On the homepage or at the bottom of most online gaming sites, you will see promotions such as "Our company is legally licensed" and "We have a xxx gaming license", but it is very difficult for the average player to tell whether these claims are true or not. What exactly is considered a legal betting site? Where can I find the so-called "gaming license"? What are the different levels of regulation?

This page was created exclusively by Gaming ScoutBetting Sites Qualification InquiryAs a guide, we have compiled a list of the more common online gaming licensing and regulatory bodies in the world, including the official units in the Philippines, the United Kingdom, Malta, Gibraltar, Canada and other regions, with links to the corresponding official websites, so as to make it easier for players to make their own inquiries. Through these channels, you can check whether a betting website is truly licensed, whether the license is valid, and whether the operating entity is consistent with the website's claims, so as to initially judge its degree of compliance and risk level.

A special note is needed:
Holding a license does not mean that there are no disputes at all, and licenses in less regulated areas may not be able to truly protect overseas players; on the contrary, platforms that do not have any licenses, or even pirate fake license logos, can basically be regarded as high-risk or black networks directly. The content of this page only provides general information and query portal, does not constitute a legal opinion or investment advice, all the results of the query still need to be combined with the laws and regulations of your region and their own risk tolerance ability to make a comprehensive judgment.

How can I use this page to conduct a legal betting site qualification search?

Step 1: Find the license information that the website claims to have.
Open the gaming site you want to check, scroll to the bottom of the page or to the "About Us" or "Terms and Conditions" section, and look for the license number, the name of the regulator (e.g. PAGCOR, MGA, UK Gambling Commission, etc.), and the registered name of the company. Websites that only say "legally licensed" without any license number or name of the regulator are inherently suspicious.

Step 2: Check the information on the official website of the corresponding regulator.
Among the various gaming licensees listed on this page, find the regulatory unit that matches the name of the license you see, and then click on the link to the corresponding official website to go to its "List of Licensed Operators," "Licensees," "License Holders," and other query pages to search for the company name or brand name claimed by the gaming site.

Step 3: Compare the company name, domain name and license type.
Some websites will carry the banner of a certain group license, but the actual operating entity, domain name and license registration information are not consistent. Please be careful when making inquiries:

• Whether the company name registered on the license is consistent with the statement at the bottom of the website;
• Whether the domain name registered for the license includes this URL you are visiting;
• Whether the type of license covers "Remote Gaming" "Online Gaming" "Remote Gaming" etc. and not just offline physical casinos or other operations.

Step 4: Combine the strength of regulation with player reputation.
Gaming regulators in different jurisdictions vary greatly in terms of vetting standards, ongoing regulation, and handling of player complaints. Even if the license is authentic, it offers limited protection in case of disputes if it comes from a jurisdiction with weaker regulation. Therefore, on the basis of confirming the authenticity of the license, you should also refer to the player reviews, payout reputation, risk control performance, and the tips on the Gaming Scout blacklist page before deciding whether to use the gaming site in the long term.

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Common Pitfalls and Misconceptions When Searching for a Gaming License

1) Just look at the LOGO without checking the official list
Many high-risk betting sites will have LOGO icons of various regulatory bodies at the bottom of the page, but they don't always actually hold a license. The most common mistake is to only look at the icon and not check the official list. The right thing to do is to click on the link to the official website of the regulator provided on this page and search for the company name in the list of licensed operators published by them.

2) Confusing company license with cooperative license and white label license
Some websites are not directly licensed themselves, but operate under the license of another company or platform (the so-called "white label" model). This type of model is permitted in some regulatory jurisdictions, but the boundaries of responsibility are complex. In the event of a dispute, who is responsible and whether the regulator will accept the complaint need to be analyzed on a case-by-case basis, so the risk is usually higher than that of a "directly licensed" website.

3) Ignoring the scope of application of the license and regional restrictions
Some licenses only allow licensed companies to provide services in specific countries or regions, or explicitly prohibit opening accounts to players in certain regions. Some sites are licensed, but if your region is on the banned list, the regulator may not be able to help you in the event of a dispute.

4) Excessive fetishization of licenses and neglect of actual word-of-mouth and risk-control performance
While a real license is important, it doesn't mean that this betting site will always be free of problems in terms of payout speed, enforcement of campaign terms and conditions, and wind control audits. In the long run, real player reviews, complaint records and blacklist information are equally critical. It is recommended that after confirming the license, you combine it with the blacklist page and complaint box feedback from Gaming Scout to make a comprehensive risk assessment.

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Legal Gaming Site Qualification Check FAQ

Question 1: As long as there is a license, is it an absolutely safe betting site?
It's not.
Holding a legal gaming license indicates that the site has passed basic audits in a jurisdiction and is subject to a certain level of regulation, but it does not mean that disputes will never arise. Limited strength of licenses, limited regulatory resources, and varying processing efficiencies all affect the ultimate protection. A license can only serve as a starting point for assessing the risk of a gaming site, not an end point.

Question 2: Is a website with no license information found anywhere necessarily a dark web?
Can't generalize, but the risks are extremely high.
If a website claims to be "legally licensed" but cannot find any license number, name of regulator or corresponding company information, it is highly likely to be operating without a license or even a fake license. For this kind of platform, it is recommended to regard it as a high-risk website and try to avoid depositing any funds, not to mention recharging large amounts.

Question 3: Can I rest assured when I see logos of PAGCOR, MGA, UKGC, etc. at the bottom of the website?
You can't judge by the logo alone.
The correct approach is to go to the official website of the corresponding regulatory body and check the licensed list with the company name or brand name to confirm that the website is indeed on the list and pay attention to the type of license, scope of application and validity period. If the logo icon does not match the actual search result, it can basically be concluded that there is a suspicion of exaggeration or forgery.

Question 4: I'm already experiencing withdrawal problems with a site, can I take my license information and file a complaint?
In some heavily regulated areas (e.g. UK, Malta, Gibraltar, etc.), players can submit a complaint to the regulator or a third party mediator based on the license information, but there is no guarantee of whether it will be accepted or not, or how quickly it will be dealt with and the outcome. You can also submit details via the Gaming Scout's "Complaint Box" at the same time to let more players know how the site is actually performing. Please note that these channels do not ensure that losses will be recovered, they are just one more way to record and reflect the problem.