What a Licence Does and Why It Is Important

What a Licence Does and Why It Is Important

A casino licence is the basic proof that an online casino is supervised by a gambling authority. To keep its licence, the casino must follow rules that are made to protect players.

The exact rules depend on the licence, but they can cover:

• Player money: rules for how deposits, balances and winnings are handled.
• Fair games: games and gaming systems must meet rules for fair play.
• Responsible gambling: casinos may have to offer tools such as deposit limits, time-outs and self-exclusion.
• Player complaints: there must be a clear way to make a complaint if something goes wrong.
• Identity checks: casinos must check who their players are and follow rules against money laundering.
• Clear information: important terms, bonus rules and other conditions must be available to players.

The important part is that these rules can be enforced. If a casino does not follow the rules of its licence, the licence authority can investigate and take action. Depending on the licence and the problem, this can include a warning, a fine, a suspension or even the loss of the licence.

For you as a player, this means there is more protection than at an unlicensed casino. You can also ask the licence authority or an independent service for help if the casino does not solve your complaint.nces, you can also ask the authority or an independent service for help if the casino does not solve your problem.

A Licence Is One of Our Five Criteria

Every online casino we promote on LiveCasino24 must meet our five criteria for a good live casino experience.

Two of these criteria are mainly about player safety:

1. A valid casino licence – this shows that the casino is supervised and must follow certain rules for player protection.
2. A clean reputation – this helps us check how the casino treats players in practice. We look for serious or repeated problems, such as unpaid winnings or unfair account closures.

We believe both checks are important. A licence shows that rules are in place, while a good reputation gives us extra confidence that the casino follows these rules in practice.

Our other three criteria help us decide whether the casino is also a good place for playing live casino games:

• responsible gambling tools;
• live games from quality providers;
• direct contact options.

A casino must meet all five criteria before we list it on LiveCasino24.

We check which type of licence a casino holds and whether it is accepted for the country where you play. This helps us recommend only casinos that meet the licensing requirements that apply to you. For more information, see the next section on international and national casino licences.

We then verify that the casino’s licence is real and active. On our casino page, you can see exactly how we check a casino licence.

Local and International Casino Licences

There are two main types of casino licences: local licences and international licences. The main difference is where the licence applies and how much local protection it gives you.

Local casino licences

A local casino licence is issued in a country where online gambling is regulated by law. The casino must follow the gambling rules of that country.

A local licence normally gives you the most protection as a player. Local rules can be stricter, especially for responsible gambling. For example, casinos may have to offer specific deposit limits, self-exclusion options or other tools to help players stay in control.

You also have the protection of the gambling laws in your own country and, in many cases, a local authority to turn to if there is a serious problem.

International casino licences

International casino licences are mainly used in grey markets. These are countries where online casino gambling is not locally regulated, but is also not prohibited by law. Because there is no local casino licence, an international licence is the best form of protection available.

International licences can also be used by casinos in some regulated markets. However, the rules are different in each country. In some regulated countries, we accept approved international licences. In others, we only accept the local licence. We decide this for each country based on the local rules and the level of player protection. This means you do not have to work out which type of licence we consider acceptable yourself.

In the next section, we explain which international casino licences we accept and why. Further down, you can also see the countries where we only accept casinos with a local licence.

International Casino Licences Compared

We only accept international casino licences that we believe offer enough protection for players.

The international licences we currently accept are:

• Malta Gaming Authority (MGA)
• Gibraltar
• Isle of Man
• Kahnawà Gaming Commission
• Curaçao Gaming Authority (CGA)
• Anjouan Gaming

These licences do not all work in the same way. Some have stricter rules, a longer history or more options if you have a complaint. Below, we explain how each licence works, how it protects players and the main differences between them.

Malta Gaming Authority (MGA)

The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) is one of the most established regulators for online gambling in Europe. Casinos with an MGA licence must follow detailed rules for player protection, responsible gambling and player money.

MGA casinos must offer responsible gambling tools and have a clear complaints process. The MGA also has a public licence register and enforcement register. This makes it easy to check if a licence is valid and whether the MGA has taken action against a casino.

If the casino does not solve your complaint, you can contact the MGA for help.

Gibraltar

Gibraltar has a long history in online gambling. Casinos with a Gibraltar licence are supervised by the Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner.

Licensed casinos must follow rules about player protection, responsible gambling, financial safety and preventing money laundering. They must also have a clear process for player complaints.

If you have a problem, you should first contact the casino. If the casino does not solve your complaint, you can contact the Gambling Commissioner.

Isle of Man

Online casinos in the Isle of Man are supervised by the Gambling Supervision Commission (GSC). The Isle of Man has regulated online gambling for many years.

Licensed casinos must follow rules for player money, fair games and responsible gambling. The GSC also continues to check casinos after they receive their licence.

If the casino does not solve your complaint, you may be able to ask the GSC for help. The complaint service is not available to all players, including players in the UK.

Kahnawà:ke Gaming Commission

The Kahnawà Gaming Commission (KGC) is based in the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawà in Canada. It has regulated online gambling since 1999.

Licensed casinos must follow rules about fair play, player money, personal information and responsible gambling. Players must also have options to limit their gambling or exclude themselves.

If you have a complaint, you should first contact the casino. If the problem is not solved, you can send the complaint to the KGC. The Commission has its own process for dealing with disputes between players and casinos.

Curaçao Gaming Authority (CGA)

The casino licensing system in Curaçao changed in 2024. Under the new LOK law, the Curaçao Gaming Authority (CGA) directly licences and supervises online casinos.

Casinos must follow rules for responsible gambling, identity checks, fair games and player money. Player funds must also be kept separate from the money the casino uses to run its business.

The CGA can investigate when a casino breaks its rules, but it does not decide individual disputes between players and casinos. Casinos must have their own complaints process and can use an independent service for disputes.

Anjouan Gaming

Anjouan Gaming is based in Anjouan, which is part of the Union of the Comoros. It has become a more common international casino licence in recent years.

Licensed casinos must follow rules for responsible gambling, player money, fair games and preventing money laundering. Player funds must be kept separate from the money the casino uses to run its business.

If the casino does not solve your complaint, you can use an approved independent service to help with the dispute. The Anjouan authority does not decide individual disputes itself.

Anjouan’s current licensing system has a shorter history than licences such as MGA, Gibraltar, Isle of Man and Kahnawà.

Markets Where We Only Accept a Local Licence

In some regulated markets, we only accept casinos with the required local licence. These countries have strict rules for online gambling and their own system for protecting players.

An international licence may offer enough protection in other countries, but it is not enough for us in these markets. We want the casino to follow the local rules and be supervised by the authority in the country where you play.

The markets where we only accept a local licence are:

• The Netherlands – Kansspelautoriteit (KSA)
• Great Britain – Gambling Commission
• Denmark – Danish Gambling Authority
• Sweden – Swedish Gambling Authority
• Italy – Customs and Monopolies Agency (ADM)

This is not a list of all regulated markets. In some other regulated countries, we also accept casinos with one of our approved international licences. We decide this for each country as part of our licence criteria.

Prohibited Markets

In some countries, online casino gambling is prohibited by law. In these markets, we do not recommend any online casino, even if it has an international licence.

Examples of prohibited markets include:

• Bangladesh
• Indonesia
• Qatar
• Mainland China

An international casino licence does not change the law in your country. In some prohibited markets, players can also face fines or other legal penalties for illegal gambling.

For this reason, we do not list casinos for players in these countries.

Gambling laws can change, so always check the current rules in your country if you are unsure.

Play Responsibly

A casino licence and our other safety checks can give you more protection, but they cannot make gambling risk-free. You can still lose money, even when you play at a licensed casino.

Only gamble with money you can afford to lose. Set limits for your money and time, and stop if gambling is no longer fun or feels difficult to control.

If you are worried about your gambling, take a break and ask for help. You can find more information, practical tips and support options on our responsible gambling page.

And always check that online casino gambling is not probited by law in your country before you play.

Common Questions About Casino Licences