All reputable online casinos and online gaming arcades have a valid gambling license. These licenses are issued by comparatively few authorities or official bodies. Without a valid license, players should not register with the respective Provider under any circumstances. If there is a valid license, gambling enthusiasts can be sure that the casino's business activities are regularly checked.
Since the new State Treaty on Gaming (GlüStV) came into force, gambling providers can apply for a German gambling license. However, in order to obtain such a license, online gaming establishments must comply with strict Player protection measures. These include not only the maximum stake of one euro per game round and the cross-provider Deposit limit of 1,000 euros per month, but also a ban on autospins, jackpots and table games. In addition, a minimum game duration of five seconds must be guaranteed.
Other popular licenses for online gambling in Europe are issued by the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), for example. Here, the measures for Player protection are not quite as strict. In order to receive an MGA license, providers must, among other things, guarantee fair play, achieve specified payout ratios and demonstrate player protection activities. Furthermore, the provider is monitored by the licensing authority.
Other well-known licenses are currently issued by the Caribbean island of Curacao or the UK Gambling Commission. However, these are licenses that are not as highly regarded in German-speaking countries.
Anyone who has a problem with an online gambling provider should first contact the respective support. If this is not available or cannot help further, then users should contact the licensing authority directly after an appropriate period of time.
Many players also ask themselves how they can reliably check whether the present gambling license is still currently valid. To find out, gambling fans only need to click on the logo of the licensing authority on the online casino's website (e.g. MGA). Now the official MGA website will open. Here you will find contact details for the operator as well as information on the status of the license (e.g. "LICENSED" or "CANCELLED").