DIRECTORY

QUICK LINKS

REGULATORS

We are pleased to detail below details of some of the various regulating bodies governing online gambling, together with links to enable you to obtain further information.

The Alderney Gambling Control Commission

Government of Anjouan

Gaming License from the Netherlands Antilles government. (see Curacao)

Gaming Commission of the Government of Antigua and Barbuda.

Curacao Internet Gaming Association

Kahnawake Gaming Commission, Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake, Canada

Northern Territory of Australia - Online Gaming

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The Alderney Gambling Control Commission .

The Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC) was established in May 2000.  The Commission, consisting of the Chairman and three members, is independent and non political, and regulates e-gambling on behalf of the States of Alderney.  The Commission ensures that its regulatory and supervisory approach meets the very highest of international standards.

Further details about the role and responsibilities of the AGCC, the process of applying for a licence, together with information regarding our licensees and player protection are available by selecting from the menu options on the site.

The British Channel Islands are self governing dependencies of the Crown, but they are not part of the United Kingdom, nor are they part of the European Union. The Channel Islands are recognised as one of the world's leading offshore finance centres and have in recent years established themselves as e-commerce centres of excellence.

Alderney, the third largest of the Channel Islands and one of the constitutive islands of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, is approximately 8 miles from France and 60 miles from mainland Britain. It has its own government, legislature and company laws and operates with the same modern banking, insurance and investment laws as Guernsey.  The Guernsey Financial Services Commission is a statutory body responsible for ensuring that the finance industry on Guernsey and Alderney is well regulated.  Alderney is subject to the provisions of Guernsey taxation laws.

Alderney licensees are by law permitted to take advantage of the modern hosting facilities and reliable telecommunication networks on both Alderney and Guernsey.  For international network links, Alderney and Guernsey's telecommunication network offers reliable and high capacity links to the UK, Europe, the USA and Asia.

See The Alderney Gambling Control website

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Government of Anjouan

Anjouan is an island forming part of the Comoros Islands, a group of islands in the Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique.

Anjouan is currently a very attractive jurisdiction for those seeking to incorporate banks, trust and mutual fund companies, captive insurance companies etc. Licences are available for all types of insurance, fiduciary, financial and trust services, investment management, funds administration etc.

Licensing is negotiated on a case by case basis directly with the relevant government offices. As a general rule, insurance licences are marginally cheaper than banking licences. Law number 1 of March 1999 created the Anjouan Offshore Centre.

The government's principal motivation is to attract foreign investors to Anjouan, and increase deposits in Anjouan banks and the economy, by allowing investors to benefit from an advantageous fiscal regime. This in turn will help development of the island, particularly its technology and communications infrastructure.

The offshore centre has been further strengthened by the island's new constitution, adopted by referendum in March 2002 in a long-awaited vote overseen by impartial observers from the European Union and the OUA. Anjouan offers offshore regimes for IBC-style companies (International Companies), trusts, banking, insurance, mutual funds, maritime and airline operations, and gaming.

Betting And Gaming

Gaming and gaming licenses are issued only to Anjouan companies, but allow a company to engage in as many different kinds of gambling promotion under as many different brand names or web addresses as desired. Local nominee directors are acceptable.

A fixed fee of US$20,000 per year is charged for virtual casino licenses. The server may be located on the island, or anywhere else in the world, and profits may be cleared through Anjouan offshore banks or possibly using the nearby island of Mauritius which has better-established credit card processing facilities. As of July 2005, 33 gaming licenses had been issued in Anjouan by the BCI.

Information taken from ANJOUAN BUSINESS ACTIVITIES web site.

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Gaming Commission of the Government of Antigua and Barbuda.

The Division of Gaming is the regulatory body under the Financial Services Regulatory Commission (FSRC) responsible for the oversight of all aspects of the Offshore Gaming industry in the jurisdiction of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua and Barbuda was one of the first jurisdictions to license interactive gaming and wagering companies in 1994. The internet gaming companies are classified as “Financial Institutions” and are subject to all the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) requirements of the jurisdiction. The regulatory framework for these companies has been provided in the International Business Corporations (IBC) Act and the Interactive Gaming and Interactive Wagering Regulations (IGIWR).Today, FSRC, Division of Gaming continues to be home to a significant portion of the industry and some of the largest i-gaming companies due to our pursuit of being a tier one regulatory jurisdiction.

Antigua and Barbuda has been very proactive in regulating the offshore gaming through its IGIWR that enforces corporate probity and international best practices. The Division of Gaming is committed to ensuring that Antigua and Barbuda is internationally regarded as a Tier 1 jurisdiction of choice, and its regulations and regulatory enforcement remain first rate. The jurisdiction’s regulatory regime comprises a three pronged focus on "Money Laundering Prevention", "Player Protection" and "Industry Enhancement". All gaming activities within the State are subject to the Money Laundering Prevention Act (MLPA) and the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA, 2001).

Antigua and Barbuda , achieved an historical milestone as a developing nation and most notably as one of the smallest members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) on March 24, 2004. The Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) of the WTO yielded a victorious ruling regarding the United States – Measures Affecting the Cross-Border Supply of Gambling and Betting Services. Conjunctively, the Appellate Body of the WTO affirmed the DSB findings when it ruled on April 7, 2005 in favour of Antigua and Barbuda in its Appellate Report. This triumph emboldens the desire of the WTO, whereby to facilitate the increase in participation of developing countries in trade and services and the expansion of their service exports. Additionally, the ruling in a general context can be viewed as taking into account, the need for developing countries to improve their economic and social development through the liberalization of trade in services. The Government of Antigua and Barbuda remains committed to the advancement of the internet gaming sector and remains proactive in solidifying its position as a contender in such a dynamic industry.

In an effort to ensure the industry remains in conformity with the international best practices we amended the IGIWR in May 2001, to have our gaming companies establish clear internal procedures regarding Know Your Customer. In addition, all gaming companies are required to have their accounts audited by external auditors who also have to certify their solvency, safety and soundness, player protection and compliance with AML/CFT regime in Antigua and Barbuda.

Taken from the web site of the Directorate of Offshore Gaming, Antigua and Barbuda

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Curacao Internet Gaming Association

Mission Statement

It is the expressed mission of the Curacao Internet Gaming Association (CIGA) to:

• Provide a forum for interested parties to address issues and advance common interests in the global interactive gaming industry of its members.
• To establish fair and responsible trade guidelines and practices that enhance consumer confidence in interactive gaming products and services on Curacao.
• To serve as an advocate and information clearinghouse to the Curacao Gaming Commission, consulting in future legislation for the cause of offshore gaming and its effect on its members here in Curacao to be internationally competitive in this global industry.
• Enhance, project and protect the image and reputation of Curacao as a safe place all around to do business.

Our Aim is to provide effective representation to local government and serve as a planning and coordinating voice for legislative, policy, legal and communications efforts on behalf of CIGA members. The policy of CIGA is not determined by any one member or clique. Policy is determined by the membership. Any member can call for a vote on any issue; at all times the membership have the power to change policy.

All CIGA membership agree to the basic tenants:  

• To operate under an Internet gaming license issued by the Netherlands AntillesTo maintain a complete audit trail of individual wagers and transactions for each customer.
• To avoid the creation and dispersal of any false or misleading advertising and marketing.
• To refuse any and all wagers from individuals under 18 years of age or residents of the Netherlands Antilles.
• To make their gaming programs and systems available to independent, third party review within a reasonable amount of time.
• To maintain adequate financial resources to pay any and all winning wagers on demand.
• To assist with the betterment of consumer confidence within the online gaming industry.

For more information, visit the web site Curacao Internet Gaming Association

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Kahnawake Gaming Commission, Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake, Canada.

On 08 Ohiarihkó:wa/July 1999, pursuant to the regulatory powers provided to it in section 35 of the Kahnawake Gaming Law, the Commission enacted its Regulations Concerning Interactive Gaming (the "Regulations").

The Commission was assisted in its drafting of the Regulations by Frank Catania, former director of the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement and a world authority in the field of gaming enforcement and by Murray Marshall, legal counsel to the Commission.

The Regulations are designed to ensure that all interactive gaming and gaming related activities conducted within or from the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake satisfies three basic principles:

1. That only suitable persons and entities are permitted to operate within Kahnawake;

2. That the games offered are fair to the player; and

3. That winners are paid.

Determining the “suitability” of persons and entities is a process that requires an applicant to provide extensive information to the Commission concerning the business entity that will operate the gaming venture as well as each of the principals associated with the entity. The ‘know your client’ rule is strictly enforced. The information provided is investigated for accuracy and completeness by an independent agency contracted by the Commission, National Fraud Center. Based on the reports received from National Fraud, the Commission makes a decision as to the applicant’s suitability.

The Commission has adopted technical standards that are applied to ensure that the games offered by a permit holder are fair to players. An applicant’s systems are subjected to a risk analysis prior to implementation and an audit plan is established to ensure systems comply with the Commission’s requirements. Operational monitoring and audits are conducted on a monthly basis to ensure continuing compliance.

To ensure that any player who has concerns about gaming irregularities has easy access to the Commission, permit holders are required to prominently display on their sites the Commission’s logo (below), hyperlinked to the Commission’s Web site.

To ensure that operators are able to meet their obligations to players, the financial viability of an applicant is assessed at the time of an application and may be reassessed at any time the Commission directs. The regulations also provide for the posting of various forms of security, where the Commission deems it to be necessary.

You can download the Commission’s Regulations Concerning Interactive Gaming from the link below:

Kahnawake Interactive Gaming Regulations

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Northern Territory of Australia - Online Gaming

General Information

The Northern Territory of Australia has an established record as being the world’s leading Internet gambling jurisdiction. Experienced and knowledgeable regulators ensure the integrity of on-line gaming Licensees and their deployed systems.

Gaming systems are extensively tested by independent auditors to ensure all games are:

• Fair
• auditable;
• secure;
• and operate strictly in accordance with the approved rules

.

The NT Government imposes audit requirements and security measures of the highest order to protect the interests of players and the gambling industry.

The Control System Requirements for Internet Gaming can be found on their web site at Northern Territories - Racing Gaming & Licensing.

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