We are quite sure that from time to time, while checking out a game review, you’ve had offers from offshore casinos. And those offers might have come off as scams or casino schemes designed to fleece you. Well, gambling is a big business in many parts of the world, and investors are willing to have a share of it.
The iGaming sector has not grown because there are only UK regulated casino operators in existence, No! Rather, it’s profitable and properly rooted partly because of the operations of independent online casinos from CasinoGap list, and their ability to win players. In this article, we cover who independent iGaming operators are and what they do, as well as how they operate.
Overview of Independent Brands
Independent iGaming operators are brands that offer casino games but are not regulated to do so in the UK. This means that they are not licensed or certified to provide online casino games by the United Kingdom Gaming Commission (UKGC). But this non-certification by the UKGC does not equate to non-certifications in other jurisdictions acceptable to the UK.
In fact, the practice has been for some operators to obtain licence in Curacao, Isle of man, Cayman Islands, etc. Those jurisdictions are popular gaming hubs with strict licensing procedures trusted by the UKGC. So one or two licences in these UK-friendly jurisdictions can open up the UK gambling market albeit in a limited manner.
Just like most casinos, independent operators typically operate with a view to making profit. And considering they are not licensed in the UK, they can go over the top with their offers. Sometimes the offers seem like they were never really thought through, but they are only a strategy to attract many players.
This is not to state that all non-regulated casinos are authentic, and operate under legally defined rules in other territories. No! To this day, there still exists many fake, fraudulent, and rogue casinos operating under fake licenses. But they are diametrically different from independent operators in their entirety.
Features of Independent Operators
Independent iGaming operators have some features that are similar to UK licensed operators, and in a few cases, distinctive features also. These are explained below:
Offshore Operations
The first thing to know about independent operators is that they operate outside the shores of the UK. Any online or land-located casino operator in the UK should be licensed by the UKGC, otherwise they are fake.
Licensing
Independent operators mostly have licenses from standalone associations empowering them to operate their casino businesses within and outside the issuing jurisdiction. Similar to UK licensed casinos, such licenses granted to independent operators can be revoked where they default. Penalties and taxes can be levied on independent operators, with jurisdictional regulatory policies also applying to them.
Display of Registration Details
Once you have an offshore regulated casino, their registration details must be clearly provided at the foot of each page. This is also applicable to UK licensed casinos, and the rationale is simple: integrity and accountability.
A click on the registration details should take you to a page with the operator’s licensing details. From there, you can decipher which country, duration, and what kind of licence the operator holds.
Huge Bonus and Promotion Offers
Another distinguishing feature of independent operators comes with huge bonus offers that sometimes seem unbelievable on all fronts. Some players have a natural tendency to not patronize casinos licensed outside the UK.
However, such players might be swayed by big bonus offers that can easily attract them. So to keep things smooth with players, these independent operators provide some really mouthwatering bonus offers to both new and existing players.
Pros
- Security: security of players remains a permanent consideration to both UK licensed casinos and independent operators. Your details are protected and secured with independent operators.
- Free Play: at independent casinos, you have the chance to play the free versions of any of your preferred games. With this, you can choose to go ahead with the game or not.
- Huge wager limits: independent casinos usually allow you to stake very high, sometimes almost twice the maximum bet of UK licensed casinos. In addition to this, they also offer finer wagering requirements.
- Multiple options: independent operators usually have very large numbers of games, sometimes even higher than licensed operators.
- Stake in your currency: most foreign operators mostly accept payments in the players local currency. So the player can deposit money and withdraw their wins in their currency.
Cons
- Few payment options: sadly, independent operators do not offer as many payment options as UK licensed operators.
- Disapproval of some jurisdictions: UK players might not be able to have access to independent operators in some jurisdictions.
Conclusion
Depending on what floats your boat, you can make the most of both UK licensed casinos and independent operators. It suffices to state that you should make proper findings to know what every casino offers, before staking your money. We hope you’d be properly guided in the selection of casinos to play at.