About online gaming/gambling licenses
A gaming control board (GCB), also called by various names including gambling control board, casino control board, gambling board, and gaming commission) is a government agency charged with regulating casino and other types of gaming in a defined geographical area, usually a state, and of enforcing gaming law in general. The official name of this regulatory body varies among jurisdictions.
Rules and Regulations
Gaming control boards are usually responsible for promulgating rules and regulations that dictate how gaming activities are to be conducted within a jurisdiction. The rules and regulations stem from the jurisdiction's enabling act. Generally, the enabling act is passed by the legislature and sets forth the broad policy of the jurisdiction with regard to gaming; while the rules and regulations provide detailed requirements that must be satisfied by a gaming establishment, its owners, employees, and vendors. Typically, rules and regulations cover a broad range of activity, including licensing, accounting systems, rules of casino games, and auditing.
Licensing
Gaming control boards also have full authority to grant or deny licenses to gaming establishments, their ownership, employees, and vendors. Generally, in order to obtain a license, an applicant must demonstrate that they possess good character, honesty and integrity. License application forms typically require detailed personal information. Based upon the type of license being sought, an applicant may also be required to disclose details regarding previous business relationships, employment history, criminal records, and financial stability. Generally, the gaming license application process and subsequent investigation is quite burdensome in comparison to the process of obtaining other government-issued licenses. The difficulty of the process is intended to dissuade participation by unsavory people and organized crime. Recently, in order to simplify the application process, various gaming control boards have collaborated on the design of "multi-jurisdictional" application forms. Persons or vendors who are involved in gaming in multiple jurisdictions may now complete one application form and submit copies to each jurisdiction.
Federal oversight
Native American casinos are subject to the provisions of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, which is enforced by the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC). The NIGC establishes minimum internal control standards and other requirements that each Native American gaming control board must follow. However, the NIGC does not have jurisdiction over state-regulated casinos.
North America- Arizona Department of Gaming
- British Columbia Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch
- California Gambling Control Commission
- California Bureau of Gambling Control
- Colorado Division of Gaming
- Connecticut Division of Special Revenue
- Delaware Gaming Control Board
- Illinois Gaming Board
- Indiana Gaming Commission
- Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission
- Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission
- Kahnawake Gaming Commission
- Louisiana Gaming Control Board
- Maine Gambling Control Board
- Michigan Gaming Control Board
- Mississippi Gaming Commission
- Missouri Gaming Commission
- National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC)
- Nevada Gaming Commission
- Nevada Gaming Control Board
- New Jersey Casino Control Commission
- New Mexico Gaming Control Board
- Nova Scotia Alcohol and Gaming Authority
- Ontario Alcohol and Gaming Commission
- Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board
- South Dakota Commission on Gaming
- Washington State Gambling Commission
Australia
- New South Wales: New South Wales Casino Control Authority
- Queensland: Queensland Office of Gaming Regulation/Queensland Gaming Commission
- Victoria: Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation
- South Australia: South Australia Independent Gambling Authority
Europe
- Hungary: Gaming Board of Hungary
- Malta: Lotteries and Gaming Authority of Malta
- Norway: Norwegian Gaming and Foundation Authority - part of Ministry of Culture
- Portugal: Inspectorate General on Gaming
- Slovenia: Office for Gaming Supervision - part of the Ministry of Finance
- Sweden: National Gaming Board
- United Kingdom: Gambling Commission
- Alderney: Alderney Gambling Control Commission
- Isle of Man: Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission
Asia
- Macau Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau
Associations
- Gaming Regulators European Forum (GREF)
- International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR)
- North American Gaming Regulators Association (NAGRA)