license for online casinos. It is issued by the highest governing body for online gambling in the United Kingdom.
Due to the strict measures and requirements, it’s THE license you should look for. A casino licensed by the UKGC is 100% and trustworthy. This governing body will also help players with disputes which makes it the best in the industry.
Popular UK gambling sites in India:
Malta Gaming Authority
The second-biggest governing body in online gambling is the MGA. The license is pretty common, with many new casino sites securing the MGA’s license.
Established in 2001, the MGA license is one of the main reasons for the incredible growth of the online gambling sector in the country. The industry currently generates over 12% of Malta’s GDP, becoming one of the primary sources of revenue.
Popular Malta gambling sites in India:
Curacao eGaming
The license is issued by the government of Curacao and has been ‘online’ since 1996. It is recognized as a historical frontrunner in the world of iGaming that ensures the integrity of its licensees. While not on par with the UKGC and MGA, it is a license that can be trusted.
Popular Curacao gambling sites in India:
How Do I Find Out If a Casino Site is Licensed?
In most cases, casino sites display the badge of the license (or licenses) they own on the bottom of the website. You can’t miss it since everyone is doing their best to place it in eye-catching positions.
Additionally, you can also read more about the license in the About Us or Security sections of the website.
If a casino site doesn’t have a license, you can ask if it is licensed via email or live chat. The customer support service should have an explanation of why the badge isn’t displayed and show you the license number too.
Or you can read reviews before joining a site that will surely mention a line or two about the casino’s license.
If you can’t find information about the license, you’re better off with another casino site. Playing at unlicensed casinos is very dangerous. We’re not just talking about going bankrupt. Third parties may also steal your identity.
Since there’s no license and you have no one to guard your back, you’ll be left penniless and in big trouble.
