Casino Licensing Bodies Popularity: Stats by Silentbet

E-Gambling licenses are among the first security features people are looking for when evaluating an online casino. We are aware of that, so our team decided to take action and analyze 378 online casinos and their permits. The stats were pretty interesting, so let’s learn more about them.

Casino Licenses Stats

Using an online casino with a license is very important for many different reasons. For starters, this is an indication that the website must follow the rules and regulations of a specific authority. Also, using a licensed online casino gives you the opportunity to file a complaint to the specific commission/regular when there is a problem.

All countries around the world where online casinos are legal have their own regulations. However, not all casinos that operate in these jurisdictions obtain a permit. Instead, they get a license from a gambling regulator that’s recognizable in the specific location. These so-called “offshore” licenses are usually in the grey area regarding regulations because most gambling laws do not address them in any way.

• Curacao e-gambling permit
  Speaking of permits, our stats show that 171 casinos out of 378 (45.20%) use permission from the Curacao eGaming License. Everyone who has experience with iGaming is aware that this is the most popular commission in the world.
  Before its creation in 1996, Curacao became among the first to offer gambling licenses. This happened in 1993, one year prior to Antigua. Today, Curacao is home to many world-class gambling websites that operate in many parts of the world.
• MGA
  The second place, with 33% or 125 online casinos is the Malta Gaming Authority (👉 see a full list of MGA casinos for 2024), often called MGA. Malta is a very popular tourist destination, as well as a place where gambling companies decide to obtain a permit.
  In case you did not know, the MGA began operating in 2001. This commission is famous for monitoring many aspects of gambling services. It is also famous for its measures against money laundering, protection of minors, and more.
• UKGC
  The United Kingdom Gambling Commission is the next option, with 17.9% or 68 casinos. Unlike the previous two alternatives, the UKGC’s permissions only work within the country. In fact, they are the only way for casinos to offer their services legally there.
  The UK has the largest gambling market in Europe and one of the largest in the world, so it’s no surprise the commission is strict. Often called the Gambling Commission, it is responsible for supervising the gambling laws in Great Britain. Besides casinos, its remits also cover sports betting, bingo, lotteries, arcades, and more. The UKGC was formed in 2007.
• SGA
  he second-last spot on our list is another niche gambling regulator – the Swedish Gambling Authority. Like the UKGC, the license here is very specific, and it will only help casinos wishing to operate within Sweden. The latter has strict gambling laws, so operators wishing to obtain permission must abide by strict rules.
  The Swedish Gambling Authority began operating in 1995, but it originates from the lotteries board, which was inaugurated in 1974.
• Gibraltar Gambling License
  Lastly, we have the Gibraltar Gambling License, an authority responsible for 16 or 4.23% of the 378 online casinos we have reviewed. The Gibraltar Betting and Gaming Association is relatively new compared to the rest because it started operating in 2013. It has become pretty popular among new online casinos, which explains why many operators decide to trust it.

Rumen Morfov, Content Manager at Silentbet

Most online casinos you find while browsing online will almost always have a permit from one of these gambling authorities. Some of the biggest names in the online casino industry have more than one active license.

When Are We Going To Update These Stats?

Unlike most other things in the online casino industry, most operator do not change their license that often. In fact, they usually do that when it is terminated or when it expires, and the regulator refuses to issue a new one. Consequently, we think that updating this article once per year is more than enough.

Future Trends

Atanas Tanev, Owner of Silentbet

I remember that the majority of online casinos back in the day only had one license. Nowadays, things have changed, and some of the biggest operators we work with operate with multiple permissions. This allows people to feel even more secure while playing.

We have analyzed the data from a few years ago and today and found that there are big differences in the gambling licenses. There are still plenty of online casinos operating on a single permit, but the reality is that most operators have more than one.

Usually, the MGA and Curacao’s eGaming license are the go-to alternatives. However, sites that want to specialize in a specific jurisdiction will always get permission from the regulator that operate there. We expect this trend to continue in the future.

Another thing we expect to see is more strict regulations, especially in some countries like the USA, Canada, Australia and EU. The fact that more people gamble than ever before also increases the gambling problems. Consequently, all of the licensing authorities will most likely impose more strict regulations that casinos must abide by.

*Full list of references:

• curacao-egaming.com
• mga.org.mt
• gamblingcommission.gov.uk
• spelinspektionen.se/en/
• gibraltar.gov.gi/finance-gaming-and-regulations