Regulated Online Casinos

  1. How we regulate the gambling industry. We regulate in a transparent, accountable, proportionate, and consistent way. Using a risk-based approach, we focus our resources on those issues and gambling businesses that potentially present the greatest risk to the licensing objectives. All commercial gambling businesses which hold a licence under the Gambling Act must comply with that legislation.
  2. In most cases, the countries and regions that boast regulated online casinos are those that also play host to physical casinos. For this reason, it may come as little surprise that the United States is currently the biggest regulated market in the world.

The number of trustworthy and regulated USA online casinos has been drastically reduced due to a number of big-name players leaving the market. Many large casino brands had decided withdrawing from the USA was their best option when weighing risks and rewards.

Taxing revenue and protecting gamblers can only be truly achieved by regulated online casinos. Regulated online casinos are those casinos that are actually backed by some government body or authority. While this may seem needlessly bureaucratic, an unregulated casino could cause too much damage to the player. Since a computer program can easily be written to steal from the player, it is necessary to have some authority figure backing the casinos. Since most online casinos are typically established in small nations, they are essentially businesses that are not part of the nation in which you live. Unfortunately, this has created a slight difficulty in figuring out who is regulating what, as well as where tax money should belong.

Taxing online gambling is one of the main reason the games are legalized in just about any jurisdiction. In order to oversee and collect these taxes, a regulatory body is typically established. The regulatory body will typically apply the rules and regulations to which the gaming centers must adhere. Licenses are handed out by these regulatory bodies, and thus make it legal for them to operate. Regulations protect the player above anything else, as well as give the jurisdiction allowing the casino to operate a cut of the revenue.

What qualifies as regulated online casinos varies primarily by nation. Some nations will allow offshore gambling sites, all the while refusing to actually establish a regulatory body within their own boundaries. Regulation is important for any nation that wants to generate tax revenue. Like land based casinos, a license to operate an online casino is required almost everywhere in the world.

USA Regulated Online Casinos

Regulated online casinos have not yet truly arrived in the United States. that said, there is no portion of the American government that oversees online gambling. The laws have not yet been adapted to control and establish a regulatory commission. As of now, online gambling sites are not entitled to be established within the American borders, but players in the United States can join and gamble through offshore online casinos. While these casinos have yet to contribute any tax dollars to the United States government, they do provide players with a safe casino gambling experience as provided by those bureaucracies existing in the foreign lands that actually host the gaming center.

Laws that would allow online gambling businesses to be established in the United States are being considered. Whether or not they will actually succeed is another question all together. The bill has passed through several committees, though Congress has yet to actually make a decision.

As you can see, regulation is vital in order to have successfully secure online casinos. The regulatory bodies overseeing the regulated online casinos are essentially insurance policies to prove that you will not be ripped off by an unscrupulous business owner. Consider this a safety net for your gambling.

Regulated Online Casinos FAQ

Where are most casinos regulated?
A great number of casinos are regulated in either the isle of Man, Cyprus, or Netherlands Antilles.

Why are regulated online casinos not in the United States?
There are many reasons the United States has not yet regulated, but the primary reason is concerns of money laundering related to organized crime and/or terrorism.

What is the age requirement on regulated online casinos?
Each jurisdiction has its own age requirement on online casinos. For the most part you will have to be 21.

Us Regulated Online Casinos

What types of games can be found through the regulated online casinos?
Slots, video poker, blackjack, craps, table games, specialty games such as keno, and much more can all be found through the casinos that have regulation.

What if my casino is not regulated in my nation?
You will want to check with your local laws before you decide to gamble online if you are going to protect yourself.

Best Regulated Online Casinos

WinPalace Casino is one of the best regulated online casinos. Regulated in the United Kingdom, this is one of the casinos that can be trusted every step of the way. WinPalace Casino has two bonuses which you would like to be aware of, including a free $10 no deposit bonus using the promotional code 10WIN, as well as a 400% match to $4,000 dollars using the bonus code 4000FREE. WinPalace Casino has over 80 games, offered by the RTG software. Visit WinPalace Casino

Cherry Red Casino

Cherry Red Casino is another of the RTG casinos. They are licensed in Nicosia, Cypress, and is a member of the European Union. Cherry Red Casino is one of the top gaming centers, offering their players over $5,000 in bonuses every week, as well as up to $7,777 in sign up bonuses. Cherry Red Casino gives their players the ability to deposit with VISA, MasterCard, UseMyWallet, and eWalletXpress. Cherry Red Casino has a reputation of being the best, due in part to being one of the best regulated online casinos. Visit Cherry Red

Las Vegas USA Casino, regulated in Nicosia, Cyprus, is one of the legal online casinos. Open to players from anywhere in the world, Las Vegas USA Casino entitles their users to experience the best that online casino gambling has to offer. Their 125% match bonus is good for over $125 in free cash, and you can easily redeem this bonus without as much as a bonus code. Las Vegas USA Casino has over 80 different games, each of which can be played upon opening an account. Las Vegas USA Casino has more deposit methods than any other regulated online casinos, and is one of the best. Visit LasVegas USA Casino

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The United States’ online gambling laws are all over the place. The federal government doesn’t deem internet gaming illegal, but they do have a couple of deterring laws on the matter like the UIGEA and Federal Wire Act.

States have the authorization to legalize various forms internet gambling, including online casinos within their borders. Delaware, Michigan, and New Jersey are among those that have taken advantage of this situation.

But when it comes to internet casino games, the majority of states have no stance on the matter. Unregulated gaming sites serve most of the same states.

“Unregulated” heavily implies that these casinos operate in a lawless zone. As you’ll see in this post, though, this term doesn’t exactly mean what it implies.

What’s Considered an Unregulated Casino?

The term unregulated casino is quite prevalent in the online gaming world. But what exactly does it mean?

Simply put, an unregulated casino is one that serves a jurisdiction where it’s not licensed and approved. It operates in states that don’t have a definitive stance on internet gambling.

The same casinos typically avoid the following types of states:

  • Those that have declared online gambling to be illegal.
  • States that don’t have a concrete stance on the matter but have taken legal action against offshore casinos (e.g. Kentucky).
  • Those that have regulated online casino markets and explicitly ban unlicensed operators (e.g. New Jersey).

Unfortunately, most states still haven’t regulated internet gaming. The vast majority of Americans don’t have access to legal and licensed online casinos.

They normally wouldn’t be able to exercise their freedoms to play internet casino games at home. Offshore casinos have stepped in to fill these roles.

What’s Considered a Regulated Casino?

The term “offshore online casinos” is often used interchangeably with unregulated online casinos. It doesn’t necessarily mean the same thing as unregulated, but it has become a popular term to describe unlicensed gaming sites.

People commonly refer to these casinos as being offshore due to their operating locations. The majority of unregulated gaming sites that serve Americans are found in Antigua, Belize, and Costa Rica.

The countries all have their own legal online gambling setups. In exchange for licensing fees and taxes, they allow internet casinos to operate out of their countries.

Of course, the same gaming sites could try operating out of America. But they’ll assuredly be busted at some point for offering illegal gambling.

While some states don’t have definitive stances on internet gaming, every state has a definition of an illegal gambling operator. Any US resident/visitor who tries running an unlawful gaming sites will face legal scrutiny sooner or later.

That said, unlicensed operators who want to serve a country’s online gamblers relocate to offshore locations. They can get away with their unregulated operations when they’re in another legal jurisdiction.

Are Online Casinos in Places Like Belize Really Unregulated?

Not all internet gaming jurisdictions are created equal. Some are more prestigious than others when it comes to screening out potentially crooked operators and only accepting reputable companies.

The jurisdictions that I’ve covered so far, including Costa Rica, Belize, and Antigua, don’t have a very good reputation throughout the gaming world. Curacao, which bans its operators from serving Americans, but also allows them to serve many other grey markets, falls into the same category.

These jurisdictions don’t have, or at least don’t exercise, much control over their licenses. Instead, they mainly collect taxes and application fees.

They take a hands-off approach to operators. After all, they don’t want to be overly harsh on real money online casinos and risk scaring them and their money off.

Casinos that hold licenses with these jurisdictions don’t immediately inspire much confidence. They must prove themselves by offering good service and fair games over a number of years.

Then again, the same casinos aren’t completely unregulated. They do have to spend anywhere from four to six figures to gain licensing in one of these jurisdictions.

While throwing money at the Belize or Costa Rican government doesn’t prove one’s worth, it does serve as an initial barrier. Operators must be willing to risk thousands of dollars to gain such licensing.

Why Do Gamblers Choose Unregulated Gaming Sites?

You can see that offshore casino are a mixed bag. They must pay licensing fees and can be reputable under certain circumstances.

On the other hand, their licensing jurisdictions don’t require much out of them. You take your chances when playing at an unregulated casino.

That said, you may wonder why these casinos have remained so popular over the years. Here are the main reasons why gamblers continue choosing unregulated gaming sites.

Many Players Live in Unregulated Jurisdictions/States

Not everybody lives in highly regulated casino states like New Jersey or Delaware. Instead, many Americans reside in places that haven’t bothered to define their internet gaming laws.

The same people can’t play at a New Jersey online casino if they’re not located within the Garden State. After all, NJ gambling laws only apply within its own border.

They also don’t have any options within their own states. Therefore, offshore gaming sites remain their only answer.

Unregulated casinos are in an arms race to see who can offer the biggest and most-ridiculous bonuses. For example, some sites offer welcome bonuses worth up to $10,000.

How in the world is this possible? These casinos typically feature tough bonus terms and conditions that make it hard to earn anywhere near $10k.

Some of the more-crooked operators may provide little chance to cash out any online casino bonus money at all. These casinos invoke ambiguous terms and conditions to prevent players from withdrawing funds.

Luckily, these situations aren’t always the case. You can find some legitimate big bonuses at offshore operators.

But I strongly urge you to carefully read T&Cs before going for these offers. Upon seeing anything that’s ambiguous, you should find another casino.

They Haven’t Experienced Any Troubles with Unregulated Sites

Again, many offshore casinos don’t have strong licensing jurisdictions to answer to. As long as they pay their fees, they can get away with a lot.

However, some unregulated operators are actually interested in long-term profits. They can’t achieve this goal if they treat customers like crap.

That said, the majority of gamblers don’t experience any huge problems when using offshore casinos. They’ll continue using these same sites as long as the status quo continues.

Is It Safe to Play at Unregulated Casinos?

Regulated online casinos with free money

I can’t guarantee your safety when you play at an offshore gaming site. Too many variables come into play when making this determination.

Much depends upon the actual casino you’re dealing with. If you pick a little-known Bitcoin site that just popped up last month, you have virtually no idea on if you’ll receive any potential winnings.

On the other hand, you stand a much-better chance of having a good experience at a longtime, reputable operator.

The word unregulated doesn’t have to translate to shady casino. Well-meaning operators do exist in the offshore world.

I strongly urge you to read reviews before signing up and depositing at a particular unregulated casino. Doing so will help you filter out the reputable from rogue gaming sites.

Reviews become extremely important when betting with offshore operators. After all, you’re not dealing with New Jersey online casinos, which have the DGE to answer to.

Finally, reviews don’t guarantee that you’ll always have a great internet gambling experience. Even some of the better unregulated casinos experience their lapses.

Long story short, the offshore gambling market is more unsettled than regulated markets. But you can be safe when betting at the right offshore casinos.

Conclusion

The vast majority of offshore online casinos aren’t technically unregulated. They hold licensing with one or more jurisdictions.

Again, the same casinos may be subject to very little oversight or intervention from there licensing bodies. In this way, they are somewhat unregulated.

The only way to gamble online safely is by playing in a highly regulated market. The latter have strong licensing jurisdictions that reprimand operators who violate state laws.

If you don’t live in or near such a state, though, offshore sites are your only options for online casino games. In these cases, you really want to do your research on any prospective casino before placing a deposit.