The gambling sector is growing rapidly, and there are ever more online casinos and sports betting sites being launched all the time. These days, across the world, it's one of the most popular forms of entertainment.
While there’s still a place for land-based casinos and bookies, online gambling is now the choice of most players, and there has never been such an excellent selection of options among online casinos and betting sites. While this comes with plenty of advantages, issues obviously arise - most importantly, the safety and security of these sites.
Given the financial nature of gambling, stringent money management is absolutely essential for a fair, trustworthy and transparent gambling environment. In order to facilitate this, we have seen several different regulatory bodies created to licence and oversee all the different businesses in this sector - and online casinos providing the best value to players will have at least one licence. There are several about - Curacao, Alderney and more… However, most notably, the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) and online casinos licensed by Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) are considered to be the most highly reputable regulators in the industry, both of them enforcing strict rules to ensure players can expect a safer and fairer gambling experience.
But which is best? Here, we’ll take a look at which regulatory body comes out on top.
The main features of the UK Gambling Commission
Established in 2007 under the 2005 Gambling Act, the UK Gambling Commission was created to regulate and oversee all gambling activities in the United Kingdom. Any gambling operator that wants to provide remote and non-remote services within the UK has to have a UKGC licence - this is a non-negotiable. Since 2014, the UKGC has been responsible for putting together rules to protect customers.
Under its jurisdiction, the British Gambling Commission oversees licences for all types of gambling operators - not just online casino sites but also brick-and-mortar establishments such as poker rooms, bookmakers, bingo halls and casinos. Basically, the licences cover:
- The Non-Remote Gambling Software Operating Licence: This allows operators to create, install, and customise gambling software.
- There is also the Remote Gambling Software Operating Licence: This gives companies the ability to offer straightforward online gambling or other forms of online gaming to local players.
As well as simply issuing licences, the UKGC also oversees the different businesses involved in providing gambling activities to make sure they are always up to scratch. It regularly introduces new regulations to ensure they are consistently offering a secure, fair, and safe gambling environment. For example, a rule put in place on May 7, 2019, focuses on the procedures for age and identity verification for online operators. It constantly checks that its licenced operators are working to the highest standards - and, if not, it can fine the operators, suspend its licence or even revoke its licence.
The features of MGA
Recognised as the European home of iGaming, Malta established its own regulatory authority to guarantee fair and lawful gambling activities. It was initially named the Lotteries and Gaming Authority (LGA), but the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) came into existence when the Lotteries and Other Games Act was passed by the Maltese Government in 2001.
Licensing: The MGA was one of the first regulators to oversee online gambling operators and consider player protection. It issues four different licences tailored to different types of gambling activities.
- Land-based casinos, online casinos, online lotteries and skill games.
- Fixed odds betting, spread betting and pool betting.
- Skills-related betting, such as Daily Fantasy Sports
- The participation of all gambling operators to actively participate in progressing the Maltese gambling sector.
As one of the most well-respected regulatory bodies, the MGA uses all sorts of measures to ensure a well-regulated gambling market - not only for Maltese companies but also for gaming operators around the world. The Malta Gaming Authority is also responsible for regulating any MGA licence holder to ensure it sticks to all the rules… and to ensure it’s always working with the best interests of its players in mind.
Conclusion
Both gambling bodies are highly respected - and whilst many consider the UKGC to be slightly more stringent, both regulatory bodies promise the highest levels of customer protection. If you are a UK player, you should only ever register with a UKGC-licensed site. However, if you are based outside the UK, an MGA-licensed site is more than sufficient.
Disclaimer: Play responsibly. Players must be over 18. For help visit https://www.gamcare.org.uk/