Why the licence matters
A licence is what makes a poker site answerable to someone. Licensed sites must keep player funds protected to the standard their regulator sets, check that games are fair, verify players' ages and identities, offer safer-gambling tools and follow a complaints process. An unlicensed site has none of these obligations, and if it refuses to pay out, you may have nowhere to turn.
The licence that counts is the one for your country. A site licensed in one jurisdiction isn't automatically allowed to take players from another.
Check it in five minutes
- Find the licence details. Scroll to the footer of the site. Licensed operators show the name of the regulator, the company that holds the licence and a licence or account number.
- Go to the regulator's website yourself. Type the address in directly rather than clicking a badge on the poker site, which could link anywhere.
- Search the public register for the company name or licence number.
- Check the status is active, and that the licence covers remote (online) gambling.
- Check the website is listed. Many registers list the domain names each licence covers. Make sure the site you're on is one of them.
Common regulators
| Where you play | Regulator to look for |
|---|---|
| Great Britain | Gambling Commission |
| Many EU countries | Often a national regulator (for example in France, Italy and Spain), sometimes alongside a Malta Gaming Authority licence |
| United States | The state regulator, such as the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board or the Michigan Gaming Control Board |
| Other well-known licensing bodies | Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission, Alderney Gambling Control Commission, Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner |
Rules change, and some countries only allow locally licensed sites. If you're unsure whether a licence covers you, check your own country's regulator.
Red flags
- No licence details in the footer, or a licence number that doesn't appear on the register
- A licence badge that's just an image with no link, or a link to a page that isn't the regulator's
- Deposits only accepted in cryptocurrency
- No deposit limits, time-outs or self-exclusion options
- Pressure to deposit more, unrealistic bonuses, or no clear company name and address
If you see any of these, don't deposit. There are plenty of licensed alternatives.