How to distinguish a licensed casino from an illegal one
1. Why it is important to distinguish between licensed and illegal casinos
In Australia, access to gambling is regulated by the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, and control is exercised by national and regional authorities. The licensed casino is obliged to work within the framework of the rules protecting the interests of the player: honesty of games, transparency of payments, data protection. Illegal sites do not bear such obligations, and the risk of loss of funds or information leakage there is much higher.
2. License Verification - First Step
Licensed: The legal operator on the site always has the number and the authority that issued the license (e.g. MGA, UKGC, Curacao eGaming, ACMA for Australian betting operators).
Link to the regulator: when you click on the license logo or its number, you must go to the official page of the regulator, where the date of issue, validity and status are indicated.
Validity: Licenses have an end date, and renewal is confirmed by re-verification.
3. Signs of a legal casino
Public information: in the basement of the site (footer) there are full details of the company - legal name, registration address, license number.
Certificates of integrity: logos eCOGRA, iTech Labs, GLI with working links to reports.
Connection protection: HTTPS and SSL encryption for all pages.
Responsible play: having a section with self-limiting tools, deposit limits and links to help services.
Transparent conditions: bonus rules, vagers, withdrawal limits are described in detail.
4. Signs of an illegal casino
No license or fake license: a logo without a link or a link leads to a non-existent page.
No company details: only the brand name is indicated without legal information.
Questionable conditions: blurred or hidden rules for payments and bonuses.
No contacts: only a feedback form or e-mail without phone and online chat.
Intrusive advertising: mass mailing or banners with the promise of "100% guarantee of winning."
Suspicious design: copying the design of well-known brands.
5. Verification of history and reputation
Player reviews: search for information on independent forums and aggregators.
Blacklists: the presence of a brand on the lists of blocked ACMA sites or other regulators.
Payout history: Legal casinos often publish payout statistics and RTP reports.
6. Use of official resources
Regulator site: entering the license number in the database to confirm the status.
"White lists": many authoritative portals publish lists of proven casinos.
Domain check: registration date, same as the company specified in the license.
7. Final verification scheme for the player
1. Find the number and licensing authority on the site.
2. Follow the link and check the relevance in the regulator database.
3. Make sure that there are HTTPS, certificates of honesty, a section on responsible play.
4. Check the reputation and presence of the company on the white/black lists.
5. Assess transparency of terms and conditions and availability of support services.
Conclusion:
In Australia, access to gambling is regulated by the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, and control is exercised by national and regional authorities. The licensed casino is obliged to work within the framework of the rules protecting the interests of the player: honesty of games, transparency of payments, data protection. Illegal sites do not bear such obligations, and the risk of loss of funds or information leakage there is much higher.
2. License Verification - First Step
Licensed: The legal operator on the site always has the number and the authority that issued the license (e.g. MGA, UKGC, Curacao eGaming, ACMA for Australian betting operators).
Link to the regulator: when you click on the license logo or its number, you must go to the official page of the regulator, where the date of issue, validity and status are indicated.
Validity: Licenses have an end date, and renewal is confirmed by re-verification.
3. Signs of a legal casino
Public information: in the basement of the site (footer) there are full details of the company - legal name, registration address, license number.
Certificates of integrity: logos eCOGRA, iTech Labs, GLI with working links to reports.
Connection protection: HTTPS and SSL encryption for all pages.
Responsible play: having a section with self-limiting tools, deposit limits and links to help services.
Transparent conditions: bonus rules, vagers, withdrawal limits are described in detail.
4. Signs of an illegal casino
No license or fake license: a logo without a link or a link leads to a non-existent page.
No company details: only the brand name is indicated without legal information.
Questionable conditions: blurred or hidden rules for payments and bonuses.
No contacts: only a feedback form or e-mail without phone and online chat.
Intrusive advertising: mass mailing or banners with the promise of "100% guarantee of winning."
Suspicious design: copying the design of well-known brands.
5. Verification of history and reputation
Player reviews: search for information on independent forums and aggregators.
Blacklists: the presence of a brand on the lists of blocked ACMA sites or other regulators.
Payout history: Legal casinos often publish payout statistics and RTP reports.
6. Use of official resources
Regulator site: entering the license number in the database to confirm the status.
"White lists": many authoritative portals publish lists of proven casinos.
Domain check: registration date, same as the company specified in the license.
7. Final verification scheme for the player
1. Find the number and licensing authority on the site.
2. Follow the link and check the relevance in the regulator database.
3. Make sure that there are HTTPS, certificates of honesty, a section on responsible play.
4. Check the reputation and presence of the company on the white/black lists.
5. Assess transparency of terms and conditions and availability of support services.
Conclusion:
- A licensed casino always confirms its status with official documents and open information. Illegal operators disguise themselves as well-known brands or forge licenses, but a careful check will quickly reveal inconsistencies. It is particularly important for Australian players to target proven licences and avoid sites blocked by ACMA.
