Contrary to common belief, unlicensed casinos are a popular choice for many. While concerns about safety, integrity, and fairness may deter some players from unlicensed casinos, the reality is that most are legitimate and carry an offshore license.
Unlicensed casinos are an avenue for players to circumvent local restrictions lawfully. Yes, you read that correctly. Jurisdictions that have a local licensing framework often place the onus of adherence on the casino operator. NOT on the player. There are some exceptions to this rule, whereby local laws can be vague or even contradictory, and in these instances the risk is near zero. That is to say, there has never been a precedent set of a player being convicted of playing at an unlicensed casino. Therefore, playing at unlicensed casinos lawfully provides Players extra freedom compared to licensed casinos.
BENEFITS OF PLAYING UNLICENSED CASINOS
There are many benefits of choosing to play at unlicensed casinos. Benefits that will bring a great playing experience without jeopardy to safety and security.
We outline the benefits of playing at unlicensed casinos.
Fast Sign Up
The number one reason is simply a faster sign up. Most Players don’t want to go through a lengthy sign up process that requires an abundance of documentation that isn’t easy to provide. In many ways local jurisdictions have good intentions by placing controls in place to prevent anti-money laundering. But sometimes it is overkill, especially for Players who just want a casual game or two. With unlicensed casinos, their sign up process is less arduous, more efficient and faster, providing a better playing experience.
Less Player Restrictions
Some local jurisdictions take Gambling Responsibly to the nth degree. Don’t get us wrong. We strongly encourage Players to gamble responsibly. However, if restrictions are so extreme to ensure responsible gambling, there might as well be a complete ban on gambling than to tease the public. Unlicensed casinos do not have the same restrictions that make gambling unenjoyable.
Promotions
Often you will get a better deal at unlicensed casinos. Promotions such as Welcome Bonuses, Cashbacks and other great perks are at the expense of casinos. Therefore, casinos with lower operating costs will be able to offer better promotions. Licensing fees at foreign jurisdictions are always lower than local licensing fees. Therefore unlicensed casinos can afford to offer Players better Promotions.
Different Games
Do not interpret this to mean that there are more games to choose from at unlicensed casinos. This may NOT always be the case. But, it is true that there are different gaming providers between unlicensed and licensed casinos. Some players will find that their favourite games are only found at unlicensed casinos. Licensed casinos logistically cannot partner with all providers, hence, some gaming providers will only be found at unlicensed casinos.
HELPING YOU CHOOSE THE BEST UNLICENSED CASINO
Our mission and vision is to provide players the best unlicensed casino experience possible. An experience that isn’t tarnished by selecting the wrong casino, but rather a selection that is perfectly legal within the jurisdiction of the player, yet allows for more freedom while ensuring safety and security.
Unlicensed casinos are also known as offshore casinos. From a Player’s perspective they are unlicensed in the local jurisdiction, but they are in fact registered and licensed at an offshore (foreign) jurisdiction.
In effect, these offshore jurisdictions provide a regulatory framework that provides support for online casinos to act in the best interests of the players.
The term unlicensed casino is therefore a misnomer, because in most cases they are licensed, it’s just that it is offshore.
Is it legal to play at Unlicensed Casinos?
Yes. In the vast majority of localities, it is legal for players to play at unlicensed casinos. In some locations, though it may be in the law to not permit unlicensed casinos from accepting local players, the authorities turn a blind eye. This is because the authorities understand that it is the casino operator that is facilitating the illegal activity, and that preventing and/or limiting the reach of an unlicensed casino is extremely difficult.
In other locales, such as the US, laws are complex, vague and even contradictory. Therefore the authorities cannot even understand what laws are being broken. Understandably, bringing casino operators, let alone players, to be judged by the law is near impossible.
Unlicensed casinos generally are accepted. They may at times reside in the grey area of the law, but are usually tolerated.
How can Unlicensed Casinos be Licensed Offshore?
The term unlicensed is derived from the perspective of the player’s local jurisdiction. It is from this view that the casino has not obtained a licence. However, a casino can be licensed offshore, pay registration and licensing fees, and must comply with governance, policy and regulations.
To be fair, offshore jurisdictions that offer online casino licensing generally have less onerous requirements. These may include, less capital, lower administration fees, less rules to promote responsible gambling and lower taxes on casino revenue.
By and large, most players do not consider these aspects as a negative to playing experience.
Does this mean Unlicensed Casinos are regulated?
Yes. An unlicensed casino that has obtained a licence offshore is subject to the policy, rules and governance of the offshore jurisdiction. They will be required to show compliance, submit statutory and regulatory reporting, and may be subject to third party audits.
Are unlicensed Casino jurisdictions legitimate?
Yes, there are several legitimate, well regarded offshore jurisdictions that provide online casino licensing, governance and compliance.
The most well known and trusted are the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), Curacao e-Gaming and UK Gambling Commission.
How do I Choose an Unlicensed Casino?
Choosing an unlicensed casino isn’t difficult. But it helps to consider several factors. These factors will differ between each player, in particular emphasis should be placed on your geography, it’s local laws and payment methods that are available to you.
Your Playing Residency
Where you intend to play, the territory or country that you will be physically using the playing device, will dictate gambling laws. These laws, native language, and to a lesser degree cultural aspects, will determine which unlicensed casinos to choose from. As an example, if you are from the province of Ontario, Canada, there are excellent unlicensed casinos to choose from (as opposed to licensed casinos).
Understand the below respective regions have particular attributes that lead to playing at unlicensed casinos.
North America
- US
- Canada (excluding Ontario)
- Ontario
Europe
- Germany
- UK
- Finland
- Denmark
Asia Pacific
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Philippines
Know the Unlicensed Casino Companies
There are some online casino companies that are unlicensed that specifically cater for specific regions.
Why do they do this? Because they can easily grow in scale for one particular region. If they were to expand out to other regions there wouldn’t be any economies of scale to take advantage of.
There are reputable online casino groups to choose from.
These include:
Gaming Providers
It’s not common knowledge, but there is a demarcation that gaming providers use. Gaming providers will generally only allow their games to be played in specific regions. The reasons are similar to online casino groups where there are economies of scale for sticking to a particular region. In doing so, they ensure they are abiding by gaming laws of each region and also cater for their cultural aspects.
Deposit and Withdrawal Methods
This is a concept that is relatively easy to understand. Each region may have a popular payment method that is unique to them. For example, Interac is widely used in Canada, hence players will look for unlicensed casinos that offer Interac and interac e-transfer.
Ecopayz is a popular payment method (though not origin specific); many players look for this method at unlicensed casinos.
Some players may want to deposit with cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin. Not all unlicensed casinos will accept bitcoin, hence it’s important to check deposit and withdrawal methods if this is your preferred option.
Promotions
Last but not least is comparing the promotions that are offered among unlicensed casinos. They will differ, and differ significantly. Take for instance N1 Interactive Casinos. Their best casino at the time of writing offers a Welcome Bonus that reaches $1,000 and at a reasonable Wagering Requirement.
The same can be said for any licensed casino for that matter.
It therefore pays to seek out the best promotions, whilst considering the previous factors mentioned.
Gamble Responsibly
Unlicensed casinos promote gambling responsibly, however, they generally do not have it front and centre on their site or mobile apps. We strongly recommend you gamble responsibly and to be self aware and recognize when there’s a problem.
Each region will have support for gambling responsibly and/or mental health.
Enjoy playing at unlicensed casinos and good luck!
