EU Slots Licenses
If you want to play for real money, it’s safer to play at an online casinos with EU slots licenses than it is to play at brick-and-mortar casinos. Online casinos have to obtain a relevant license to run legally. Plus, they have to stock their shelves exclusively with verified games.
EU slot providers can’t just make a game and release it. Every slot they create has to get a certificate. To certify a game, the provider has to prove the game is fair and offers the RTP it claims.
Keep reading to discover more about EU slots licenses, including the regulations a casino has to follow to get one. Find out why it’s ideal for you to play at a licensed online gambling site.
What is a Casino License?
Just like your driving license proves that you are competent behind the wheel, a casino license proves that a casino operator runs their online casino safely and fairly. EU licensing bodies in Malta, the UK, Sweden and Spain give their stamp of approval to casinos that adhere to their strict regulations.
With an EU casino license, an online casino can legally welcome players from the corresponding country. For instance, if you’re from Malta, look out for the Malta Gaming Authority logo in the footer of the casino’s site.
As a player, it’s your responsibility to make sure that you play at a casino that’s legal in your country. Not only that but it’s actually in your interest. Licensed casinos don’t sell your personal data. They also offer you a level of security that you need when you’re gambling online for real money.
How to Get a Slots License
Every game that an online casino has in its library must be verified. As mentioned before, the game certificates guarantee the payout rate. Certified games can’t be manipulated by players or the casino. Over and above guaranteeing the fairness of their games, online casinos have to do a number of things in order for an authority to grant them a license.
Regulations
Here are some of the regulations that casinos have to follow to get EU slots licenses:
Security:
When you play for real money at an online casino, you will need to provide personal information when you open your account and when you deposit and withdraw money. Transactions are processed through the casino’s site and casinos may also store your personal details and payment information. For these reasons, the casino has to have a secure platform that encrypts data to protect you. The best EU slots casinos have SSL and security measures that go over and above their license requirements.
Transparency:
This covers things like your personal data as well as information on the RTPs of games. If the casino stores any of your information, they have to let you know. You should also be able to request this at any time. Also, if you can’t find the Return to Player rate of their games displayed somewhere, then you should run a mile. Casinos with slots licenses have to supply this information.
Verification Checks:
You might have to complete an identity check when you sign up at a casino. Otherwise, you will have to do it later on, when you hit a certain limit in deposits and withdrawals (usually around €1000). This is necessary because the casino has to verify your identity and that you are old enough to legally gamble. Licensed casinos have KYC ‘Know Your Customer’ officers who work together with the fraud team to process checks.
Responsible Gaming Support:
Gambling can be addictive. The vast majority of players enjoy online games of chance as a form of entertainment. However, for a few players, the fun stops. Unlike brick-and-mortar casinos, online casinos protect all players, including vulnerable players rather than taking advantage of them. Pop ups appear often to ask you if you want to keep on playing. This is totally different from land-based casinos that are notorious for hiding all clocks so players lose track of time. In addition, casinos with licenses offer tools that enable you to set limits to help you control your gambling.
Dispute Resolution Services:
Have you ever called a support line, perhaps to make an insurance claim, and been met with nothing but placations and evasions of responsibility? Casinos with an EU slots license have to offer a dispute resolution service. They also have to offer it free of charge. So, if you ever have an issue, you know that it will be settled by an independent body and that you won’t have to pay a cent.
Land-based casinos don’t have to adhere to the same regulations that online casinos do. Moreover, casino operators are subject to serious fines (hundreds of thousands of Euros) if they break their licensing agreements.
Licensing Authorities
Licenses from these top EU slots licensing bodies are the ones you should look out for when choosing an online casino:
Malta Gaming Authority
The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) is the licensing body of the Maltese government. They have a Licensee Register and an Enforcement Register. You can use these to check if a casino has a license from them and also if they have ever been fined. The MGA award licenses to online casinos so that they can provide their services to you.
Gambling Commission
The British Gambling Commission (GC) is one of the strictest licensing authorities in the EU. A license from the GC is the ultimate seal of approval for any EU slots casino. Like the MGA, the GC has a register which you can use to cross check a casino’s license number to confirm it’s still valid.
Spelinspektionen
Sweden’s gambling authority, the Spelinspektionen, is also extremely strict like the GC. They are not afraid to fine casinos that fail to comply with the rules. If an online betting site has a license from the Spelinspektionen then you know it’s a decent choice.
Directorate General for the Regulation of Gambling
The Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (DGO) is the gambling authority in Spain. They grant licenses to online casinos and operators that offer lottery games. Licenses from the DGO are valid for 1 to 5 years. They aren’t the most prestigious licensing body, but they have rigorous regulations which aim to protect you and ensure a safe gambling environment.
