Casino licences and regulators
What each gambling licence means for players: how strict the regulator is, where its public register is and where you can complain.
Short answer
A casino licence is only as useful as the regulator behind it. National regulators such as the UKGC or the Malta Gaming Authority enforce player protection and run dispute procedures; light-touch offshore licences offer far less. Every regulator page links to its official register.
The list below shows every gambling regulator in our database with a short profile, its tier and its scope: national, state or provincial, or offshore. Tier 1 stands for regulators that enforce strong player protection and offer an independent dispute route; tier 3 for light-touch licences with far fewer obligations and weaker enforcement.
Use the list to judge the licence named in a casino’s footer. Open a regulator to see what its licence requires, where its official register is and how to complain, then compare that with the licence data on each casino review.
Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli
The Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli is the Italian state agency that, among its customs and excise duties, regulates public gaming.…
Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis / Alberta iGaming Corporation
Alberta became the second Canadian province, after Ontario, to open its online casino and sports betting market to private operators. Since 13…
Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario / iGaming Ontario
Ontario is the only Canadian province with an open, regulated market for private online casino operators. Two bodies share the work. The…
Alderney Gambling Control Commission
The Alderney Gambling Control Commission regulates online gambling for the States of Alderney, a small island in the Bailiwick of Guernsey in…
Anjouan Offshore Finance Authority (gaming licences)
Anjouan is one of the islands of the Union of the Comoros. Its local authorities have issued online gambling licences to companies…
Autorité de régulation des jeux de hasard et d'argent (Republic of the Congo)
The Republic of the Congo has a dedicated regulator for games of chance, the Autorité de régulation des jeux de hasard et…
Autorité de Régulation du Secteur des Jeux et Pratiques Assimilées (Guinea)
The Autorité de Régulation du Secteur des Jeux et Pratiques Assimilées is Guinea's regulator for games of chance. It was created by…
Belgian Gaming Commission (Kansspelcommissie / Commission des jeux de hasard)
The Belgian Gaming Commission licenses and supervises gambling in Belgium, both in physical venues and online. Belgium uses a closed model for…
Coljuegos (Empresa Industrial y Comercial del Estado Administradora del Monopolio Rentístico de los Juegos de Suerte y Azar)
Coljuegos is the state company that administers Colombia's monopoly on games of chance and authorises private operators to run them. Colombia was…
Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, Gaming Division
In Connecticut, online casino gaming and sports betting are regulated by the Gaming Division of the Department of Consumer Protection. The state…
Curaçao Gaming Authority
The Curaçao Gaming Authority is the government regulator that licenses online gambling companies based in Curaçao. For many years, online casinos in…
Delaware State Lottery (iGaming)
In Delaware, online casino games are run under the authority of the Delaware State Lottery, which was one of the first in…
Dirección General de Juegos de Azar (Ministry of Finance, Dominican Republic)
Gambling in the Dominican Republic is licensed through a gaming directorate of the Ministry of Finance, which oversees casinos, betting shops, lotteries…
Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego
The Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego is the Spanish government department that regulates gambling offered across the whole country, including online…
Eidgenössische Spielbankenkommission (Swiss Federal Gaming Board)
The Swiss Federal Gaming Board supervises casinos in Switzerland, including online casino games. Under the Federal Gambling Act, only casinos that already…
Estonian Tax and Customs Board (Maksu- ja Tolliamet), gambling supervision
In Estonia, gambling licences are issued and supervised by the Tax and Customs Board, the national tax agency, rather than by a…
Federal Ministry of Finance of Austria (Bundesministerium für Finanzen), gambling concessions under the GSpG
In Austria, gambling is a federal monopoly under the Gambling Act (Glücksspielgesetz, GSpG), and the Federal Ministry of Finance grants the concessions…
Financial Administration of the Republic of Slovenia (gambling supervision)
Slovenia regulates gambling under its Gaming Act, and the Financial Administration of the Republic of Slovenia supervises the sector. The market is…
Financial Services Regulatory Commission, Division of Gaming (Antigua and Barbuda)
Antigua and Barbuda was one of the first places in the world to license online gambling. Interactive gaming and wagering licences are…
Financial Services Regulatory Commission, St Kitts Branch (internet gaming)
Saint Kitts and Nevis has two separate bodies that license online gambling. On St Kitts, internet gaming falls under the Financial Services…
Gabonaise des Jeux
La Gabonaise des Jeux is the state institution that controls games of chance in Gabon. It plays an unusual double role: it…
Gambling Board of Namibia (Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism)
Gambling in Namibia falls under the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, whose Gaming Control Division licenses and supervises casinos and gambling…
Gambling Commission
The Gambling Commission regulates commercial gambling in Great Britain under the Gambling Act 2005, including online casinos, betting, bingo and lotteries. Any…
Gambling Regulatory Authority (Kenya)
The Gambling Regulatory Authority is Kenya's gambling regulator under the Gambling Control Act, 2025. It replaced the Betting Control and Licensing Board,…
Gambling Regulatory Authority (Mauritius)
The Gambling Regulatory Authority was set up to bring all gambling and gaming activities in Mauritius under a single regulator. It took…
Gambling Regulatory Authority (Úrad pre reguláciu hazardných hier)
The Gambling Regulatory Authority is Slovakia's state regulator for gambling under the Gambling Act No. 30/2019, which opened the online market to…
Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland
The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland is a new, independent regulator created under the Gambling Regulation Act 2024. It is taking over…
Games of Chance Administration (Uprava za igre na sreću), Ministry of Finance of Serbia
Serbia's Games of Chance Administration is a body within the Ministry of Finance that grants and withdraws approvals for games of chance…
Games of Chance Administration (Uprava za igre na sreću), Montenegro
Montenegro's Games of Chance Administration is the state body responsible for licensing and supervising gambling in the country. It decides which games…
Gaming Board for The Bahamas
The Gaming Board for The Bahamas is the licensing and supervisory authority for gambling in the country. It was first set up…
Gaming Board of Tanzania
The Gaming Board of Tanzania is the statutory regulator for gambling in mainland Tanzania. It was created under the Gaming Act, which…
Gaming Commission of Ghana
The Gaming Commission of Ghana is the body that regulates, controls and supervises games of chance in the country under the Gaming…
Gaming Control Authority under the Ministry of Finance (Lošimų priežiūros tarnyba)
The Gaming Control Authority, which works under Lithuania's Ministry of Finance, licenses and supervises gambling in Lithuania, including online casinos. Only companies…
Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder
The Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder, or Joint Gambling Authority of the German States, is the central regulator for online gambling in Germany.…
General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (United Arab Emirates)
The General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority is the federal body that regulates commercial gaming in the United Arab Emirates, including the national…
Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner / Licensing Authority
Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory and a long-established base for large online betting and casino companies. Two bodies share the work…
Hellenic Gaming Commission
The Hellenic Gaming Commission is the independent authority that licenses and supervises gambling in Greece. It covers online casinos, betting, land-based casinos…
Independent Gambling Control Office (British Columbia; formerly Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch)
The Independent Gambling Control Office (IGCO) regulates all gambling and horse racing in British Columbia. It replaced the Gaming Policy and Enforcement…
Instituto de Supervisão de Jogos
The Instituto de Supervisão de Jogos, or ISJ, is the Angolan government body that supervises games of chance, including online casinos, sports…
Instituto Provincial de Lotería y Casinos de la Provincia de Buenos Aires
The Instituto Provincial de Lotería y Casinos is the body that licenses and supervises gambling in the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina's…
Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission
The Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission regulates gambling on the Isle of Man, a self-governing Crown Dependency in the Irish Sea.…
Junta de Control de Juegos (Ministry of Economy and Finance, Panama)
Panama's Gaming Control Board, the Junta de Control de Juegos, is a state institution under the Ministry of Economy and Finance. It…
Kahnawà:ke Gaming Commission
The Kahnawà:ke Gaming Commission regulates online gambling from the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawà:ke, near Montreal in Canada. It acts under a gaming…
Kansspelautoriteit (Netherlands Gambling Authority)
The Kansspelautoriteit is the independent Dutch authority that licenses and supervises gambling in the Netherlands. Online casinos have been allowed to operate…
Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority
The Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority regulates lotteries and gaming in Lagos State, Nigeria's largest gambling market. Its powers come from…
Lotería de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires (LOTBA S.E.)
Lotería de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires, known as LOTBA, is the state company that regulates gambling in the Autonomous City of…
Lotería Nacional de Beneficencia (El Salvador)
El Salvador allows online casino games and sports betting on sites authorised by the Lotería Nacional de Beneficencia, the state body that…
Loterie Nationale du Bénin / Ministry of Economy and Finance
Gambling in Benin is organised around the Loterie Nationale du Bénin, a state company that holds the national monopoly under the oversight…
Loto-Québec (Société des loteries du Québec) / Québec Minister of Finance
Loto-Québec is the Québec government's lottery and gaming corporation, created under the Act respecting the Société des loteries du Québec (CQLR c.…
Lotteries and Gambling Supervisory Inspection (Izložu un azartspēļu uzraudzības inspekcija)
The Lotteries and Gambling Supervisory Inspection is the Latvian state authority that supervises lotteries and gambling, including online casinos, which Latvian law…
Lotteritilsynet (Norwegian Gambling and Foundation Authority)
Lotteritilsynet, the Norwegian Gambling and Foundation Authority based in Førde, supervises gambling in Norway under the Gambling Act (pengespilloven), which took effect…
Malawi Gaming and Lotteries Authority
The Malawi Gaming and Lotteries Authority is the national body that oversees gaming, betting and lottery activities in Malawi. It was established…
Malta Gaming Authority
The Malta Gaming Authority is the single regulator for all forms of gaming in Malta and one of the most widely used…
Michigan Gaming Control Board
The Michigan Gaming Control Board regulates the state's commercial casinos, horse racing, internet gaming, online sports betting and fantasy contests. Online casino…
Ministerio de Comercio Exterior y Turismo – Dirección General de Juegos de Casino y Máquinas Tragamonedas
In Peru, online casinos and online sports betting are regulated by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism through a directorate that…
Ministry of Economy of Armenia (licensing) / State Revenue Committee (supervision)
In Armenia, online casino games, slots, poker and sports betting are legal only on sites licensed in the country. Licences are issued…
Ministry of Finance of the Czech Republic (gambling regulation)
In the Czech Republic, gambling, including online casino games, is regulated by the Ministry of Finance. The ministry grants permits to operators,…
Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Croatia (Tax Administration, Games of Chance Service)
In Croatia, gambling is regulated under the Games of Chance Act, and the Ministry of Finance, through the Tax Administration, approves operators…
Ministry of Taxes and Duties of the Republic of Belarus
Belarus allows online casino games, sports betting and poker on sites that hold a gambling business licence. The Ministry of Taxes and…
Ministry of the Interior of Schleswig-Holstein (Ministerium für Inneres, Kommunales, Wohnen und Sport), online casino permits
In Germany, online table casino games such as roulette and blackjack are not licensed by the national GGL but by the individual…
Mpumalanga Economic Regulator
The Mpumalanga Economic Regulator is the provincial authority that licenses and supervises gambling in South Africa's Mpumalanga province. Under South African law,…
National Agency of Prospective Projects (Uzbekistan)
The National Agency of Prospective Projects is a state institution in Uzbekistan that regulates several new markets, including crypto-assets, the capital market,…
National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board (Uganda)
The National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board is the authority that licenses, regulates and supervises lotteries, gaming and betting in Uganda. It…
National Lottery Authority of Liberia
The National Lottery Authority of Liberia describes itself as the country's sole statutory body for licensing and regulating gaming and betting. It…
National Police Board of Finland (Poliisihallitus), gambling supervision
The National Police Board (Poliisihallitus) is in charge of the national supervision of lotteries and gambling in Finland, including the online casino…
National Revenue Agency (gambling supervision)
Bulgaria licenses online casinos, sports betting and poker under its Gambling Act. Since the former State Commission on Gambling was abolished, the…
New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement
The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement is the state agency that oversees casino gaming, including online casinos, and works within the…
Oficiul Național pentru Jocuri de Noroc
The Oficiul Național pentru Jocuri de Noroc is Romania's national gambling office, a government agency under the Ministry of Finance. It authorises…
Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board oversees casino gambling in Pennsylvania, including online casino games, online poker and online sports wagering. Online gambling…
Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation is a government-owned corporation that both regulates and operates gambling in the Philippines. It licenses private…
Revenue Service of Georgia (Ministry of Finance)
In Georgia, online casino games, slots and sports betting are legal only for companies that hold a permit from the Revenue Service,…
Rhode Island Lottery (Division of Lotteries)
In Rhode Island, online casino gaming is run under the authority of the Rhode Island Lottery, a state agency that also operates…
Rwanda Development Board (gaming regulation)
In Rwanda, gambling licences are handled by the Rwanda Development Board, a government agency that also deals with investment promotion and business…
Secretaría de Gobernación – Dirección General de Juegos y Sorteos
In Mexico, gambling is regulated at federal level by the Secretaría de Gobernación, the interior ministry, through its Dirección General de Juegos…
Secretaria de Prêmios e Apostas (Ministry of Finance)
The Secretaria de Prêmios e Apostas is the department of Brazil's Ministry of Finance responsible for fixed-odds betting and online games. Under…
Serviço de Regulação e Inspeção de Jogos (Turismo de Portugal)
The Serviço de Regulação e Inspeção de Jogos, part of the national tourism authority Turismo de Portugal, regulates and inspects gambling in…
Société Nationale de Loterie (SONAL) / Ministry of Finance (DR Congo)
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, online casino games, sports betting and poker can be offered by private operators that work…
Spelinspektionen (Swedish Gambling Authority)
Spelinspektionen is the Swedish authority responsible for licensing and supervising gambling in Sweden, including online casinos and betting. It took its current…
Spillemyndigheden (Danish Gambling Authority)
Spillemyndigheden is the Danish Gambling Authority. It licenses and supervises gambling in Denmark, including online casinos and betting, and it publishes an…
State Agency of Ukraine PlayCity
PlayCity is the Ukrainian state agency that controls gambling and lotteries. It replaced the former gambling commission in a reform aimed at…
Supervisory Authority for Regulated Activities (Szabályozott Tevékenységek Felügyeleti Hatósága)
The Supervisory Authority for Regulated Activities supervises gambling in Hungary, along with several other regulated sectors. Casino gambling is a state concession.…
Tobique Gaming Commission
The Tobique Gaming Commission is a gaming regulator of the Tobique First Nation in New Brunswick, Canada, operating under the Tobique Gaming…
Vanuatu Gaming Authority / Department of Customs and Inland Revenue (interactive gaming)
Vanuatu issues interactive gaming licences that cover online casino games, sports betting and poker. According to available sources, licences are issued through…
West Virginia Lottery Commission
The West Virginia Lottery Commission regulates most forms of gambling in the state, including the traditional lottery, video lottery, casino table games,…
Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board
The Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board controls and regulates gambling and horse racing in South Africa's Western Cape province. It investigates…
What a casino licence is
A casino licence is permission from a gambling regulator to offer games, and it binds the operator to that regulator’s rules on fair games, identity checks, player funds and complaints. It protects you only as far as the regulator enforces those rules.
The licence also decides which rules apply to your dispute. A casino licensed in Great Britain answers to the Gambling Commission; a casino licensed in Curaçao answers to the Curaçao Gaming Authority under the National Ordinance on Games of Chance (LOK), which came into effect on 24 December 2024.
Gambling licence tiers: why the regulator matters
Our tiers rank gambling licences by how much protection they give players in practice: strict rules, active enforcement and an independent complaints route put a regulator in tier 1. Light-touch offshore licences sit in tier 3.
The UK Gambling Commission and the Malta Gaming Authority are tier 1 examples. Regulators such as those of Gibraltar, the Isle of Man or Kahnawà:ke are tier 2. Curaçao and Anjouan are tier 3: they license many international casinos, but their enforcement and dispute procedures are newer or less proven. The tier feeds directly into the licence part of our casino score, explained on how we rate. A casino with no licence we can verify gets no score and goes on the blacklist.
What a licence means for you as a player
A strong licence gives you enforceable rights: verified identity rules, published game information and a route to an independent decision when the casino rejects your complaint. In Great Britain, for example, the information about your chances of winning, such as the RTP or house edge, must be easily available before you play each game.
A licence does not guarantee fast payouts or fair bonus terms, so check those on each review too.
How to check a licence number
Never trust a licence seal alone; check the number in the regulator’s official register. A valid entry names the same company that appears in the casino’s terms and lists the casino’s domain.
- Find the regulator, licence number and company name in the casino footer or terms.
- Open that regulator’s register from our licence checker.
- Search for the company or licence number and confirm that the licence is active and covers the domain you are on.
Complaints and ADR
Under strong licences, a complaint the casino cannot settle goes to an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) service, not to court. In Great Britain you can take a complaint to a free, independent ADR provider after eight weeks in the casino’s own procedure, according to the Gambling Commission. The Malta Gaming Authority has required its B2C licensees to refer player disputes to an ADR entity since 1 April 2019. Our guide on how to file a complaint covers each step. Whatever the licence, set your own limits before you play; our responsible gambling page explains the tools.
Frequently asked questions
Which casino licence is the safest?
Licences from national regulators with strict rules, active enforcement and an independent dispute procedure give players the most protection. In our list these are the tier 1 regulators, such as the UK Gambling Commission and the Malta Gaming Authority. It only protects you if it covers the domain you play on.
Is a Curaçao licence safe?
A Curaçao licence means the operator is registered with the Curaçao Gaming Authority under the LOK. Enforcement and dispute procedures are newer and less proven than in tier 1 markets, so we rate it tier 3. Check the licence in the official register and read the casino’s terms carefully.
How do I know if an online casino is licensed?
Find the regulator and licence number in the casino footer, then search the regulator’s official register for the company name or licence number. The entry should be active and list the casino’s domain. A logo or seal without a matching register entry proves nothing, and missing details are a red flag.
What is ADR in gambling?
ADR stands for alternative dispute resolution: an independent body that decides unresolved complaints between a player and a licensed casino without going to court. Strong regulators require their licensees to offer it. You normally have to complete the casino’s own complaints procedure first before an ADR provider will take your case.
Sources: Curaçao Gaming Authority: online gaming, Gambling Commission: RTS 3, Gambling Commission: taking your complaint to ADR, Malta Gaming Authority: ADR Directive