A licence logo in a casino's footer costs nothing to copy. Checking that the licence is real takes a few minutes and is one of the most useful things you can do before depositing.
Step 1: Find the Details
Scroll to the footer and open the terms and conditions. A properly licensed casino names:
- the operating company and the country where it is registered;
- its company registration number;
- the licence number and the regulator that issued it.
If the footer shows a regulator's logo but the terms name no company and no licence number, treat it as a warning sign.
Step 2: Click the Seal
Many regulators issue a validation seal: a badge that links to a page on the regulator's own website confirming the licence.
- Good sign: the link opens a page on the regulator's domain showing the casino's name, domain and licence status.
- Bad sign: the seal is only an image, or the link stays on the casino's own website.
Step 3: Search the Register
Go to the regulator's website directly, by typing its address rather than following the casino's link, and look for its public register of licensees. Search for the company name or the licence number and check that:
- the company name matches the one in the casino's terms;
- the licence is active, not suspended or expired;
- the domain you are on is listed, if the register shows domains.
Sister sites often share one licence, so a match on the company with a different brand name is not necessarily a problem, as long as the casino's terms name that same company.
Step 4: Check the Company
Search the company name together with the word "casino". Look for other brands it runs and any public record of regulatory action. One complaint means little; a pattern of unpaid withdrawals across several brands means a lot.
Signs of a Fake Licence
- A seal that does not link anywhere, or links back to the casino.
- A licence number that returns nothing in the register.
- A company name in the terms that differs from the one in the register.
- Wording such as "licensed and regulated" with no regulator named.
What a Real Licence Does Not Tell You
A valid licence confirms the casino is authorised by that regulator. It does not make the casino legal in your country, and offshore licences protect players less than national ones: see offshore licences explained. Combine the licence check with the other signs in our guide to casino red flags.