Gibraltar Licensed Casinos Online

Gibraltar has been granting casino licenses for more than 20 years already. Throughout the years, this jurisdiction has transformed into one of the most reliable and frequently chosen spots for online gambling facilities to conduct their operations from. Today, all types of gambling activities in Gibraltar require proper licensing based on the country’s 2005 Gambling Act, also referred to as ‘the Act’. The jurisdiction hosts a slew of popular online casino brands.

Some of them are listed below:

• Casino.com
• Sportingbet Casino
• Redbet Casino
• Bingo.com Casino
• 32Red Casino, and more

According to the Act, the licensing procedure is carried out by the Gibraltar Regulatory Authority (GRA). The Gibraltar Jurisdiction attracts multiple online gambling establishments with low tax rates, the absence of VAT charges, and a multitude of employees. In 2018, Gibraltar introduced significantly lower gambling tax rates. Despite the affordability of the Gibraltar online gambling license, the jurisdiction managed to build a solid casino licensing framework based on strict application requirements and player protection policies. Even now that the Rock is moving along the bumpy road to Brexit, the jurisdiction is still considered to be valuable among its multiple potential licensees.

How the Commission Works

Gibraltar is often referred to as one of the strictest online gambling jurisdictions in terms of requirements for its potential licensees. One of the main factors preventing the majority of online gambling operators to obtain the Gibraltar casino license is the fact that only the so-called ‘blue-chip’ facilities are eligible. In other words, only major casino brands like Red Tiger, power players with strong business presence, vast experience, excellent business plan, and stellar reputation get to obtain online gambling licenses in Gibraltar.

Despite the fact that the procedure of obtaining the Gibraltar casino license is rather daunting and time-consuming, there are important advantages of being licensed by this particular jurisdiction. Find them below:

• reputability and excellent reputation
• exceptionally appealing tax rates – compared to the UK and the majority of other jurisdictions
• solid support from the government
• reliable legislation and safe economic framework

It should also be stressed that simply wishing to locate your servers in Gibraltar is not enough to obtain the internet gambling license from the GGC. The Gibraltar Gambling Commission also requires the online gambling facility owners to have a land-based casino business located on the peninsula. Only upon meeting this requirement the potential licensee gets to join the privileged community of online casinos licensed by the Gibraltar Gambling Commission.

Application Requirements & Compliance Highlights

To successfully apply for the Gibraltar casino license, online gambling facility shareholders are required to provide a complete set of documents, including a detailed business plan, ID scans of the owners and the main staff, copies of the past licenses, evidence of the previous experience in offshore gambling, as well as the confirmation of their financial ability to manage a serious gambling business. The license granting process may take up to six months due to various background checks performed by the Commissioners.

In addition to that, to obtain the Gibraltar internet casino license, online gambling operators must provide detailed reports with information on the nature of their business, as well as specifications on why they’ve chosen the GGC as their ultimate licensor. Last but not least, the Gibraltar online gambling jurisdiction also requires its licensees to adhere to the anti-money laundering policies to make sure their personnel is familiar with all the necessary procedures to effectively eliminate fraud.

Based on the Act, the Gibraltar Gambling Commission issues various categories of gaming licenses – depending on the types of services the potential licensees aim to provide. A bookmaker’s license, a gaming operator’s license, a gaming machine license, a lottery provider’s license, an internet gambling license, and a pools promoter’s license – these types of licenses are offered by the GGC.

When it comes to the possible reasons why the Licensing Authority of Gibraltar may refuse to issue a license, they vary. Some of them include:

• unreliable business plan
• the owners’ reputation and/or financial background
• insecure technical infrastructure
• lack of experience in providing online casino services
• and similar factors that point at operators’ lack of integrity

The online gambling license issued by the Gibraltar Gambling Commission is valid for 5 years. The license must be renewed on an annual basis after the license fee is charged. The license can be suspended or revoked by the Commission. In addition to this, the GGC may also change the duration period of the license. Before making these radical decisions, the Commission informs the licensee of the situation.

Therefore, all properly licensed but failing in their good intentions Gibraltar online casinos usually get the possibility to enhance their approach. However, if the license holder breaks the rules of the Commission multiple times, the GGC reserves the right to suspend their license right away without prior notice. Most of the time, the online gambling license issued by this regulatory body is renewable.

However, the GGC may refuse to renew the license if the licensee’s conduct was grossly irresponsible and negligent. A draft report to renew the Act was developed for the Gibraltar government. Its main purpose is to modernize certain aspects within the local online gambling licensing and regulation model. This modernization is very much needed, especially in the situation of post Brexit uncertainties.

In respect of the strictness of its regulations, Gibraltar is considered to be neither the most stringent nor the most relaxed jurisdiction out there. It’s actually somewhere in the middle. Certainly, this jurisdiction is a lot more reliable than Curacao or Costa Rica, however, it’s not as stringent as the Alderney Gambling Control Commission, for example.

Player Protection

Irrespective of the category of license Gibraltar Gambling Commission casinos and other types of gaming facilities hold, they must conform to a multitude of rules. First and foremost, the owners of online casinos licensed and regulated in Gibraltar must make sure that their players can easily find and explore the Terms and Conditions section on their website. Also, in conformity with the jurisdiction’s legislation, a proper self-exclusion system for the players must be sorted out by the licensed operators.

Further, online casinos with Gibraltar Gambling Commission license are obliged to take measures to prevent underage players from accessing their services. By the way, the minimum gambling age in Gibraltar is 18. Upon suspecting that one of their players is underage, each online gambling venue regulated by the GGC must limit their access to their site and make sure their winnings are blocked.

Also, there are strict rules when it comes to the advertising of a licensee’s establishments.

The following types of advertisements are banned:

• sexually explicit or abusive in nature;
• dishonest, misleading and/or fraudulent;
• ads that target underage players;
• promotional campaigns that break copyright laws

.

In addition to this, the GGC license holders are obliged to obtain the basic details about each player i.e. their full name, physical address, and birthdate. Upon receiving this info, all online casino sites that are licensed in Gibraltar are required to fiercely protect their players’ privacy. Thus, to obtain and keep the internet gambling license from the Rock, an online casino establishment must prove its competence to defend their platform from cyber attacks and various forms of scams.

For further details on player protection policies and internet gambling guidelines of the Gibraltar jurisdiction, please head to HM Government of Gibraltar’s website. Additional information can be found on the GBGA website. GBGA is a trade association that represents internet gambling companies on the rocky peninsula.

Fair Gaming

The Gibraltar Gambling Commission requires its license holders to take all the necessary steps to ensure a clear and enjoyable gaming experience, as well as a truly random play. Both their players and the Commission need to trust online casinos with Gibraltar Gambling Commission license on this issue. Otherwise, the online gambling operator will be legally confronted by the licensing authorities.

Irrespective of the types of games a Gibraltar-licensed online gambling facility features, they must be run using RNGs. Additionally, internet gambling facilities licensed by the Rock must undergo regular independent audits to prove they are seriously interested in fair games and player protection. The Commission requires to publish the results of these audits on its licensees’ online platforms – for their players to be able to instantly identify a reliable gambling establishment.

Funds Protection

According to the Gibraltar casino licensing legislation, the license holder must always have sufficient funds available to grant both current and potential payouts to their players. The licensee must strictly follow all the financial arrangements initially agreed to with their players. An operator looking to obtain a remote gaming license from the GGC must also prove that it keeps its working funds separate from the players’ funds. This is paramount because only in case of fund separation players’ money will remain safe if the casino goes bankrupt.

Operator Responsibilities

The Gibraltar Regulatory Authority was founded to provide online gambling enthusiasts with a secure and solid arena where they can engage in enjoyable, hassle-free casino gambling. Based on the regulations established by the GGC, its licensees are legally responsible for their actions, which makes the issue of player protection a priority. Therefore, gambling at properly licensed online gambling venues is crucial.