Online gambling has become increasingly popular over the years, with many people enjoying the convenience of being able to play their favorite games from the comfort of their own homes. However, with this rise in popularity comes a need for regulation and oversight to ensure that these online casinos are operating fairly and ethically.
With thousands of online casinos, some less trustworthy than others, consumers must be protected against unfair practices. The following bodies are independent organizations that audit online casinos.
Online gambling operators are responsible for running thousands of sites worldwide. But unfortunately, only some operators uphold the same elite standards of the most trusted brands. This has led to a rise in the need for gambling auditors to help prove the legitimacy of the fairly operated iGaming brands.
Quite simply, auditing is a process of testing that can align with the remote gaming licenses handed out from gambling jurisdictions dotted across the globe. In addition, auditing a gambling site can provide evidence to a licensor that the brand runs with software that can be trusted.
Independent Testing
Ideally, a trusted gambling operator shall employ an independently run auditor to undertake to test. This is expected to occur frequently throughout the year. Monthly is the best scenario, but some trusted sites might undergo testing every quarter. In any case, it is reassuring for players to know that this happens.
Now, the auditing constitutes the testing of the gaming software and random number generator (RNG) algorithms used to simulate the outcomes of games. For instance, the auditor could seek to ensure that video slots align with the long-term return to player (RTP) percentages that the games' developers have programmed.
Keeping Players Safe
Some online casino sites ran pirated software from well-known and reputable providers in the past. However, the culprits have been caught only through licensing and auditing. The threat is unlikely to go away entirely, but auditing can help to keep players safe.
Using this page, you can check the bottom of your casino's homepage to see if there are auditor names such as eCOGRA, iTech Labs, or another. If you have any doubts, contact customer support and ask for the name of the auditor that tests the site.
The non-profit, independent standards authority of the online gaming industry, e-Commerce, and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance, better known as eCOGRA, provides important player protections to consumers.
These result from Independent Directors' decisions concerning what casino software is rewarded the Safe and fair Seal.
eCOGRA specifically oversees fair gaming, player protection, and responsible operator conduct. It examines and tests online gambling sites' prompt payments, safe storage of information practices, random games, honest advertising, and responsible behavior by the operator.
The standards authority was founded by Microgaming Software Systems Ltd. and Virtual Holdings Ltd., which together account for a large part of casino-style gaming on the Internet. However, it is up to independent directors to decide which software developers are admitted as eCOGRA members and which operators qualify for the eCOGRA Seal.
Finally, if a player encounters problems while gambling at an approved site, eCOGRA provides a dispute mediation service and a fair gaming advocate.
The most important product of eCOGRA - the one that players encounter in their gambling adventures - is the Seal of Approval, awarded to those casinos which have achieved compliance with eCOGRA's high standards and demonstrated that:
For more details and information: ecogra.org.
Independently testing and certifying online gaming systems, assuring integrity, accountability, and a commitment to protect players' interests.
iTech Labs Australia conducts independent testing, certifying, and auditing online gambling sites and gaming systems. As a result, some of the world's largest online casino and poker systems have been tested and certified.
The principles by which iTech Lab accords are integrity, accountability, and a commitment to protect players' interests. Other related areas include regular independent Return To Player (RTP) audits and Random Number Generator (RNG) output analysis of games.
What do iTech Labs evaluate?
For more details and information: itechlabs.com.
A strong and independent auditing company, QUINEL has been providing all sorts of testing services for gaming companies for years.
Operating for over a decade, QUINEL is an independent testing company that lends its services to various gaming operators. With offices worldwide, the company has made a name and reputation for itself as a trustworthy and truly independent auditor run by a team of experienced professionals.
The Malta National Accreditation Board accredits QUINEL to act as an inspection body, a testing laboratory, and a certification body recognized in all major regulated jurisdictions. The company's accreditations are the best guarantee of its technical competencies and expertise in terms of its services.
For online operators, QUINEL provides testing and inspection services that cover all relevant aspects of an operator, from their core platform, over security requirements, to games and underlying mathematical models. The testing process focuses, in particular, on the Random Number Generator (RNG), making sure all software and hardware RNGs are completely random and truly unpredictable.
The company also offers compliance programs for those companies operating in multiple jurisdictions. These programs help bridge the gap between different requirements in various markets, making operators compliant and allowing them to conduct business following particular laws, rules, and requirements.
QUINEL also provides similar services for brick-and-mortar casinos and similar gaming venues. They conduct compliance tests for all the games, check RNGs and communication protocols, and perform international standards verification checks on progressive devices, electronic table games, wireless gaming systems, and more.
Overall, QUINEL is a strong and reputable auditing firm that enjoys the great trust of numerous gaming companies worldwide. With a team of highly trained and experienced experts in relevant fields, they can conduct all sorts of tests that help companies bring their business practices in line with regulations but also provide players with the necessary reassurance they're doing their gaming in a truly safe and fair environment.
For more details and information: quinel.com.mt.
Thawte has the full backing of VeriSign, as it works to extend a trusted relationship on the Internet to anyone, anywhere.
Thawte, pronounced "thought," was launched in 1995 and is originally from South Africa. It became the first Certification Authority (CA) to sell public SSL certificates and was acquired later in the decade by VeriSign.
Thawte serves the online gambling industry in several ways, maintaining a focus on extending a trusted relationship on the Internet to anyone, anywhere throughout, with the following services:
Their logo reads: In a world of risk, know who to trust.
For more details and information: thawte.com.
GLI offers a wide array of testing services and special tools designed to improve the business operations of all industry stakeholders, from operators to regulators.
Gaming Laboratories International, or GLI, is an independent testing company that provides various solutions that modern-day gaming operators require. From various tests and compliance checks, over responsible gaming solutions, to compliance consultations, GLI can offer the full package.
The company cooperates with all sides of the industry, including operators, game developers, lottery organizers, and regulators. Their wide range of services covers different tests and controls designed to save time and provide desired results for the clients.
On the operators' side, Gaming Laboratories International offers testing and certification services in the lab. They also do on-site security audits and verifications. In addition, they perform other services to help them stay compliant and conduct their business following the laws of their jurisdictions.
GLI also cooperates with gaming regulators all over the world. The company has developed a unique and powerful set of tools designed specifically for regulators to help them streamline operations and ensure compliance most simply and effectively.
Finally, the company provides testing services for the suppliers that help developers get their products to the market faster and make them compliant with the rules of various jurisdictions worldwide. The process has been streamlined and made very efficient thanks to another set of tools developed by GLI for this particular purpose.
The company has been going strong since 1989, and today, they have clients and business partners all over the world. GLI gaming certificates have been recognized by players and operators alike, offering iGaming sites a way to improve their reputation and offer additional reassurances for their players. At the same time, various services provided by the company help the operators further improve their business and make it more cost-effective and competitive.
For more details and information: gaminglabs.com.
QALAB can offer a wide scope of testing and auditing services for the operators, from RNG and game mathematic checks to compliance consultations and support.
Quality Assurance Laboratories, or QALAB, are international testing facilities for all gaming activities and operators. In addition, the company deals with land-based game providers, interactive operators, and wagering sites. QALAB is dedicated to providing services of the highest level to its numerous clients worldwide.
The company is fresh to the gaming market and doesn't have the reputation or experience of other more established auditing firms. However, in the few years they've been around, QALAB achieved a very good market position and created numerous partnerships with gambling operators.
They achieved this by staying dedicated to their main mission, which is to provide their clients with the highest quality of service. Powered by a strong team of driven professionals, the company understands the needs of today's gaming market and provides services that are in demand.
The services provided by QALAB cover all aspects of the gambling industry. Their staff can test and verify software and hardware elements for land-based and interactive operators. This includes RNG systems, progressive jackpots, game mathematics and payout calculations, player tracking systems for brick-and-mortar venues, and much more.
On top of this, the company also offers consultations, internal audits, and compliance support for operators looking to get started or wanting to expand to new markets. Thus, QALAB can offer the full scope of services that gaming companies and authorities require.
Of course, the added benefit for the operators of having their games and platforms tested by QALAB is the ability to show their players that they provide a safe and fair environment they can trust. In a completive industry such as this, offering such reassurances provided by a third-party, independent company can go a long way.
For more details and information: qalab.com.au
Although gambling makes up just a small portion of their overall business, SQS provides an excellent range of services for gaming regulators, operators, and suppliers.
SQS is one of the oldest and longest-standing software quality assurance companies around. Established in 1982 in Germany, the group has gone from strength to strength over the years, creating business partnerships with many major companies in their home country and worldwide.
The gaming sector makes up just a small part of their overall activity. SQS cooperates with giants such as Deutsche Post and Volkswagen, providing their software quality testing and control services. This speaks heaps about the level of services provided by the SQS Group.
The company has become involved with the gambling sector, offering its services to gaming industry stakeholders to stay on top of the latest developments. Recognizing the need of these companies for a reliable partner, SQS has expanded its scope of testing services to the gaming market.
The focus of SQS isn't on finding and fixing errors but rather on preventing them from happening in the first place. For years now, the company has been cooperating with operators, game developers, and regulators, helping them on their path of digitalization and making sure this journey is as painless as possible.
Over the years, the company has developed highly effective quality management and assurance processes, assisting in developing thousands of games. Thanks to these processes, companies can offer their products faster and launch them concurrently across various platforms without any bugs or errors.
The SQS Group also offers consultation services, helping companies develop new and improved business practices focused on new technologies and keeping up with the market. Adopting these practices helps save time and money and ensures the completed products adequately respond to the expectations of all parties involved – operators, regulators, and end-users, i.e., players.
For more details and information: sqs.ch
Technical Systems Testing (TST) was established in 1993. Today, operating from Vancouver, Canada, it is an internationally recognized Accredited Testing Facility (ATF) offering a full range of testing and consulting services.
Internet and remote-based gaming industries, as well as the traditional and land-based casinos, wagering, lottery, e-commerce, and information technology (IT) industries.
TST is a fully independent and impartial company, its work teams are highly skilled, and its systems are ISO 9002 certified. Likewise, TST works closely with industry operators, suppliers, manufacturers, and regulators to ensure that gambling products meet best practice industry standards under the most stringent and comprehensive legislative and regulatory requirements.
TST evaluations are specifically designed to address the complexities of (and the security issues associated with) Internet Gaming Systems (IGSs) and other highly vulnerable systems. TST certification of IGSs assures the player that the IGS is fair and has been tested to the appropriate standards.
TST offers the following services, among others:
For more details and information: gaminglabs.com
Online gambling is one industry in which PWC serves as a force for integrity, good sense, and wise solutions.
PWC provides industry-focused services for many industries, including the online gambling world. Its stated goal, across industries, is to build public trust and enhance value by applying what it refers to as Connected Thinking.
In its work, PWC audits financial accounting reports, taxes, and companies' human resource management, provides performance improvement consulting, and helps address general client and stakeholder issues.
For more details and information: pwc.com.
SIQ provides a wide array of testing services for online and land-based operators, offering quality and fairness checks and issuing compliance certificates.
SIQ Gaming Technologies is an independent testing company operating in Europe, North and Latin America, Africa, and Asia. With headquarters in Ljubljana, Slovenia, the company has built quite a name for itself, even though it last got into the business a while ago.
The team behind the scenes understands that gaming can be an important part of the entertainment industry of a country. Thus, it is important for that sector to be properly controlled, monitored, and regulated to minimize the negative effects of the activity and prevent, as much as possible, any illegal actions.
SIQ does its part in this process by providing high-quality compliance tests for gaming devices and issuing certificates of conformity. These tests are performed following the rules and requirements of the particular jurisdiction and represent a prerequisite for anyone looking to acquire a gaming license.
The company offers detailed game testing services, checking them for randomness and fairness. In today's day and age, such testing can be quite complex, especially when it comes to video slots that include various bonus rounds and special features.
In addition to lab tests, SQI also provides on-site inspections. These checks and verify various gaming devices to ensure they still comply with all the regulations and are done at the operator's request or in certain time intervals.
Once all the tests are done, and the results are satisfactory, SIQ issues a certificate of conformity. This certificate serves as a visible indicator that the machine in question complies with all the rules and can be offered to the players. In addition to this being a legal requirement for the operators, these certificates also increase the players' trust as they can rest assured that the game they are playing wasn't tampered with, which means they can expect a fair and truly random gaming experience.
For more details and information: siq.si.
With a team of experienced and dedicated gaming experts, Trisigma can offer a wide array of testing, licensing, and compliance services to its clients.
With headquarters in the Netherlands and offices in Spain, Trisigma is another independent audit company launched to ensure compliance and provide necessary tests for gaming operators worldwide.
The company features modern labs with all sorts of testing equipment required to test and approve various gaming systems. In addition, Trisigma works with online and land-based operators, offering services provided by a highly motivated team of experienced industry professionals.
The scope of services provided by the company is really wide. From testing and certification, over inspection and auditing, to forensics and regulatory services, Trisigma offers everything a modern-day gaming operator requires. In addition, their staff can work with various systems and devices, from RNG software solutions and devices like card shufflers, dice shakers, and roulette wheels, to casino management platforms, linked jackpot setups, and player monitoring systems.
Trisigma engineers utilize modern methods adjusted for today's demanding and fast-moving gambling market to achieve satisfactory results. They perform statistical analysis, RTP and math checkups, source code analysis, functional and stress testing, and much more.
Adding to the company's credibility are several internationally recognized certificates, ISO/IEC 17020 and ISO/IEC 17025. This means that Trisigma has undergone necessary tests to prove they're capable of sufficiently providing the services they offer.
In the modern gambling landscape, operators need companies like this to turn to. Services provided by Trisigma help them keep up with various regulatory requirements in different jurisdictions but also provide them a way to offer their players the necessary reassurance that there is nothing shady going on "under the hood."
For more details and information: trisigma.nl.
NMI offers a wide array of testing, control, and quality assurance tests and protocols for gaming operators, regulators, and game suppliers.
With more than four decades of experience, NMI is one of the longest-standing and most reputable auditing and testing companies in the gaming sector. In 2017, NMI was acquired by the GLI Group, another strong company in this niche, combining their strength and experience.
NMI has built a strong network of testing labs worldwide, including Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Canada. Their services cover all sorts of tests for Random Number Generators, gaming systems, mathematical models, lotteries, and more.
Although the company is now part of GLI, it remains a well-known name in the industry, having operated for so long.
The combined experience of these two firms provides a wide array of high-quality services for all industry stakeholders, from operators and game suppliers to various gaming regulators. Moreover, the diverse portfolio of tests and controls alongside a range of specialized tools make their services highly sought after.
A team of experienced experts provides both in-house and on-the-field services. Clients can get their games and systems tested in the labs, but they can also request on-site inspections to check their security and asses any potential risks on the spot.
NMI and GLI also offer all sorts of consulting services. For example, operators looking for compliance guidance or regulators seeking to develop improved rules and regulations can seek their assistance and receive advice from a team of people with vast experience in the gaming industry.
So, although NMI is no longer an independent entity, they continue to exist as a part of the larger group, which means that they now have access to even more resources to offer better, more targeted services that answer its clients' needs and provide reassurance for the players.
For more details and information: nmi.nl.
The independent accounting and consulting firm RSM International is the 6th largest network of its kind. It is a network of service providers and is represented across over 90 countries with 700 offices, all providing quality auditing services under the name of RSM International.
The network provides auditing services, accounting, tax, consulting, and specialist advisory services.
RSMI is also active in the online gambling market, an active industry that benefits greatly from independent auditing services such as those provided by the network.
For more details and information: rsm.global.
Testing hardware, software, and peripherals within the Class II, Class III, Lotteries, Keno, and Wagering gaming segments.
Professional services and product testing firm based in Australia - BMM was established in Melbourne, Australia, in 1981 but served the gaming industry globally. BMM Compliance provides testing, assurance, and certification services to help clients meet requirements in a regulated gaming market.
Hardware, software, and peripherals are tested within a host of gaming segments: Class II, Class III, Lotteries, Keno, and Wagering.
Services include testing and recommendation of gaming products, gaming infrastructure, systems, audits for regulators, operating standards, policy consulting, and more.
Processes, procedures, and checklists all accord with ISO/IEC 17025 IT and 17020 Inspection Bodies Accreditation standards.
For more details and information: bmm.com.
An online gambling auditor is an independent organization or agency responsible for evaluating and monitoring online casinos to ensure their compliance with industry standards, regulations, and fair gaming practices.
Online gambling auditors are crucial for maintaining the integrity of the industry. They provide oversight to ensure that online casinos operate fairly, transparently, and in accordance with established regulations, safeguarding players' interests and promoting trust within the gambling community.
Online gambling auditors assess various aspects, including the integrity of the gaming software, the randomness of game outcomes, the security and fairness of financial transactions, adherence to responsible gambling practices, and the implementation of anti-money laundering measures. They also review licensing and compliance procedures to ensure casinos meet regulatory requirements.
Auditors utilize rigorous testing methods, such as random number generator (RNG) evaluations, to verify the fairness and randomness of game results. They conduct regular audits of financial transactions to ensure transparency and protect against fraud. By providing unbiased assessments, auditors promote a level playing field and instill confidence in players.
Reputable online gambling auditors include eCOGRA (eCommerce Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance), iTech Labs, Gaming Laboratories International (GLI), and Technical Systems Testing (TST). These auditors are recognized for their expertise and independence in evaluating and certifying online casinos' operations.
OnlineCasinoReports is a leading independent online gambling sites reviews provider, delivering trusted online casino reviews, news, guides and gambling information since 1997.
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