How the MGA License Works for Canadian Online Casinos
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It’s no secret that Malta and Canada relate in many ways, both through the iGaming business, both through the Maltese Canadian community, and where an MGA license grants access for Canadians to play at online casinos overseas. The community has 38,000 members who have claimed full or partial Maltese ancestry.
Many Maltese emigrants reside in Toronto, Ontario, which just recently passed a bill for an online gambling licensing model. People in Ontario can thus safely play at online casinos that are licensed through AGCO. In this article, we take a closer look at how the MGA license is in effect for Canadians residing outside of Ontario and what to look for when playing at online casinos in a safe and legal manner.
MGA license opened up the door for gambling in Canada
The gambling industry has grown at a rapid pace throughout the years in Canada. It’s believed that the industry generated a revenue of $14–16 billion for Canada. This has provided over 135,000 jobs in the country, and if we look at new research from casino experts in Canada, it’s going to increase in the years ahead.
The growth of casinos in Canada is partly an outcome of the MGA license being created. As provinces are handling gambling laws, provinces outside of Ontario have yet to see a licensing model. That means players outside of Ontario can play at online casinos overseas, and that’s where the MGA license comes in.
As there is no licensing in place for these provinces, every online casino that doesn’t have a physical presence in Canada can work actively in the country, meaning there can be a lot of shady business operators.
Licensed casinos provide security and fairness
So how can Canadian players go about playing at legitimate online casinos? One of the simpler solutions is checking for the license, where the MGA license is one of the most trusted in the industry. With a license come many benefits for the players, a few of which are:
- Monitor players’ habits and look for signs of problematic behaviour.
- Protection of player funds: ensuring deposits and withdrawals are secure.
- Monitoring of activities to ensure compliance.
These are only a few of the benefits that players have when playing at MGA licensed casinos. The licensing model is constantly evolving to ensure operators take the necessary steps to ensure that players have the security and safety of these checks.
What players can do to ensure the safety of online casinos
There are other checks in place than the gaming license to ensure that online casinos in Canada provide a fair outcome of games and safe payouts. We have taken a closer look at what players can do to ensure they are in a safe environment at any online casino:
- Is the site protected by SSL?
Players can check that the website they use is encrypted and that their personal information is protected. To see if a website has SSL encryption, the URL should start with HTTPS, where the S stands for secure.
- Does the online casino provide Canadian payment methods?
Many of the legit sites should offer a wide range of deposit methods. Here, players can look for Canadian owned banking options such as Interac and Muchbetter. If the casino has these methods, player funds are handled with bank-level security.
- Support methods are available 24/7
When players need additional support, the casino should provide support agents that are available throughout the day, many of whom have 24/7 service. There is usually a live chat with English-speaking customer support agents as well as an email, which should act quickly on all matters that arise.
Conclusion of the gambling landscape of Canada
There is no question that the industry will increase in levels each year, and operators have a responsibility to promote safe gaming using licenses. As provinces make their own laws regarding gambling, players can take an extra step when searching for legit sites on this page. As the market matures, shady operators will be sifted out, and the MGA license is of huge importance for the industry in Canada going forward.
Disclaimer | Play responsibly. For help, visit www.rgf.org.mt Players must be over 18, terms and conditions apply.
