About Casino Licenses

[Dave1]

Hello,

Is it possible and legal to open an online casino without a license?
I have heard that a license only allows to put users in confidence
What do you think about this?

This is not the kind of question which can be answered in the forum, if you are thinking on opening a casino then it is better that you take this question to your lawyers and see if in the jurisdiction in which you are located you need one.

I guess there is nothing wrong to ask from this community, specially if his plan is to build crypto related gambling platform. There are a lot of experience gamblers that can give their take on it and then see how it goes to the OP. Of course a lawyer is good to ask for advise, but at least he has some beginner knowledge and could ask the correct question based on our feedback, just saying.

And if you look at the answers, majority thinks that it is very important to have a license regardless if you are going big or just starting.

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[Don Pedro Dinero]

Hello,

Is it possible and legal to open an online casino without a license?
I have heard that a license only allows to put users in confidence
What do you think about this?

This is not the kind of question which can be answered in the forum, if you are thinking on opening a casino then it is better that you take this question to your lawyers and see if in the jurisdiction in which you are located you need one.

I guess there is nothing wrong to ask from this community, specially if his plan is to build crypto related gambling platform. There are a lot of experience gamblers that can give their take on it and then see how it goes to the OP. Of course a lawyer is good to ask for advise, but at least he has some beginner knowledge and could ask the correct question based on our feedback, just saying.

And if you look at the answers, majority thinks that it is very important to have a license regardless if you are going big or just starting.

I believe that one thing does not take away from the other. It is good to ask the question in this forum as general information if he is thinking of opening a casino, but if he decides to do so and is serious about it, he should consult a lawyer.

I also agree with the majority. If I were to open a casino today, I would do it by acquiring a licence. Although technically it is possible to do it without a licence and there are still some casinos that operate without a licence.

[Zlantann]

I believe that one thing does not take away from the other. It is good to ask the question in this forum as general information if he is thinking of opening a casino, but if he decides to do so and is serious about it, he should consult a lawyer.

Not just consulting any lawyer, but seeking legal counsel in the country he wants to establish the casino company is very important. I think he can also get good advice from other successful operators of online casinos in the area. They might be able to give him the necessary advice because they have the necessary experience.

 

I also agree with the majority. If I were to open a casino today, I would do it by acquiring a licence. Although technically it is possible to do it without a licence and there are still some casinos that operate without a licence.

Although licensing might not be a true test or benchmark to certain the genuineness or quality of any business before I transact business with any firm my first observation would be to confirm if the company has the necessary license that empowers them to operate in the business or area. It has a way of giving users confidence that the business is safe. And I am sure a licensed casino would attract more customers than an unlicensed one.

[SirLancelot]

License is not an assurance for a casino not to scam people since even if they have license still they are prone to do this action. But for having peace of mind to legit casino operators regarding on upcoming inquiries regarding to this matter its better to acquire license because there are several users who ask this and look at this as a basis for them to trust the casino.

But, if they have a license and then they commit a scam, isn't it more dangerous for them? It will be easy for the authorities to track these scammers because their identities, personal address and other sensitive information might be registered already in the governments before they open up their gambling business but if a gambling site is sure about their intention and they know that they are clean and only wants to deliver an honest and great service throughout the years then getting a license must be ideal since it can make them more superior and I think I don't see a big and successful gambling site who doesn't have a license.

[davis196]

Hello,

Is it possible and legal to open an online casino without a license?
I have heard that a license only allows to put users in confidence
What do you think about this?

I believe that you need a casino license in almost all countries in the world.
So the answer in NO. It's not legal to operate a casino without a gambling license.
Of course that doesn't stop you from creating one and trying to get customers.
Many businesses stay in the greyhat/blackhat area, but there will be consequences sooner or later.
I think that having a gambling license isn't a guarantee that the online casino won't scam the gamblers, but it's usually better to pick a casino with a license, if you are a gambler. The license kinda gives a false sense of security and the illusion of dealing with a legit business.
If you want to create a casino, try to get a license, otherwise you might have problems with the authorities.

[jostorres]

Is it possible and legal to open an online casino without a license?
I have heard that a license only allows to put users in confidence
What do you think about this?

Licenses are important, not only to increase the trust of users, but also to see to know that the platform is worthy to use, safe from scammers, and safe from hackers. The license not only checks the owner of the platform, but also checks the security level of the platform. If you open an online casino, what can you show as proof that the platform is worth using? Of course the license. Not only gambling platforms, exchange platforms, wallets and so on also provide licenses to provide evidence that the platform is feasible to use.

Gaining trust can come in so many forms not just having a license alone. If I ask you, will trust a newly opened casino that has a license? I bet you will hesitate to deposit and start playing there but you will trust more those have existed here for quite some time and don't have any serious negative feedback.

Having a license can make a site more regulated, making those scammers and fraudsters easy to detect but having a license won't instantly make a gambling site hack resistant. Proposing that your casino has a license seems not enough to convince people to play at them but you should also propose if what features you are offering and why it is different from other existing casinos.

[goinmerry]

I think that having a gambling license isn't a guarantee that the online casino won't scam the gamblers, but it's usually better to pick a casino with a license, if you are a gambler. The license kinda gives a false sense of security and the illusion of dealing with a legit business.
If you want to create a casino, try to get a license, otherwise you might have problems with the authorities.

Yes, having a license doesn't mean that the site won't do some shit in the future but the fact that they have a license means they might be serious about their business as they spend time to comply with that.

For me, I will not risk any money at those sites that don't have a license.

That's one of the factors that a gambling site should have.

[alegotardo]

Hello,

Is it possible and legal to open an online casino without a license?
I have heard that a license only allows to put users in confidence
What do you think about this?

As per the answers you have already received from other users here, it depends a lot on the country where you will be hosting your casino.
Obviously there are several alternatives to opening a casino without a license, but you need to analyze the risks of opening a business with this level of "underground".
I say this because today there are numerous gambling sites, it is a market that is already very competitive.
so, opening another site without even having a license is already a big negative point for you when trying to gain the trust of users.

[lienfaye]

Hello,

Is it possible and legal to open an online casino without a license?
I have heard that a license only allows to put users in confidence
What do you think about this?

As per the answers you have already received from other users here, it depends a lot on the country where you will be hosting your casino.
Obviously there are several alternatives to opening a casino without a license, but you need to analyze the risks of opening a business with this level of "underground".
I say this because today there are numerous gambling sites, it is a market that is already very competitive.
so, opening another site without even having a license is already a big negative point for you when trying to gain the trust of users.

I agree, many gamblers prefer a licensed casino, that is one to look for when choosing a casino so you can play at ease (though it doesnt guarantee that the casino is not scam). That being said, if you're planning to launch your own casino, why dont you operate in legal way? This can attract players that your casino is legit. Building a good reputation will follow and that depends on how you manage it in every aspect to prove that your casino is trustworthy.

[Pokapoka124]

Hello,

Is it possible and legal to open an online casino without a license?
I have heard that a license only allows to put users in confidence
What do you think about this?

It is possible but it certainly isn’t legal to do so. Generally people wouldn’t trust your casino because you do not have a valid license. A license gives the casino a legitimate backing, experienced gamblers check for these things before betting on a online casino, one without a license will most likely come as a red flag to users. So if you want your casino to be rated as high as popular casinos you will need a license.

[BitcoinAccepted]

The licenses are in fact only intended for a casino to be able to offer it legally. Other than that, you really have nothing to do with it. There are a few organizations that want to offer a certain amount of help, but if you really have a complaint then you will be turned off again. As a player you should not expect anything from the license commissions, they are only there to increase their own bank account. In any case, you have some sort of starting point if your gambling site has a license, that is the advantage. Yet that says nothing about the reputation of a gambling site.

[harizen]

The licenses are in fact only intended for a casino to be able to offer it legally. Other than that, you really have nothing to do with it. There are a few organizations that want to offer a certain amount of help, but if you really have a complaint then you will be turned off again. As a player you should not expect anything from the license commissions, they are only there to increase their own bank account. In any case, you have some sort of starting point if your gambling site has a license, that is the advantage. Yet that says nothing about the reputation of a gambling site.

That was a misleading impression about having a license. Clearly, you just consider the license as just as simple paper with no use at all.

Didn't you know that authenticity for every business is a must? Having a license is the start of becoming a credible company. And the result? More users will likely stay on your platform as you are working legally. Customers will also have a feeling that they are in a safe place as a licensed company won't likely do some irregularities because if these companies will do that, they will face the wrath of the authorities who has jurisdiction over them.

I partially agree with you though that having a license doesn't reflect the whole reputation of a gambling site but as you also mentioned, licensing is intended to make the casino legal.

[Viscore]

You need a license to legally serve gambling products to some jurisdictions like the UK and the US.

You don't need one if you open a casino in a territory that doesn't require you to have one (I think a lot do though) and serve countries that don't need you to be licensed there in order to operate. Just search if you need one for your country.

It’s seldom to see casinos who are operating without its license. If you want the people will never doubt on the legitimacy of your casino, then you should have the license to operate so that it will be legalized and people will start trusting it. Especially for high rollers, they always go on licensed and reputable casinos because it’s where they can feel security.

[Fortify]

Hello,

Is it possible and legal to open an online casino without a license?
I have heard that a license only allows to put users in confidence
What do you think about this?

Theoretically one of these casino licenses should involve strenuous investigation and verification by the country who has an office issuing them. However in practice most of them are rubber stamp operations that will issue a license to anyone who passes some rather basic checks and can transfer enough money on a regular basis to pay for the fee renewal. There are levels to it, some of the worst jurisdictions will not have any point of contact for a customer who has a complaint about a license holder, it is purely considered an advertising mechanism and to fool the uninitiated. The better ones will eventually take action against license abuse because they would like to keep a reasonable baseline reputation as a cleaner place to hold a casino license.

[AmoreJaz]

You need a license to legally serve gambling products to some jurisdictions like the UK and the US.

You don't need one if you open a casino in a territory that doesn't require you to have one (I think a lot do though) and serve countries that don't need you to be licensed there in order to operate. Just search if you need one for your country.

It’s seldom to see casinos who are operating without its license. If you want the people will never doubt on the legitimacy of your casino, then you should have the license to operate so that it will be legalized and people will start trusting it. Especially for high rollers, they always go on licensed and reputable casinos because it’s where they can feel security.

some of the old casinos here don't have their gaming license up until now. like freebitco. so it means, if you already have your reputation established, sometimes you can survive and operate your business without a license. however, if you are about to create a new casino or bookie, most users are now looking if the site has a gambling license. this is because new sites tend to scam people or screw their players. but you can definitely run a casino without a license at the start. most known casinos here started without a license, they just acquire it later on once they are generating good interest and revenue from the community.

[wxa7115]

Hello,

Is it possible and legal to open an online casino without a license?
I have heard that a license only allows to put users in confidence
What do you think about this?

This is not the kind of question which can be answered in the forum, if you are thinking on opening a casino then it is better that you take this question to your lawyers and see if in the jurisdiction in which you are located you need one.

I guess there is nothing wrong to ask from this community, specially if his plan is to build crypto related gambling platform. There are a lot of experience gamblers that can give their take on it and then see how it goes to the OP. Of course a lawyer is good to ask for advise, but at least he has some beginner knowledge and could ask the correct question based on our feedback, just saying.

And if you look at the answers, majority thinks that it is very important to have a license regardless if you are going big or just starting.

Any question can be asked in the forum but whether or not the question can be answered depends on too many factors, since the question is so specific and it depends on the jurisdiction where the OP is located, or is under consideration for the creation of such casino, and since that information was never disclosed then there is not much we can do to help him.

So I do not think we can give an accurate answer to his question or even something remotely close to it.

[Saisher]

Hello,

Is it possible and legal to open an online casino without a license?
I have heard that a license only allows to put users in confidence
What do you think about this?

Yes, you can open one without the need of a license but where will this get you, user's confidence in the casino is very important, no players will trust to play in your casino if they don't see, some of the things that will make them trust your casino, and one of them is a license, you will be on the tail of the competition if you don't have it, you will ask your client to put money in your project, it is just right to show them that you are transparent and you are compliant and you are operating in legal ways.

[Strongkored]

Hello,

Is it possible and legal to open an online casino without a license?
I have heard that a license only allows to put users in confidence
What do you think about this?

Yes, you can open one without the need of a license but where will this get you, user's confidence in the casino is very important, no players will trust to play in your casino if they don't see, some of the things that will make them trust your casino, and one of them is a license, you will be on the tail of the competition if you don't have it, you will ask your client to put money in your project, it is just right to show them that you are transparent and you are compliant and you are operating in legal ways.

There are always advantages and disadvantages to a license, a license can increase trust in your casino but regarding reputation it really depends on how the team from the casino runs its business, for example, withdrawals if it takes too long to process will reduce its reputation and the disadvantages from license is makes the casino have to comply with the licensing rules. like KYC obligations where many players don't like it even though in the future this will be hard to avoid