Online Casino Watchdogs

Online casino watchdogs do an amazing service in keeping the industry on the straight and narrow. Watchdogs are non-profit organizations are self-appointed groups that make sure that online casinos and poker rooms follow strict rules and remain reputable.

Background

As you may already know, there are a number of public and private bodies in charge of regulating and keeping guard on the activities performed by online casino operations. The goal and mission of these vigilant bodies is to guarantee a safe and fair online gambling environment to the millions of gaming enthusiast around the world that play online. The nature of these bodies can be divided in three basic groups:

• Groups created by companies that power gaming sites
• Regulating jurisdictions bodies
• Independent bodies

Who are the watchdogs

Many of the software developing companies, have created their own monitoring entities in order to guarantee their licensees will comply with the fair gaming conditions they have established as part of their software licensing. Among those kinds of regulating entities, the following are two of the most popular ones:

eCOGRA: non-profit organization founded in 2003 by the joining forces of one of the gaming software developing titan Systems LTD, and the business giant Virtual Holdings LTD. eCOGRA defines its objective under three basic principles:

• Overseeing fair gaming
• Protecting players
• Overseeing responsible operator conduct

OGA (Online Gaming Alliance): founded in 1997 by the gaming software veteran company Grand Virtual, OGA acts as a regulatory body to all gaming sites powered by Grand Virtual. Their basic principles are based on “fairness, trust and integrity” in order to guarantee long-term satisfaction among the players.

Jurisdiction based

Every single remote gambling jurisdiction in the world possesses a set of regulation to which all gaming companies wishing to base their operations in their grounds should comply. Unfortunately, each of the jurisdictions creates its on rules without a universal consent on what should the lineaments be. Nonetheless, and luckily for us all, many of those jurisdiction are quite serious in their pursuit of a fair and secure remote gaming environment. Among the 76 jurisdictions currently existing, the following are two of the most prestigious and strict ones:

• Gibraltar: Began offering licenses to online gaming sites in 1998, though it currently does so under the Gambling Ordinance of 2005. Gibraltar provides licenses only to remote gaming operators with a proven good track record and gaming software that has passed its software testing standards. Gibraltar does not require a start-up fee, but does collect annual taxes from the operating companies.
• Alderney: overseen by the Alderney Gambling Control Commission, granted its first eGambling license in 2006. The requirements for licenses include application, investigation, and annual fees as well as compliance testing for all systems under the responsibility of the licensee.

Independent bodies

A number of bodies without any direct governmental connection or financial interest in the remote gaming business have been created in the past few years to serve as regulating bodies for the online gaming industry. Among them, the most promising and interesting one is the IAGR (International Association of Gaming Regulators). Counting with the participation of many important representatives from gaming regulating organizations around the world, the IAGR is trying to set common international standards for the e-gaming industry. In addition, the IAGR attempts to serve as a forum and central point for all gaming regulators to meet, exchange views and ideas and cooperate with one another.

Article Submitted by:
Harry Cohen, Editor.

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