A casino licence tells you which regulator can sanction the operator and where you can complain. The licence statement is usually in the website footer: a company name, a registration number, a licence number and a regulator’s seal. A seal on its own proves nothing, because images can be copied. Verification means checking the licence number, company and domain against the regulator’s own register.

No online casino is licensed to offer casino games to Australians under Australian law. The Interactive Gambling Act 2001 prohibits these services, so every casino open to Australians holds a foreign licence. Our pages on offshore casinos and the Interactive Gambling Act explain what that means for you.

Common Licences and Where to Check Them

Regulator	Where to verify	What to check	Our guide
Malta Gaming Authority (MGA)	Licensee register on mga.org.mt	Company name, licence number, status, approved domains	MGA licence
Curacao Gaming Authority (CGA)	Licence register on gamingcontrolcuracao.org	Licence holder, licence number, listed domains, status	Curacao licence
Kahnawake Gaming Commission	Permit holder list on gamingcommission.ca	Permit holder and website	Kahnawake licence
Anjouan	Licence verification via the regulator’s portal	Licence number and company	Anjouan licence
Tobique Gaming Commission	Regulator’s licensee information	Licensee and domains	Tobique licence

Curacao moved to a new licensing law (the LOK) with the Curacao Gaming Authority issuing licences directly, replacing the old master-licence and sublicence system. Older “sublicence” statements on a casino site can therefore be outdated; check the current register.

Step-by-Step: Verifying a Licence

1. Scroll to the footer of the casino site. Note the operating company’s legal name, company registration number, licence number and the regulator named.
2. Click the seal, but do not trust it yet. Genuine seals link to a validation page on the regulator’s domain. Check the address bar: the page must be on the regulator’s official domain, not the casino’s.
3. Open the regulator’s register yourself. Type the regulator’s address directly rather than following the casino’s link.
4. Search by licence number or company name. Confirm that the entry exists and its status is active, not suspended, revoked or expired.
5. Match the domain. Many registers list the domains covered by each licence. The site you are on should appear. A valid licence held by a company does not automatically cover every website using its name.
6. Match the terms. The company in the casino’s terms and conditions should be the same company in the register. If the T&Cs name a different company or none at all, treat it as a warning.

Other Places to Confirm the Operator

• Terms and conditions, first section. The legal entity, its registered address and licence number are usually stated in the opening clauses.
• Privacy policy. Names the data controller, which should be the same company.
• Payment descriptors. The name on your bank statement often belongs to a payment agent, which is normal, but the agent should be mentioned in the casino’s terms.
• Our reviews. Each casino review records the licence and operator we found at the time of review; recheck the register before depositing, as status can change.

What a Licence Does and Does Not Mean

• It does mean an authority has issued a licence that sets rules for that operator and can sanction it.
• It does not mean Australian consumer law or ACMA can help in a dispute. ACMA enforces the IGA against operators and blocks illegal sites; it does not resolve individual complaints with offshore casinos.
• Regulators differ. Complaint procedures, player-fund protection and enforcement vary widely between licences. Our rating method explains how we weigh them.

Red Flags When Checking a Licence

• No licence number in the footer, or only a logo.
• The seal is a static image that does not link anywhere.
• The validation link points to a page on the casino’s own domain.
• The licence number is not found, or belongs to a different company.
• The register entry is suspended or revoked, or does not list the casino’s domain.
• The casino’s terms mention no company, or a company in a different country from the licence.

Our guide to spotting a scam casino lists more warning signs, such as repeated document requests before payouts.

Common Problems and Fixes

You cannot find the casino in the register

Try searching by company name instead of brand name, since registers usually list companies. Some registers only show the main domain. If neither search works, ask support for the licence number and the exact register link, and check the answer yourself.

The seal says “valid” but the register shows nothing

Trust the register. Regulators have publicly warned about sites using their logos without a licence. Do not deposit until the casino gives a verifiable answer.

The casino has moved to a mirror domain

Casinos blocked in Australia often move to new addresses. Check that the new domain is listed on the licence or confirmed by the casino’s official support. Our ACMA blocked sites page explains why sites disappear.

You already deposited and found a problem

Withdraw what you can, stop depositing, and keep records of your balance and messages. See how to file a complaint and how to contact support.

More walkthroughs are in the how-to guides, and licence status is one of the items in our casino checklist.

Frequently Asked Questions

Adults 18+ only. Free support is available from Gambling Help Online on 1800 858 858.