Casino basics
Casino Licensing — UKGC, MGA, Curaçao and Anjouan Compared
A casino licence is the first thing you should check before you deposit. The licence tells you which regulator can fine the operator, which dispute service can force a withdrawal, and whether your funds are kept in segregated accounts. The four jurisdictions below cover roughly 95% of the licensed online casinos you will find in English-language searches: UKGC, MGA, Curaçao and Anjouan.
The four are not equivalent. The UKGC and the MGA enforce strict player-protection rules and have working complaint mechanisms. Curaçao and Anjouan are lighter-touch — they exist, they are real licences, but the protection they give you as a player is weaker and the dispute process is slower. This guide compares them on the five factors that matter to a depositor: requirements, player protection, dispute mechanism, KYC standards, and which operators typically hold each.
Why the licence matters
The licence is the regulatory contract between the operator and the state that issued it. If an operator breaks the rules, the regulator can:
- Fine the operator (the UKGC has issued over £215 million in penalties since 2017).
- Suspend or revoke the licence — which kills the operator’s ability to take payments in the licensed market.
- Force payouts to players in unresolved disputes.
- Order remediation (audits, third-party monitoring, mandatory limits).
An unlicensed casino has none of this oversight. If the operator decides not to pay your withdrawal, your only options are public pressure, chargeback (if the deposit was on a card), or accepting the loss. With a UKGC-licensed casino, you can file a complaint with the regulator and an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) provider, and the operator is legally required to respond.
This is the single biggest practical difference between a Tier-1 licence (UKGC, MGA) and a Tier-3 licence (Curaçao, Anjouan).
The four jurisdictions at a glance
| Regulator | Tier | Application cost | Annual fee | Avg. approval time | Player-funds segregation | ADR mandated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UKGC (United Kingdom) | 1 | £370 - £91,686 + £4,224/yr | Based on GGY | 4-6 months | Mandatory (3 levels) | Yes (eCOGRA, IBAS) |
| MGA (Malta) | 1 | €5,000 application + €25,000/yr (Type 1) | €25,000 - €35,000 | 4-6 months | Mandatory | Yes |
| Curaçao (eGaming Reform 2023+) | 3 | $4,500 application + ~$1,200/mo per URL | ~$14,400/yr | 8-12 weeks | Not mandatory (recommended) | Limited |
| Anjouan (Comoros) | 3 | $25,000 setup | $25,000/yr | 4-8 weeks | Not mandatory | None |
Costs and timelines reflect 2025 published rates; check each regulator’s site for current figures.
UKGC — United Kingdom Gambling Commission
The UKGC is the strictest mainstream regulator in the English-language market. It was set up under the Gambling Act 2005 and operates the Licensing Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP), which is the rulebook every UK-licensed operator follows.
What UKGC licensing requires
- Segregated player funds at one of three protection levels (basic, medium, high). Level must be disclosed in T&Cs.
- Affordability checks — operators must intervene when a player shows financial harm signals. From August 2024, “light-touch” checks trigger at £150 net loss in 30 days; deeper checks at £500.
- Source-of-funds checks at higher deposit volumes (typically £2,000 lifetime or £500 in a short window).
- Identity verification before first deposit — operators must verify name, address, and date of birth.
- Mandatory self-exclusion via GAMSTOP (one register, all UK casinos).
- Deposit and loss limits — operators must offer and enforce.
- Advertising restrictions under CAP Code — no claims of zero downside, no under-25 athletes, no targeting of self-excluded players.
How to verify a UKGC licence
Every UKGC casino must link to its public register entry in the footer. You can also search directly at the UKGC Public Register. Type the operator’s legal entity name (not the brand) — for example “LeoVegas Gaming Plc” or “Entain Marketing (UK) Limited”. The result page shows the licence number, status (active / surrendered / lapsed), and the full list of activities the licence covers.
Player protection in practice
If you have a dispute that the casino has not resolved within 8 weeks (the regulatory deadline), you can escalate to an ADR provider — most UKGC casinos use eCOGRA or IBAS. The ADR ruling is binding on the operator. The UKGC itself does not handle individual disputes but does collect complaint data and uses it to trigger enforcement action.
Typical operators
LeoVegas, BetVictor, Mr Green, William Hill, bet365, Sky Vegas, Casumo. UKGC-only or UKGC + secondary MGA licence is the standard for UK-targeted brands.
MGA — Malta Gaming Authority
The MGA is the most-used licence for EU-targeted online casinos. Malta joined the EU in 2004 and built its regulator into the de facto base for online gambling brands serving EU and global markets where local licensing is not required. The current rulebook is the Gaming Act 2018 and the associated regulations.
What MGA licensing requires
- Compliance audits annually + spot checks. Failure triggers fines or suspension.
- Segregated player funds in a Malta-domiciled account.
- KYC tiers — light verification up to €2,000 cumulative deposit, full verification beyond.
- Responsible-gambling tools — deposit limit, time limit, self-exclusion (operator-level), reality checks.
- No nationwide self-exclusion equivalent of GAMSTOP — exclusion is per-operator.
- AML reporting to Malta’s FIAU.
- Game-fairness testing — RTP and RNG certified by an approved test lab (eCOGRA, GLI, iTech Labs, Quinel).
How to verify an MGA licence
Use the MGA Licensee Register. Search by company name or licence number. The licence number format is MGA/B2C/XXX/YYYY (where XXX is a serial and YYYY the year). Active licences show “Authorised” status. The same page lists the operator’s URLs, so you can confirm the brand you are playing on is actually covered.
Player protection in practice
The MGA runs a Player Support Unit that handles player complaints when the operator has not resolved them. Response times are 30-60 days in our testing. The MGA can order payouts, but its enforcement is weaker than UKGC — most disputes resolve via correspondence rather than binding ADR.
Typical operators
Most multi-market EU brands: Casumo (MGA + UKGC), NetBet, Mr Green, Casino Heroes, Slottica. MGA is also held by many B2B providers (NetEnt, Evolution, Play’n GO).
Curaçao — eGaming Reform 2023+
Curaçao is the historical low-cost licensing hub for online gambling. Until 2023 it operated a “master licence + sub-licence” model where a handful of master licensees granted sub-licences to thousands of operators with minimal due diligence. The Curaçao National Ordinance on Games of Chance (LOK) was reformed in 2023-2024 to migrate to direct, single-tier licensing under the Curaçao Gaming Authority (CGA).
What the new Curaçao licence requires
- Direct licence from CGA (no more sub-licences). All licences issued before December 2023 transition by mid-2026.
- Local presence — a registered office in Curaçao with a Compliance Officer and AML Officer.
- AML/CFT controls following FATF guidance.
- Game-fairness certification from an approved lab.
- Segregated player funds recommended but not mandated at the level of UKGC.
- Per-URL fees — operators pay roughly $1,200 per month per domain.
How to verify a Curaçao licence
The new CGA register is at gaming.cw (operational since 2024). The legacy master-licence model still produces footer seals like “Antillephone N.V. license 8048/JAZ” — these are the old sub-licences. The new direct licences are formatted differently. A licence seal that does not click through to a verifiable register entry is a red flag.
Player protection in practice
There is no mandatory ADR for Curaçao licensees. Player complaints go to the CGA’s Complaints Department, but the process is slower and less consistently enforced than UKGC or MGA. Industry-side dispute services like Casino Guru and AskGamblers have stepped into this gap and resolve a meaningful share of Curaçao-casino disputes through public pressure on the operator.
Typical operators
Most crypto-first casinos, smaller operators serving emerging markets, and many international brands not targeting tightly-regulated EU geos. Examples: Stake (also holding other licences), BC.Game, JackBit, mBit, BitStarz.
Anjouan — Comoros
Anjouan is the lightest mainstream licence in the English-language market. Issued under the Anjouan eGaming Licensing Authority, it is governed by the autonomous island of Anjouan within the Union of the Comoros. The licence costs around $25,000 setup and $25,000 per year, with 4-8 week approval.
What Anjouan licensing requires
- AML and KYC controls — required on paper, less consistently enforced than CGA.
- Game-fairness certification — optional in practice.
- Segregated player funds — not mandated.
- No ADR requirement.
- Local representative office — light touch.
How to verify an Anjouan licence
Anjouan licences carry a footer seal with a serial of the form ALSI-YYYYMMDDXX-FIX. Each seal is supposed to link to the Anjouan eGaming verification page. A licence that does not link to that domain, or where the domain returns “not found”, is fake. Be aware that even genuine Anjouan licences are easier to obtain than Curaçao licences and provide weaker player protection.
Player protection in practice
Limited. The licensing authority publishes contact information but the dispute resolution process is informal and slow. We have seen cases take 6+ months. Industry-side dispute services (Casino Guru, AskGamblers) are again the practical recourse.
Typical operators
Newer crypto casinos, sportsbooks targeting unregulated markets, white-label brands launched on short timelines. Many of the brands launched in 2024-2026 with crypto-first product hold Anjouan rather than Curaçao because of the cheaper, faster approval.
How to choose by licence
A simple decision rule based on what you are actually trying to do:
| If you want… | Pick this licence tier |
|---|---|
| Maximum protection on a fiat deposit | UKGC (UK residents) or MGA (EU residents) |
| GAMSTOP coverage (UK self-exclusion network) | UKGC only |
| Crypto-first product with fast withdrawals | Curaçao (newer, post-2023) > Anjouan |
| To play casino games unavailable in your home market | Curaçao or Anjouan — but understand the trade-off |
| To deposit £1,000+ in a single session | UKGC or MGA — segregated funds matter at this size |
Holding multiple licences is common. A casino targeting both UK and emerging markets will often hold UKGC + Curaçao, using each for the appropriate geo. Check the footer of any casino and look for the licence applicable to your country, not just the most prestigious seal on the page.
What a missing or fake licence looks like
A handful of patterns we have seen on flagged operators:
- Footer seal does not link anywhere — real licences have a verification URL. A static image with no link is a red flag.
- Licence number does not match the format — UKGC is a 5-digit number (e.g. 38869), MGA is
MGA/B2C/XXX/YYYY, Anjouan isALSI-YYYYMMDDXX-FIX. Anything else is suspect. - Footer claims “licensed in Costa Rica” — Costa Rica issues business registrations, not gambling licences. A casino “licensed” only in Costa Rica is unlicensed for gambling purposes.
- Licence registered to a different brand — search the register entry, check the URLs listed. If your casino is not in the list, the operator may be using another brand’s licence improperly.
The fastest single check: click the licence seal in the footer. If it does not open a regulator’s website that confirms the operator name and licence number, do not deposit.
“Always verify the licence directly with the issuing authority, not with the operator’s marketing claims.” — that is the UKGC’s own advice to UK players, and it generalises to every jurisdiction.
Frequently asked questions
Is a UKGC licence required for me to play if I live in the UK?
Yes. If you are physically in the UK, you can only legally gamble on operators holding a UKGC licence. Operators without a UKGC licence are not allowed to advertise or accept UK customers. Some unlicensed sites accept UK deposits anyway, but you have no regulatory protection and the operator may block your account at KYC.
Is an MGA licence valid in the UK?
No, not on its own. Many MGA casinos also hold a UKGC licence specifically for the UK market. When playing from the UK on an MGA-only casino, you are on an unlicensed-in-UK platform.
Are Curaçao casinos safe?
Some are, some are not. The 2023 reform improved oversight, but the practical protection level is still meaningfully below UKGC/MGA. Reputable Curaçao operators run clean — but if there is a dispute, your recourse is weaker. Treat Curaçao casinos as “OK for entertainment-scale deposits, not for large balances”.
What is the difference between a master licence and a sub-licence in Curaçao?
The pre-2023 system. A master licensee (e.g. Antillephone N.V., licence #8048/JAZ) granted operating sub-licences to individual brands. From 2024 the CGA is migrating everyone to direct licences. Operators still flying a sub-licence seal after mid-2026 are non-compliant with the new framework.
Can a casino lose its licence?
Yes. UKGC has revoked dozens of licences since 2017 for AML failures, social-responsibility breaches, or paying out winnings owed to GAMSTOP-excluded players. MGA also suspends and revokes. Curaçao and Anjouan revoke less often, but it does happen — usually after large-scale fraud reports.
Where do I file a complaint?
Start with the casino’s complaints process. If unresolved in 8 weeks (UKGC) or roughly 30 days (MGA), escalate to the regulator’s ADR or complaints unit. For Curaçao and Anjouan, also lodge with Casino Guru complaints or AskGamblers — they have the highest practical resolution rates for those jurisdictions.
Affiliate disclosure
GambleDragon is an affiliate site. We earn commission when readers sign up to casinos we cover. We only review operators with verifiable, currently-active licences in their target market. Every operator review on this site links to its regulator register entry so you can confirm the licence yourself.