Regulators

Betting in a safe and protected environment

Gambling has been done by humanity for a long time. In the past, this was done legally in a physical betting office, under rules set by the government. Since the advent of the Internet and the increasing demand for online gambling, the arrival of (online) gambling regulators has also become an essential factor. This to ensure players to be able to play a transparent and fair game. And this sometimes entails complex elements because every country has its own rules and legislation. This makes gambling on the Internet – with a worldwide audience and provider all over the world – a task that is sometimes difficult to manage as a regulator.

Europe has reputable gambling regulators

In Europe, we have various gambling- betting regulators. These are brought to the serve by authorities to supervise consumer protection and set rules for a transparent betting offer. It also protects against fraudulent behaviour. The best known European regulators are Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), Gibraltar Regulatory Authority (GRA) remote gaming from Gibraltar and the UK Gambling Commission. When an online gambling site is authorized by one of these regulators, you can assume that you are dealing with a gambling site that is subject to obtaining an official license under strict conditions. With this license, the online bookmaker can legally provide its betting offer in Europe.

Read about Malta Gaming Authority

Read about Gambling Commission

The strict control of compliance with a gambling license

Every bookmaker who has a gambling license is under strict supervision by the country’s gambling authority in question. For example, severe conditions are imposed on the servers and transparency is always expected from the bookmakers concerning financial data. It is also a condition that providers of online games of chance have a policy about preventing gambling addiction. Also, bookmakers and online casinos located in Malta and holds a gaming license from this country are forbidden to allow persons under 18 to access paid gambling sites.

There are complete lists of rules that have been drawn up by the various regulators in Europe. These rules online gambling companies must adhere to. It states, among other things, that a gaming license for online providers is valid for a specific period. Countries such as Gibraltar also have strict regulations regarding the granting of foreign gaming licenses included in the Gambling Act 2005. There are many conditions to qualify for a gambling license. And as the government in Gibraltar indicates, a license is challenging to obtain. The Licensing Authority is with this appointed as supervisor.

It is sometimes difficult to enforce and collect fines

In practice, enforcement by the gambling authorities is not always as easy as it appears on paper. When malicious practices are found, warnings are distributed to companies involved in this. Failure to comply with the rules made – for example, by offering an illegal, unregulated betting offer – can lead to hefty fines. However, sometimes it proves to be very challenging to collect fines after discovering a violation from dubious gambling offices located abroad, far beyond the European borders. The regulators do not always have the power to take enforcement action worldwide and must therefore take measures from the country where the violation takes place. For example, a gambling website could be blocked for the country in question so that the consumer cannot access the illegal gambling site. Also, a gambling authority could reject a future application for a license based on previous violations of the company.

Legislation and regulations from various regulators

When gambling online with a bookmaker with a gambling license, it always means that the laws and regulations of the relevant country apply. The European Union now sets as a rule that EU legislation prevails over national legislation, although this may differ per country. In countries such as Malta and Gibraltar, strict compliance is enforced, and strike conditions must be met to qualify for a permit. You can play safely at any of the bookmaker sites located in Malta and licensed there.

An online bookmaker with a valid gambling license will always mention the license on the betting site. The bookmaker often also mentions the corresponding license number so that the information can be checked by everyone.

Online betting sites and European license

When a gambling company wants to offer its services to its bookmaker site in Europe, the betting company in question must have an official gambling license. To this end, various countries in Europe offer the option of obtaining a gambling license. These permits comply with strict European rules and mainly ensure a fair and transparent market. The authorities that issue these online gambling licenses also have a policy of not allowing minor gambling. For example, it is set as conditions that people under 18 not be allowed and are forbidden to play on gambling sites. A well-known country where many gambling companies are licensed is Malta. These gambling companies are often also located here with their gambling office. Below we take you through the most prominent current European regulators for online gambling.

Gambling Commission (United Kingdom)

The gambling commission from the United Kingdom has been active since 2014. The authority started when the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland opened up. This company is the supervisor of all licensees that are on this market. Since Great Britain is a gambling country, this authority has the arduous task of keeping an eye on offline and bookmakers and online casinos.

Malta Gaming Authority (Malta)

The Malta Gaming Authority, also known by its acronym MGA, is perhaps the best-known authority for online gambling. Almost all large and famous gambling sites have a license with this European authority to enter the gambling market in Europe. Although it sounds simple, there are still strict conditions for having a gambling license in Malta. Besides, it is an essential source of income for the small island.

Gibraltar Remote Gambling (Gibraltar)

The Gibraltar Remote Gambling Authority, headed by the Gibraltar Regulatory Authority (GRA), is perhaps the most widely used European gambling license provider next to Malta. The island, which lies between Spain and Morocco, has a rich history in (online) gambling and an ideal authority for entering the European market. An essential condition of Gibraltar is that the gambling company’s (head) office is actually located in Gibraltar.