The.Dark.Knight

I will post it in some Bulgarian gambling forums if you dont mind.

Great idea to start this topic ValDes! And your lucky run at 32red is really awesome, havent seen such a beauty lately!

Can't resist to join this fun! Be careful guys!
 

I hope starting this Live dealer product would help then stay above the water, because there're some unplesant rumours about their health lately!

Frankly, I was expecting to see much more activity from the US players in that thread. Especially when I know how difficult is for them to find a decent casino to play

Thanks, ValDes, for running our whims!
 
Unfortunately, my experience in the field of the fast payouts is still sooooooo tiny, since I used only credit card for gambling till recently!
 
But I got one! And it's called 3Dice! Yeah, I know it is hard to imagine that a casino, accepting US players, can pay you in less than 24 hours, but it is true! I made 4 withdrawals to my Moneybookers(Skrill as it called now) in the last 4 months and all of them around 12 to 24 hours!
 
BTW, it seems that "flushing" is becoming more and more popular these days! I don't have an idea whether it is due to the discussions about it in this forum or any other, but 2 of the 5 MGS (I am currently playing in) already agree to do it for me!!!

You get it right away, my lady
 
Something that remains live and modern even after 500 years:

So, what do you think about the new Microgaming "Dark Knight" (my American cousin :))?
To be honest, I was expecting more from this game! It was announced as the LOTR inheritor and yes, basically it offers almost the same features, but... also the same poor odds and low paying. Tried it in three different casinos and what to say - three total losses . For now it seems to be a complete disaster for my bank account, hope that will change soon Maybe I will hit something big in the wheel of the jackpot?
 
What about you?
 
Sorry if I had posted this topic in the wrong section:)

Yeah, it looks like this time MGS just fizzles out! Pitty for my American cousin!

So, what do you think about the new Microgaming "Dark Knight" (my American cousin :))?
To be honest, I was expecting more from this game! It was announced as the LOTR inheritor and yes, basically it offers almost the same features, but... also the same poor odds and low paying. Tried it in three different casinos and what to say - three total losses . For now it seems to be a complete disaster for my bank account, hope that will change soon Maybe I will hit something big in the wheel of the jackpot?
 
What about you?
 
Sorry if I had posted this topic in the wrong section:)

Wow, Valdes! That guide makes my skin crawls - it sounds very very very scary indeed, but also very very very true! That's the nature of gambling, I am afraid. As soon as you start the fun, and you already have to take care of so many things - lost of money, addiction, etc! Thanks for the wonderful article, I think it would be of great use for every gambler here.

Thanks for your explanation New Dawn, but I still continue to believe that your bonus terms are too complicated and rather fustrating for the usual player. I am telling you all this, because I know from personal experience that as plain the bonus terms are, as satisfied the customers are. And suppose you know better than me that a satisfied customer always turn back and deposit again.

Thanks for your explanation New Dawn, but I still continue to believe that your bonus terms are too complicated and rather fustrating for the usual player. I am telling you all this, because I know from personal experience that as plain the bonus terms are, as satisfied the customers are. And suppose you know better than me that a satisfied customer always turn back and deposit again.

WOW is all I can say about that! Unbelievable, amazing, fantastic...
Congratulations to Nicolas!
Darky, I will keep my fingers crossed for you buddy!

Don't you even think about it, mate! You will get a permanent ban from all the casinos in the 888 group. It is not a coincidence that these guys are in the business for so many years, right?!

Addicted to gambling…

I always wondered why that delicate moment caused such a storm of spontaneous emotions every time it’s mentioned! Why makes us blush for a second or falling into a sudden fit of rage? Do we feel powerless when facing the word “addicted” or it’s just anger to ourselves and even to the whole world? Where exactly goes the thin line between vice and entertainment? Who and what determines this line? Have I crossed it already? Am I addicted to gambling?

So many difficult and complex issues with even more difficult and delicate answers! The human psyche is a vast ocean of thoughts, feelings, decisions and emotions, and no matter how strange and inexplicable it seems to us sometimes, in the end, it all comes down to a very simple and pragmatic moments and events of our lives! And since the problem gambling or addiction to gambling if we have to be more precise, is explained mainly by the presence of certain psychological problems, I will try to define those simple events that led to this negative development. And what is most important, I will speak and share from my own point of view! The point of view of someone, who has struggled and managed to overcome this sort of problem!

In my opinion he most important, but the most difficult part of identifying the problem, called "gambling addiction" is related to the lack of explicit understanding, understatement or even complete denial of the facts of life, and several truths about the world of online gambling! Without being fully aware of them and without being realized in a sufficiently large extent, each of us – the ordinary gamblers, is threatened to face the problem of addiction sooner or later. Unfortunately, I believe that a little is said about that kind of problems, quite often they are described with just generalities without anyone trying to call things with their real names. Well, thanks to the opportunity given to me by AskGamblers.com, I would afford myself to share with you all the real facts, no matter how unpleasant and even ugly they might be!

I sincerely beg you to remove the mask of a cool and unruffled by anyone and anything man, and to read the following lines and pages with a completely open soul! It is of great importance to try to understand and feel the things with your heart - honestly and frankly!

The first truth – It is vital to understand that gambling is not only an entertainment or a thrill, or joyful emotion or even a sudden rush of adrenaline! The problem gambling could be completely devastating! It could have smashing consequences for you, your family, your career, your friends... It could destroy you mentally, morally and unfortunately, sometimes even physically! Yes, I know it sounds very scary, but believe me, the examples are all around us, even within us. For me, gambling could be compared with one of those huge Bengal tigers in the circus - it is unbelievable to see how this mighty, deadly beast obey your commands and it’s a fun, but somewhere deep inside us, something tells us that anything might go damn wrong in just a hundredth of a second! Gambling is a game, but this game is played with money! And when money is involved, I'm afraid that none of us can afford to underestimate the situation. Our own demons could be easily and imperceptibly released out of control and then we will wonder how to fix it, if not too late already! So do not ever afford yourself thinking that gambling is just a game, you know, a way to have some fun... Do not be naive and always try to consider your possibilities and psychical strength very well, otherwise you risk to fall into the trap of dependency, the escape from which is difficult, long and painful, not to mention that it is often impossible! A self-deception, as well as the incomplete understanding of what you're doing, will definitely bring you a lot more trouble than good, so look soberly and objectively upon your gambling habits!

The second truth - Addiction could come very fast, in most cases, even imperceptibly, and while you realize what is going on it's often too late already! The damage is done, you lost a lot of money, the desire for revenge and regain of these losses is compelling and here you are - already at the spiral of addiction. You gamble more, spend more, can’t even wait to regain losses, to return to the winning way, so you bet again, lose again... And this way leads only down and down, until one day realize you are at the bottom! Without money, because you blew your last savings! Without family, because all of them were awfully tired of listening to your constant lies and excuses! Without friends, because you have betrayed their trust too many times! Without a job, because your employer is tired of being haunted by banks and lenders you owe money!

The third truth - The worst in all types of addiction is that those who suffer from them are completely denying to the last possible moment! And when that time comes, however, unfortunately it is often too late, irreparable damage is already done - on the addict himself, on his family, his relatives, his social status, career! His whole life is in danger - psychologically, morally, mentally, in some cases even physically!
The most difficult moment in the life of an addict, no matter whether we talk about addiction to alcohol, *****, gambling or drugs, is to stand face to face with the ugly truth and be honest with himself! No matter how long we run, no matter how deep we try to hide, no matter what we try to do, sooner or later the moment of truth will come, when a man should just stop for a sec and ask himself the simple question – “Am I addicted?”. So much depends on the answer that it is often with dramatic consequences for both our life and for the closest around us!

Well, now as you know how dangerous gambling can be for you and your loved ones, it is time to answer the question, "What about me? What if I’m already addicted?”. The answer is quite complex sometimes, because it may contains many small and not so seemingly important details, which actually could be of significant importance in determining the degree of dependence!


How do I know if I'm addicted?

According to the latest classification of the American Psychiatric Association, to designate a person as a gaming addict, it must meet at least four of the following criteria:
The subject has frequent thoughts about gambling experiences, whether past, future, or fantasy. As with drug tolerance, the subject requires larger or more frequent wagers to experience the same "rush". Restlessness or irritability associated with attempts to cease or reduce gambling. The subject gambles to improve mood or escape problems. The subject tries to win back gambling losses with more gambling. The subject tries to hide the extent of his or her gambling by lying to family, friends, or therapists. The person has unsuccessfully attempted to reduce gambling. The person has broken the law in order to obtain gambling money or recover gambling losses. This may include acts of theft, embezzlement, fraud, or forgery. The person gambles despite risking or losing a relationship, job, or other significant opportunity. The person turns to family, friends, or another third party for financial assistance as a result of gambling. If you apply to one or two of these signs, than you are considered as “risk” gambler, if apply to 3 or 4, than you are a “problem” gambler and if apply to 5 or more – a “pathological” gambler. But no matter how many criteria you apply to, even if it’s only one better take immediate measures!

How the gambling addiction is treated?

Although it is relatively difficult, the problem gambling is a treatable disease. There are different types of psychotherapeutic treatment - psychodynamic therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, support groups, family therapy when necessary. For many people, a combination of approaches is most effective.
Psychodynamic therapy - this therapy is very useful for people who want to escape from problems or are depressed and oppressed. It works with everything a man could possibly hide even from himself - unconscious psychological problems, conflicts that lead to the activation of problem gambling behavior. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is helpful in learning to recognize those of your beliefs and distorted thinking associated with money and your superstitions of a control over the result of the so called "games of fortune". It can help you in building and practicing ways to relax and avoid stimuli associated with gambling. Family therapy can work with your relationships in the family, which to facilitate and maintain your problem. The aim is to understand the roles of other members in supporting problem using strategies that "do not work" for anyone, such as concealing problem, controlling your behavior, payment of debts, allying with you in gaming, making compromises on behalf of your family. Support groups – Gamblers Anonymous are based on 12-step programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. The meaning of these groups is to become aware of the seriousness of this problem and the desire of efforts to stop gambling. To allow you in these groups, you need to have a desire to go there in the first place and to do it regularly. The aim is to realize what kind of damage in your life has caused gambling and find a "sponsor" (usually a person of the same *****, but not required) to help you in this kind of program. The group Gamblers Anonymous expect from people, who stop their problem behavior associated with betting, to know that from now on they won’t be able to play socially acceptable and just for fun, just as the Alcoholics Anonymous can not drink socially acceptable within the standard use of alcohol. Important! - Very often, people who are addicted to gambling, have other addictions as well - of psychoactive substances or alcohol. Some gambling addicts might have supporting psychological problems, such as depression, anxiety, panic attacks, insomnia and even suicide attempts. If you also feel or think this way – please, talk to a psychiatrist as soon as possible, most likely you need from a medical therapy.

How can I prevent myself from problem gambling?

Prevention of this dependence is much more difficult because it is not possible to predict when a person will develop the disorder, practicing some sort of gambling. But if you start to feel that there are problems associated with this behavior, you should immediately seek for assistance from a professional (psychologist, psychiatrist) or a specialized program. This can be a preventive measure to the development of a more serious condition that can affect many areas of a gambler’s life, and to protect you from legal troubles and serious financial losses.

Very often people who have gambling problems are using gambling as an opportunity to escape from other problems in their lives, such as loneliness, boredom, anxiety, home troubles, troubles at work… It is crucial to understand the exact role, which gambling is playing in your life in order to beat the problem. But no matter what type of advices and measures you will find over the Internet to cope with problem gambling, in my opinion there is only one way – to stop gambling at all! Or at least for a period, during which you will gather strength and confidence to put all kind of issues, concerning playing in casinos into a full control. There is no shortcut, you have to fight and it will definitely be a pain, but it’s worth. Here follows some steps, which I have gathered across some of the biggest online portals, dedicated to struggle with problem gambling, most of which worked for me and my friends perfectly over the years.

Be honest with your family and share the whole truth. You will be surprised how relieve a man could feel, once the awful burden of hiding your problems is released! Ask them for a help, make them understand the problem, because no one else could provide you with a better support than your own people! Make it impossible to reach your money for a certain period of time - let’s say at least a month or two. Ask someone of your closest people to take care of your financial matters and not to let you touch them in any circumstances. Self-exclude from any casinos you are a member of. It is not necessary to ask for a permanent exclusion at all costs, but rather choose some cooling period of 3 or 6 months. If that time is not enough to overwhelm your gambling problems, I’m afraid you will never manage to do it, so better look for a permanent decision of that matter. Start your own calendar and mark each day you don’t gamble. At this way you will have a constant visual proof in front of your eyes that you are doing great. Reward yourself after a period free of gambling and spend some of the money you saved for yourself. Buy something you wanted to have from a long time, this will make you feel much better and give your additional strength to finish the battle with the temptation. Try to be surrounded always by lots of people, especially with your family members. Nothing could be as refreshing as the good old family habits. Return to your favorite hobbies, before the gambling period. If any of these hobbies involves other people, try to choose people, who are not gamblers. Be positive and with each goal you achieve and your confidence and self-esteem will grow. If you were a long time gambler don’t expect your life will change immediately – it will take months, sometimes even years, but if you succeed, it’s definitely worth the struggle. And always remember - YOU CAN OVERCOME THE GAMBLING ADDICTION! It’s all a matter of explicit self discipline and a great will along with a helping hand from a friend! YOU CAN DO IT! Useful links for additional help:

www.gamcare.org.uk/

www.gamblingtherapy.org

www.ncpgambling.org

www.gamblingaddiction.org

www.gamblersanonymous.org

www.problemgambling.ca

www.problemgambling.gov.au

Here's the tournament, for those who's interested
 
See in this post - http://www.askgamblers.com/forum/topic/2163-igame-casino-follow-their-christmas-calendar-for-exciting-daily-gifts/#entry10634

If there was some kind of a connection between the player's location and the chance to hit a decent win, I'm afraid, i would never hit anything in slots, mate! My country - Bulgaria, is too small to generate such gigantic chances in my favor, which were needed to hit a Marvel Herp Jackpot, which is 1: x millions spins at least! ;)

I hope my last withdrawal will be very soon and for a good amount of at least 1000 or even better. Just have to clear the wagering of the bonus I get in Bet365 and I will go straight to the cashier tab. Wish me luck, i will be back soon for an update

Hi folks!

Luciana and I talk quite often about different casino promotions and bonuses, but since I'm the real gambler in the team, I'm the one, who is asked sometimes to evaluate potential casino offers, seen through the ordinary gambler's eyes! So, I would gladly hear what do you think the perfect casino offer should be, according to your opinion. Give us as many examples as you wish, but please, try to think of reasonable and executable suggestions!

I'll start with my point of view. Since I don't like too much the freebies, because they are always bind with some cashout restrictions, I'm a huge fan of the deposit match offers. So here it is, how the perfect match bonus sounds to me:

1. At least 200% match! Yes, I know, I know, as bigger the match percent is, as better, but don't forget, that with the higher percent comes the higher wagering requirements. That's why in my opinion 200-250% is the most realistic value of a reasonable match with reasonable wagering!

2. Up to at least 500 credits. Why not higher values for 1000-1500 for the highrollers!

3. Wagering requirements of up to 20 times x (bonus + deposit). 15 times x (bonus + deposit) is the most fair value IMO, but only a few casinos would agree with that!

4. No max cashout restrictions!

5. Available to claim several times, not just once! It's rather stupid why most the online casinos limit their generosity mainly with the so called "welcome bonus" and then...nothing interesting! So, casino managers, if you wonder why 90% of your customers simply go to the next casino after a week or even sooner, that's the reason, you know!

6. Without restrictions, regarding the number or type of slots.

7. Without restrictions, reagarding the type of deposit method.

8. And of course, cashable!

And please, don't forget that our forum admin Luciana, who is the main reason why AskGamblers.com offers you so many great promotions and bonuses, is capable of making your dreams come true, my friends!

Let me join!
 
Casino: Nedplay
 
Deposit: 0, started with what was left from my last session, around $55!
 
Games: TDK, IR, TSII
 
Ended with: $382
 
Not a bad result! At least I will have money to play with for a whole week!

Luciana, you are a natural born casino manager! Somehow you always managed to find the right string of my heart!

Another cool topic. Good for you, Askgamblers!
 
I think the best way to cope with that problem is to win one of those huge microgaming or netent progressives and quit gambling once and for all! Simple and clear, dont you think?

Don't be so sure

Casino licensing, regulation and certification – are they really so important?

Made by the request of SlotoHolic

I admit that generally think a lot, before giving a definite answer to any question, but in this case, it’s not that complicated at all! So if I have to respond immediately to what all the fuss is really about and are the licensing and certification of an online casino really so important to us, then the likely response is only one - yes, yes and yes again! In fact, only recently, I realized that if we look at this aspect of the relationships between a casino and a player from the point of time, we will certainly find that this is probably the most dynamically changing value. But for all this after a while, and now let us go back almost 20 years ago. And so ...

Alongside with the rapid growth of the internet technologies in the middle 90s, came the unlimited business opportunities to offer customers something completely new and totally innovatively – the ability for the people to entertain without the need of leaving their own homes! And that includes the gambling, of course! So, basically, the birth of the online casinos can be described by a simple mathematical equality – new technologies + Internet + gambling = online casino! Well, this mathematical equality could be really simple, but what had happened in the next couple of years was unbelievable! From just a few online casinos in 1995, the number of online operators in the 1999, offering their clients all kind of gambling, has increased to several hundreds! Almost every month, more and more new players appeared on the market and soon it was crystal clear that this business has a huge potential. But not everything was going so smoothly. Wherever there is fire, there’s a smoke too, so very soon appeared the first players, stung by online casinos refusing to pay them for one reason or another. Increasingly casino customers fall victim to various scams like ID data theft and credit card fraud or just being treated in a rude and disrespectful way! Pretty soon became apparent that the market for online gambling is too free and desperately needs a serious adjustment. All licensing jurisdictions gradually increased their requirements for issuing a license to the online operators, and soon after came the first of the so-called "third party watchdog organizations", whose main role was basically to monitor how the casino takes care of the privacy and security of the owed personal data, for the accurate and timely payment of winnings and for the integrity and quality of the gambling software, and all other aspects of the relationship casino - player!

The first country to allow an online gambling casino to deploy its servers in its territory was the small Caribbean island of Antigua and Barbuda in the distant 1994. This became possible by the adoption of the Free Trade and Processing Zone Act from the local Government and only a few years later, the country has huge revenue, up to almost a third of the gross national product, and hundreds and eventually thousands of new jobs. In the same year was founded the largest company producing online gambling software - Microgaming, which even at the present dominates the market without a doubt, both in terms of quality and quantity of games offered, as well as the security and integrity of its software! In 1995 began to work what is believed to be the first online casino - Internet Casinos Inc. (also known as ICI). The casino offers its customers only 18 online games, but also an access to the National Indian Lottery. The uneventful existence of the online casinos, estimated in annual revenues in tens of billions of dollars, lasted until about mid-September 2006, when in response to the attacks of 9/11 and in an attempt to reduce the ability of terrorist groups to launder money through online gambling, the US Senate passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act 2006 (UIGEA). This act prohibits the financial institutions to accept any money transfers to online casinos by players and virtually removed from the equation more than 20 million US customers! In less than a year, the number of ceased to exist gambling operators and organizations approached the number of 2300! This is the largest decline in the short, but full of dramatic events, history of online gambling until and even now, the consequences of which can not yet be removed. Yes, it is true that millions of Americans currently play online, but it is on the edge of the law and, therefore, it is this group of players, which are most often the victims of unscrupulous casino practices. Which brings us back to our topic and namely what exactly we are talking about, when it comes to casino licensing, regulation and certification?

In general, to be confident that an online casino is honest, trustworthy and works in a transparent and credible manner, it must owe a certain set of qualities and characteristics, which to prove both to their clients and especially to the responsible organizations is a complicated and delicate process! This process consists of several stages, and failing with even one of them automatically means almost certain failure of the whole project. So, I guess you wouldn’t be very surprised, if I tell you that only a small portion of the existing online casinos have successfully completed 100% of all stages, which, of course, is the main reason that some names in this business are incredibly successful, while others simply come and go in a short time! So how it all begin...

Forefront in creating a fair and honest online casino takes the choice of the so-called "licensing jurisdiction". Or should this term have to be explained in simple words - this is the place, where the casino lands its servers and where all gaming and financial transactions are made to and from. In other words, to operate the casino needs a license that allows him to perform all the above operations. This license is called "gaming license". But in order to operate an online casino, however, it needs suitable software, which must also be licensed. Usually, each of the gambling software providers have deals or arrangements with one or more licensing jurisdictions, giving them the exclusive rights to own a so called "Master License" or to have access to the ability to getting you a gaming license. In most cases, a gaming license is required from the licensing jurisdiction you are based in order to take wagers on the internet. Some governments do not require a gaming license, while others (like Antigua, Gibraltar, Malta, Isle of Man and Costa Rica) do. And since the negative attitude of the majority of governments around the world regarding any kind of gambling is not a big secret, it should not surprise us at all, that most licensing jurisdiction are actually small countries, often called offshore zones, which owe all the necessary attributes for doing a successful gambling business - liberal laws and a huge appetite for investments! At present, these jurisdictions are more than 70, but the majority of the valid casino licenses are concentrated in only a few of them – Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Alderney, Costa Rica, Netherland Antilles(Curacao), Gibraltar, Malta, Isle of Man, Cyprus, United Kingdom, Panama, Kahnawake(Canada) and Vanuatu. Some believe that those countries hold almost 90% of all issued casino licenses at the moment!
Anyway, now it’s time for some questions and answers, regarding the licenses with examples:

Q: How much does it costs a casino(gaming) license?
A: It depends. It may vary from a predefined annual amount up to a small share of all net profits or generated revenues.
Example: Currently if you are planning to obtain a casino license from Antigua and Barbuda, then you are supposed to pay $75 000 per annum for landing there your primary server alongside with paying all the required taxes, such as 3% of the net wins, luckily capped at the amount of $50 000 per month! In Gibraltar there’s no start-up fee, but only a £2000 annual fee for maintaining the license and online casinos are taxed at 1% of the gross product with a cap of £425,000 per annum.
Q: How much does it costs you a gambling software license?
A: There is so many variations on that matter, that it’s simple impossible to summarize, but as a whole yes, it will cost you something. And in most of the cases it will cost you a lot!
Example: Usually the gambling software provider charges a software licensing fee. Most also take a percentage of the take for each month's revenues of the casino as well. In some cases a part of your agreement with the provider will be to use only his hardware and network equipment, or to use some predefined marketing strategies, specially designed for you casino. At the end, you will be a lucky casino manager to end the month with at least 30-40% of the net wins! J

Q: Do all of these licensing jurisdictions are equally exacting and rigorous?
A: No, not at all. Unfortunately there’s a huge difference between the quality and quantity of the applied minimum standards! As more rigorous and exacting the licensing jurisdiction is, as lower is the number of players complaints and issues! And conversely – the more liberal the requirements for issuing a license are, the more players get some run around, slow payments and bad attitude!
Example:
Strict jurisdictions – Gibraltar, Isle of Man, Alderney, Australia, UK;
Not so rigorous – Malta, Vanuatu, Kahnawake, Cyprus;
Liberal – Curacao, Antigua and Barbuda, Panama, Costa Rica.

Q: Can I seek for a help from those licensing regulatory bodies in case I have an issue with a casino, holding a license, issued by them?
A: Yes, you can! But actually only a very small number of players know that all of the licensing organization in any of the licensing jurisdictions is supposed not only to issue a license and get the money but also to regulate the casino activities and to take adequate measures in case it’s proven the operator is acting unfair and fraudulent against its own customers!
Example: Each one of the listed licensing jurisdictions above has its own specially designed organization, which owes the exclusive rights to give or take a casino license. Moreover, those organizations are supposed to help you in case you have troubles with one of their issuers! So, I will try to list some of the major players in the licensing market worldwide, as well as to provide you with their Internet addresses, where you can ask for assistance!



Alderney Gambling Control Commission
www.gamblingcontrol.org

Australian Gambling and Racing Commission
http://www.gamblinga...ing.act.gov.au/

Antigua and Barbuda Directorate of Offshore Gaming
www.antiguagaming.gov.ag

Costa Rica Commerce, Industry and Economy Ministry
www.meic.go.cr

Gibraltar Ministry of Finance Gambling Division
www.gibraltar.goc.gi/internet-gaming

Malta Lotteries and Gaming Authority
www.lga.org.mt

United Kingdom Gambling Commission
www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk

Isle of Man Gambling Supervision
www.gov.im/gambling

Cyprus Ministry of Finance
www.mof.gov.cy

Kahnawake Gaming Commission
www.gamingcommission.ca

Curacao Internet Gaming Association /Netherland Antilles/
www.ciga.an

Panama Ministry of Economy and Finance
www.mef.gob.pa/Portal/Dir-Junta.html

Vanuatu Interactive Gaming Consultants Ltd
http://www.igc.vu


And so, we've got already a valid license for our casino that gives us the right to accept bets, managed by secure and appropriate software and everything, regarding our casino project should be perfectly legal and fair. But... Yes, something is missing in the big picture and that is the guarantee that the casino will operate in a transparent, trustful and honest way to its clients. What if the software has been manipulated in favor of the operator? Or a casino just refuses to pay profits without any reason, or his staff is behaving rude and inappropriate with clients? Who will ensure that our casino will operate in a completely legal, honest and open manner? Yes, one could reasonably guess that this is a matter and duty for the very licensing organization or the software provider, or all of them combined. But hey, let's face it openly - they all have a benefit from a working casino and I deeply doubt, anyone has a substantial interest in preventing normal operation with constant checks and additional problems, right?
Here is where the main role is played by the so-called independent "gambling watchdog” organizations. What are their main tasks? Firstly, to appreciate a casino or gambling software in an objective and impartial manner! Second - to use a transparent, fair and qualitative methodology on which to perform the necessary analysis and to summarize the results. And third - to give the necessary support to all players who have reasonable doubts about the randomness/fairness of certain software or have a problem with a casino! I think now you all understand why the possession of a certificate from such an organization is unbelievable occasion for pride for any casino or a software vendor! And therefore not surprisingly, the majority of online casinos (or at least those, who still owes a certificate) always have these organizations logo prominently positioned on their web pages, showing all current and future customers that this place is a safe shelter for them and for their monies!
But even with this type of organizations not everything has evolved in the easiest way! Over the years, some of them have been charged for not so fairly and objectively evaluating certain online casinos, while others for openly manipulated the results and not in favor of the players, of course. The good news is that in this business reputation is everything and this led to exclusion from the market of many companies, in whose impartiality exist even small doubts! To get to this point, where the entire market for independent audit and certification of the online gambling industry is dominated by just a few names among which stand out clearly those of eCommerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance (eCOGRA), Interactive Gaming Council (IGC) , Gambling Commission (GC), Gaming Laboratories International (GLI) and iTech Labs. Let me tell you now a little bit more about each one of them.
eCOGRA – eCOGRA, which stands for e-Commerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance, is a non-profit organisation based in the United Kingdom. It was found on April 14, 2003 by two of the leading companies, involved in the online gambling – Microgaming Software Systems Ltd and Virtual Holdings Ltd, owner of the famous Casino-on-Net and 888 in a later stage. eCOGRA was a huge success almost from the start, but no one was even dreaming that it will become not only the best in its field but almost a legendary institution! Nowadays, being certified by eCOGRA is a must for every reputable online operator and gambling software provider, but it’s still only a dream for the majority of the online casinos, due to the highest possible standards required! But that’s not all – thousands and thousands of players get a precious help by this organization each year! Personally, when I see the eCOGRA logo on any casino website, that’s more than enough to know that the operator is honest and trustworthy. International Gambling Council – IGC was originally found in 1996 in the United States but move to Vancouver, Canada in March, 2000. It is a non – profit organization, established to provide a forum for interested parties to address issues and advance common interests in the global interactive gaming industry, to establish fair and responsible trade guidelines and practices that enhance consumer confidence in interactive gaming products and services, and to serve as the industry’s public policy advocate and information clearinghouse. Today IGC has become a synonym of trust and respect, when talking about gambling certification! Gambling Commission – The UK Gambling Commission was established under the Gambling Act 2005 and assumed full powers in 2007, regulating various gambling activities, such as bingo, casinos, slot machines, etc. The Commission's stated aims are "to keep crime out of gambling, to ensure that gambling is conducted fairly and openly, and to protect children and vulnerable people". The Commission is a non-departmental public body and issues licenses to gambling operators, can levy fines and revoke licenses, and is tasked with investigating and prosecuting illegal gambling. Gaming Laboratories International – GLI provides gaming devices and systems testing worldwide. With 13 offices working with more than 450 jurisdictions, GLI also serves as an independent consultant to governments on the development of rules and regulations and technical specifications relating to casino gaming. GLI also provides complete independent testing and certification services for all types of gaming systems and equipment, including gaming devices in casinos, protocol analysis and certification, amusement games, bingo and keno devices, progressive systems/signs, tote systems at pari-mutuel facilities, and many others. iTech Labs – Originally founded back in 2000, the company is dealing with testing online gambling systems. Their clients include some of the largest in the online gaming industry. Integrity, accountability and a commitment to protect player's interests are their guiding principles. iTech Labs consultants have tested and certified all types of games on a wide range of online gaming platforms during past 12+ years and the staff has been at the forefront of development of Australian Internet gaming standards, now used in various forms by regulators worldwide. Now let’s see a few questions and answers, so that all of you get the whole picture.

Q: My casino is powered by one of the biggest gambling platforms, but did not list even a single certificate on its website. Is it safe to play there?
A: Perhaps it could be a safe place after all, but more often the lack of any certificate for quality is simply a sign of future troubles and lots of nerves, when the withdrawal time has come! My experience with such type of casinos is categorical – less certificates always mean more trouble and vice versa, so take your notes folks! Usually, I always trust to online casinos, owing an eCOGRA or TST certificate and never have been disappointed so far.


Q: My casino claims to owe one or few certificates and even listed them on its website, but none of the links work? Is it safe to play there?
A: This is an old advertising trick, which unfortunately has spread widely across many online casinos recently. Although it might be just some kind of a mistake – perhaps the casino IT department has forgotten to make the rights links?! In such cases there’s only one solution. If you want to be sure that no one is playing you fool, than simply ask the support to send you a link, or an e-mail, which proves for the aforementioned certificates! If they send you the requested proves, that’s cool, if not – run from that casino as fast as you can!

Q: Although my casino owes some quality certificates, I got a problem with it. Can I submit an official complaint to one or more of the organizations issued those certificates?
A: Yes, you can! You have the right to bother the issuing organization about any matters, which you consider is not complying with the listed certificates. But let me tell you something straight! Dealing with this kind of serious organizations, like the aforementioned ones is not a joke at all, my dear friends! You are supposed to provide your complaint with very solid arguments and a complete discretion, otherwise you risk to be ignored from the very beginning! I have used this option only once a few years ago, when I submit a complaint to eCOGRA from a Microgaming powered casino, claiming its RNG (Random Number Generator) was faulty. Frankly speaking, I lost, although I was quite confident in my point of view (backed with some proofs, of course)! Simply the guys from eCOGRA literally smashed me down with real logs from the Microgaming servers, making me look like a fool! Anyway, if you think you are right, never surrender or give up! But you should also know when to say a simple “Sorry, guys, I was wrong!”



APPENDIX A – List of current licensing jurisdictions

Africa – Comoros, Mauritius, Seychelles, Tanzania;

Australia – Australia, New Zealand;

Asia – Hong Kong (China), Macau (China), Maharashtra State (India), Hutt River Province, Nepal. Norfolk Island, Philippines, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Taiwan, Vanuatu, Vietnam;

Caribbean – Antigua and Barbuda, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Jamaica, Curacao (Netherland Antilles), St Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent, Virgin Islands

Europe – Alderney, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Island, Ireland, Isle of Man, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxemburg, Malta, Monaco, Norway, Russia, Serbia, Spain, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Netherlands, UK;

Mediterranean - Cyprus, Israel;

Americas – Belize, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Canada, Kahnawake (Canada), some US States – New Jersey, Nevada, Oregon, California, Louisiana, Washington, Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela, Chile, Brazil;


APPENDIX B – List of current gambling watchdog organizations and labs

eCommerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance - eCOGRA

Interactive Gaming Coucil - IGC

The Gambling Commission

Online Players Association

Gambling Supervision Commission

SafeBet

The Offshore Gaming Association

Gaming Laboratories International - GLI

iTech Labs