Where do I find a casino's licence number?

It's almost always in the website footer, near the bottom of the homepage. Legitimate casinos name the operating company and a licence or registration number, often alongside a regulator seal. If there's no number and no clickable verification seal, treat the casino as unlicensed until you can prove otherwise.

Can I trust the licence seal shown on the casino site?

Only if it links through to the regulator's own verification page (for example authorisation.mga.org.mt for Malta or cert.cga.cw for Curaçao). A static image seal that isn't clickable, or one that links back to the casino, proves nothing. Always verify by typing the regulator's register URL yourself instead.

Is a Curaçao or Anjouan licence a red flag?

Not automatically. Both issue genuine licences, but they are lighter-touch offshore regimes with weaker player protection than the UKGC or MGA, and both are widely impersonated. Verify directly on the regulator's register by licence number and domain. Old Curaçao 'Master/JAZ' sub-licences, now being retired, deserve extra scrutiny.

What if the licence number is real but doesn't match the website?

That's a serious red flag. Fraudulent sites often copy a genuine operator's real licence number. A valid register entry should list the authorised company and its permitted domains. If the site you're on isn't covered by that entry, the licence doesn't apply to it and you should not deposit.

Does an offshore licence let a casino serve players anywhere?

No. Regulated markets like Ontario, Sweden, Colombia and Peru require operators to appear on the local register to serve residents legally. A casino accepting you from one of those countries while only holding an offshore licence is operating illegally there, and you'll have little consumer recourse if a dispute arises.

How to Verify an Online Casino Licence: A Step-by-Step Guide by Regulator

Learn how to verify any online casino licence by regulator. Real public register links for the UKGC, MGA, Curaçao, Ontario and more, plus red flags to avoid.

To verify an online casino licence, find the licence number in the site’s footer, then look it up on the issuing regulator’s official public register. Confirm three things match: the operating company name, the licence number, and a “live” or “active” status. If any of these are missing, mismatched, or unverifiable, treat the casino as unlicensed.

Almost every online casino claims to be “licensed and regulated.” A claim is not proof. The only proof is a matching entry on the regulator’s own public register — a free, searchable database every legitimate gambling authority maintains. This guide shows you exactly where those registers live and how to read them.

The universal 4-step process

Find the licence details. Scroll to the casino’s footer. Legitimate operators state the licensed company name (e.g. “operated by XYZ Ltd”) and a licence/reference number. Vague phrases like “licensed in Curaçao” with no number are a warning sign.
Identify the regulator, then go to that regulator’s register directly by typing the URL below — not by clicking the casino’s own seal.
Search the public register. Enter the company name or licence number. Confirm the entry exists and the status is active/live.
Cross-check the domain. The register entry should list the actual website you’re on. Fraudsters “clone” a real operator’s number, so verify the domain matches, not just the number.

Regulator verification table

Regulator	How to verify	Public register
UK Gambling Commission	Search by business name or account number; check status	gamblingcommission.gov.uk/public-register
Malta (MGA)	Search the Licensee Register; the site seal must resolve to authorisation.mga.org.mt	mga.org.mt/licensee-hub
Curaçao (CGA — new LOK regime)	Use the CGA register; validate the seal via the cert portal. Old Master/JAZ sub-licences are being phased out	cga.cw · validator cert.cga.cw
Gibraltar	Published remote-licence-holder list	gamblingdivision.gov.gi/licence-holders
Isle of Man (GSC)	Online gambling licensee register	isleofmangsc.com
Alderney (AGCC)	eGambling licensees list	gamblingcontrol.org/licensees
Kahnawà:ke (KGC)	Interactive gaming permit holders	gamingcommission.ca
AGCO / iGaming Ontario	Cross-check AGCO registrants + iGO operator list	agco.ca · igamingontario.ca
Anjouan (Comoros)	Verify by number/domain; treat with heightened scrutiny	anjouangaming.com
Sweden (Spelinspektionen)	Licence and permit directory	spelinspektionen.se
Colombia (Coljuegos)	Authorised online-operator list (legal sites use `.co`)	coljuegos.gov.co
Peru (MINCETUR)	Authorised platforms registry	apuestasdeportivas.mincetur.gob.pe

How to read a register entry

A valid entry shows the operating company, the licence number, the status (active/live/current), and often the authorised website domains. The company on the register must match the one named in the casino’s footer terms. If a casino trades as “SuperCasino” but its footer says it’s operated by “XYZ Ltd,” it’s XYZ Ltd you search for — and XYZ Ltd’s authorised domains must include the site you’re using.

Red flags that expose a fake licence

A seal you can’t click through. Legitimate MGA, Curaçao (CGA) and Anjouan seals link to the regulator’s own verification page. A static image that goes nowhere — or links back to the casino — is worthless. Always type the register URL yourself.
No licence number, or one that returns nothing. “Licensed in Curaçao” with no number and no CGA validator is the single most common tell of an unregulated operator.
Dead Curaçao “Master/JAZ” licences. The old sub-licence system is being retired under the 2024 LOK law. A footer citing an old Master Licence number with no direct CGA entry should be treated as unverified. See Curaçao vs Anjouan.
Unverifiable Anjouan claims. Anjouan issues genuine licences but is heavily impersonated by lookalike “register” sites. Verify only via anjouangaming.com’s own register, by both number and domain.
Domain mismatch. The number is real but registered to a different site or company — the licence has been “borrowed.”
Jurisdiction mismatch. In regulated markets (Ontario, Sweden, Colombia, Peru) only operators on the local register may legally serve residents. A casino accepting you there without appearing on the local list is operating illegally, regardless of any offshore licence.

Why the tier of licence matters

Not all licences are equal. The UKGC, MGA, Gibraltar, Isle of Man and Alderney enforce strict player-fund protection and complaints routes. Regulated national markets (Ontario, Sweden, Colombia, Peru) add local consumer protection. Curaçao, Kahnawà:ke and Anjouan are lighter-touch: a valid licence confirms the operator is registered, but your recourse if something goes wrong is far more limited. Verifying the licence is step one; understanding what it protects is step two — see our full gambling licences compared ranking.

Sources

General information, not legal advice. Always verify a licence on the regulator’s own register before depositing. 18+. Play responsibly.