The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) recently declared that it had no connection with more than 12 new online casinos. The authority had to do this as the casinos were declaring that they had MGA licenses in place.

It’s essential for users of online casinos to pay close attention to this type of announcement in order for them to be protected from scam providers. This is especially the case given the ever-increasing amount of online fraud in existence.

Rise in online fraud

Online fraud is something that affects people across the globe. Recently, the focus of fraudsters seems to have shifted from financial services to leisure industries such as online gaming. You can see this from research and a report from TransUnion where the table shows a 36.2% rise in gambling fraud.

Given the amount of fraud out there, legitimate online casino licensing is as essential as it has ever been.

How casinos try to scam potential customers

Scam casino sites do all they can to fool people into visiting them. This includes forging license numbers on their websites.

Many of these sites even include license details as a logotype. This can look very convincing to people who are deciding whether they should play at the casino. Understanding the existence of this type of scam is important if individuals want to reduce their risk of visiting a casino that does not pay-out fairly and may even compromise or steal personal data.

The MGA helps to protect people against being scammed by including a list of unauthorised URLs for casinos that are incorrectly claiming to be licensed on its website. This allows people to check the legitimacy of an MGA license claim before they play at a casino.

Why casino licensing is so important

Licensing authorities like the MGA are vital to the gambling industry. They help to ensure that people are not taken in by scam casino sites. The MGA has very strict standards. In order for a casino to obtain an MGA license, it has to ensure fair play, address customer complaints and concerns, and make sure that it promotes responsible gambling.

There are other licensing authorities that operate internationally including the Curaçao Gaming Control Board and the Gibraltar Regulatory Authority. These authorities are not as strict as the MGA and their licenses are easier and cheaper to obtain.

However, being licensed by either of these authorities still indicates that the casino is not a scam. It’s also worth noting that casinos are required to detail their services and games available in order to retain their license. This makes it easier for online casino enthusiasts to decide whether to play at them.

It’s clear that licensing plays an essential role in maintaining customer safety while playing at online casinos. Authorities like the MGA ensure people are well-informed about the reliability of casino sites as is shown by the recent MGA announcement distancing itself from more than 12 new online casinos.