This article has been put together to aid you in making an informed decision regarding which online casino you use. With the estimated European Union Internet Penetration standing at 89.4% in 2020, it is astonishing to think that the internet only began making its way into the general public’s homes in the 1990s.
Furthermore, the rise in popularity of online gambling in Europe, including online casinos, sports betting and online lottery, is even more staggering. The industry is currently booming in Europe, and with it being so competitive, the overall standard of online casinos in particular has increased year on year. The competitiveness within the industry has proved to benefit its users most with a large proportion of online casino offering a variety of bonuses, including NetEnt Casino free spins, to potential clients in order to allow them to test their service, with the hope of them returning.
With the overall gross gambling revenue (GGR) of European countries estimated to reach 24.7 billion euros by 2020, it is important to know how to identify which online casinos are safe and which are not.
What is the European Union?
Firstly, let’s establish what the European Union (EU) is. The EU is currently made up of 27 member states, with a number of candidate countries waiting in the wings to join. Following the end of World War II, Germany, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg all joined forces and signed up to the European Coal and Steel Community in an attempt to prevent any future wars breaking out in Europe. It was this organization that would eventually morph into the EU, following an initial re-branding in 1958 to the European Economic Community (EEC).
What Does the European Union Do?
While the EU’s primary focus upon its inception was purely economic, it now also focuses on everything from climate, environment and health to external relations and security, justice and migration. The official goals and values of the EU include the promotion of peace, the offering of freedom, security and justice without internal borders, democracy, equality and a common rule of law.
What is the European Union’s Relationship with Gambling?
The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) introduced the first pan-European Code of Conduct on responsible advertising for online gambling in the first half of 2020. While the code is quite broad, it does address mandatory standards for the content featured in advertisements, with separate measures outlined for social media.
However, with autonomy at the heart of the EU, it will come as no surprise to learn that there is no sector-specific EU legislation in the terms of gambling services. Instead, each EU country has the right to determine how their gambling services operate, provided they comply with the regulations outlined in the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).
It is now not uncommon for EU member states to have either state or private operators in place, while a large number of others have licensing systems that mean more than one operator can offer services to the general public. So with the EU enforcing no direct laws in terms of which particular system is used, how can you ensure that you are using a safe online casino in Europe? Well, let’s take an even closer look…
Licensing
The most important aspect to check when deciding on which online casino to use is whether or not they hold the appropriate licensing. As it is possible for a company within the EU holding a gambling licence to provide its services to other member states and with certain countries implementing more flexible but equally trustworthy licenses, licences obtained from Malta, the United Kingdom or Gibraltar are offered throughout the EU. As national bans would undermine the EU freedom to provide services, you can feel safe in the knowledge if the online casino of your choice holds one of these licenses.
Furthermore, every legitimate online casino will advertise the fact they are fully licensed nationally and within Europe on their website. This information can usually be found at the bottom of the homepage or in the About Us section. It is paramount that you ensure an online casino is fully licensed before you use it, as it is the most effective way to know it is safe and secure.
Customer Support
In addition, we would also recommend that you confirm that the online casino offers a reliable customer support service via phone, email and instant messenger. It is an additional way to verify the legitimacy of an online business and also ensures that you can contact them with any questions, queries and/or concerns via the medium of your choice.
