Operating without a local license is illegal in European countries such as the UK, France, Austria, Germany, Finland, Spain, Netherlands, Italy, Denmark, and others; and this law applies to local as well as foreign operators.
The approach of some European countries is relaxed. While local operators need to be licensed, offshore operators do not need a local license. A list of such countries includes Greece, Switzerland, Monaco, Sweden, Norway, and Ireland.
To make things better than ever, there are a few European countries that do not impose any restrictions on online casinos. Residents of Albania, Malta, Gibraltar, Kosovo, Belarus, and Isle of Man are free to sign up at any online casino that takes their fancy.
Local License vs. Offshore License – Which is Better?
According to a study conducted by Bonusfinder.com, nearly one-third of Swedish online casino players search for unlicensed casinos. By “unlicensed casinos,” we mean casinos that do not hold a Swedish license. These Swedes are fed up of the strict gambling laws in their country and want something more relaxing.
Players have their own reasons for rejecting a locally licensed online casino in favour of an offshore online casino. Let us examine a few of these reasons:
Since offshore online casinos are licensed either in Malta (MGA) or Curacao (CGA), local gambling laws do not apply to them. So even if you have registered with Spelpaus, ROFUS, or GamStop, you can still register accounts at offshore online casinos with Curacao or Malta license.
Players don’t have to worry about the strict gambling laws, restrictions, and limitations of their own country when they play at an offshore online casino.
You can grab bigger bonus offers and participate in exciting promotions.
Also, there are absolutely no or few limitations related to making deposits or withdrawals.
When you play at a locally licensed online casino, you may have to reveal your banking details. But offshore online casinos allow you to make deposits and withdrawals anonymously using electronic wallets and cryptocurrencies.
Although offshore online casinos offer online gambling management tools to play responsibly, you don’t have to worry about getting stuck with powerful local self-exclusion tools such as ROFUS, SpelPaus, GamStop, and others. Even if you self-exclude at an offshore online casino, you can easily get back to your account whenever you feel ready for it.
So far, we have examined the brighter side of playing at unlicensed. But playing at offshore online casinos isn’t a bed of roses either.
Here are a bunch of cons:
The bonus offers may be large and attractive, but the fine print could be disappointing.
The games may be amazing, but their payout percentages may be low.
You should be cautious about signing up at online casinos holding a Curacao license. Many online casinos licensed in Curacao are not safe and secure. You cannot trust them as you can trust an online casino licensed in Malta or the UK.
Curacao licensed online casino do not offer Trustly and PayPal as deposit options.
Also, you may not find games from well-known providers such as Playtech, Microgaming, and NetEnt. These providers comply with gambling regulations and work only with locally licensed operators. This leaves you with a smaller library of games from RTG, Betsoft, and Rival.
If you play at an offshore casino, you have to declare your winnings and pay a tax of 30 percent on it.
Playing at Unlicensed Online Casinos – FAQs
Q1: Is it safe to play at unlicensed online casinos?
A: Playing at an online casino without a local license has its pros and cons. It is absolutely safe as long as you research the offshore online casino thoroughly. Check its ownership and licensing details, customer support, games and software, and various accreditations. Offshore online casinos offering games from Rival, RTG, iSoftBet, and Betsoft are the safest. Be careful about registering at Curacao licensed online casinos.
Q2: Can I register at an unlicensed online casino if I have registered in my country’s self-exclusion program?
A: Your country’s self-exclusion program works only with online casinos licensed in your country. For example, ROFUS works only with online casinos licensed in Denmark. GamStop works only with UK licensed online casinos, and SpelPaus works only with online casinos licensed in Sweden. You can, therefore, easily register at online casinos licensed in Gibraltar, Curacao, Malta, or any other gambling jurisdiction.
Q3: How do I learn about an online casino’s license?A: Online casinos display the logo of their gambling jurisdictions at the bottom of their website. Avoid online casinos that do not provide adequate information about their licensing, registration, and ownership.
Avoid Playing at Unlicensed Online Casino
The online casino you register at should have either a local license or a license issued in any reputed gambling jurisdiction. Avoid playing at online casinos that do not have any license.
A gaming license indicates that the online casino is governed by gambling laws, which it has to obey. If the online casino fails to comply, it will have to pay a fine and/or have its license revoked.
Unlicensed online gambling sites are those casinos that do not operate under any license. This means that they not comply with the regulations of any jurisdiction. You cannot trust unlicensed online casinos to offer fair games or pay out winnings to their customers. One fine day, such casinos may vanish from the scene with your deposits.
Here are some sure signs of unlicensed and unregulated online casinos:
They offer large bonuses with unreasonable wagering requirements.
They do not provide licensing and ownership information on their websites. Worse still, they may provide fake license numbers or logos because they know that players hardly cross check such details.
They do not have accounts on social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.
At the same time, you should also understand that not all licensed online casinos are reputed. As previously mentioned, you should be cautious about signing up at online casinos licensed in Malta and Curacao, especially if their bonus offers appear too good to be true.
The most reliable offshore online casinos are those licensed in Alderney, Isle of Man, Malta, UK, and Gibraltar. However, if you decide to sign-up at a licensed casino from any of these jurisdictions, we advise you to still take the time and do a little research before you make the decision to register an account.
The most important thing you need to check when doing your research is to make sure that their licenses are still valid as these gambling jurisdictions do not hesitate to revoke licenses for non-payment of fees, cheating, or violation of terms.
