The Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC) was established at the beginning of the millennium with the mission to ensure that all casinos registered there offer premium quality services and meet the globally admitted standards. This regulatory jurisdiction is well known for its strict requirements in order to gain licensing. Alderney is the third largest of the Channel Islands located far to the north. It is under the crown dependency but operates independently of the United Kingdom and the European Union. This tiny island with not more than 3 miles across and a population not more than 2 000 people does not worry about a client base at all. Alderney has its solid place in the list with jurisdictions that take advantage of the right to advertise their services in the United Kingdom which owns the largest gambling market in the world.
Gambling Regulation and Licensing
According to the requirements of the AGCC, a company offering eGaming activities can apply for a license provided that it is located within the borders of Alderney. The servers hosting the games must be also located within the island or a location approved by the Commission.
The Alderney Gambling Control Commission was established with the mission to oversee the gambling activities from around the region. With its regulations the commission must ensure that all online gambling is conducted fairly in compliance with proper governance and is free of criminality. Online gambling should be strictly controlled and audited to protect the groups in risk, like vulnerable and under-aged players.
The AGCC offers two types of licenses for online gambling operators. The first is Business to consumer/casino (B2C) and the second one is Business to Business/provider or administrator (B2B).
The aim of the Commission's overall work is to strictly comply with the requirements and not to issue multiple licenses. Data about the applicant are thoroughly considered, including: business experience, business plan, financial status of the company and other details which prove that the company is fit to run the business successfully.
Once the circumstances surrounding the operator's ability to obtain a permit have been assessed, a license is issued after a fee has been paid. Licensing fees are calculated on a sliding scale, depending on the revenue generated and some other contributing factors. A granted license is valid for an indefinite period, with an annual fee that must be paid each year. In general the tax laws in Alderney are very favourable for casino operators who find the region the perfect place for making business. In Alderney, casino operators are not obliged to pay corporate tax, gambling duty, neither VAT. The income tax rate is 20%.
Return-to-Player
According to the AGCC requirements every games hosted on the website of the operator, as well as each individual the operator hosts game has to be equipped with the Return-to-Player (RTP). The only exceptions are the sports books. Operators shall publish the RTP reports on a monthly basis and make them available to players. In general Video Poker, Video Keno games and most Table games operate on legitimate software for which the probabilities are known. To disclose the RTP for each individual slot game is not an attractive option for most online casino operators. Even this may make Alderney not the right place for getting licensed, the benefits for casinos holding an AGCC license are many.
Advantages for Operators
- Better status: The licenses issued by the AGCC are world-famous. The provider who carry their mark enjoys a good reputation among players.
- More clients: The AGCC licensees have access to more gaming regions, such as UK, USA and more. The potential market share increases and attracts more users for their services.
- Safety and sureness: Despite the tough regulation they get, casino operators can find safety for their business when they run it in a legal environment.
- Favourable taxation: With its liberal laws, the country is proving to be an attractive place for many online casino operators.
Advantages for Players
Regulated gambling sites are the safest places for players to visit. The services these operators offer are controlled and audited strictly. AGCC ensures that their casinos have all the necessary tools to protect customers' data so that their personal information cannot leak over the web.
The AGCC casinos have protocols to identify and protect gamblers in risk, like vulnerable and under-aged players. The Self-Exclusion list requires form casinos has a set up by which individual customers may impose limits on their deposits. Additionally to this players can see the amounts of money that they may lose in a single day. All these player-friendly measures are to protect gamblers from addictive behavior.
AGCC is a very good mediator in case of complaints. Players can rest assured that they will be defensed for any unfair treatment received from regulated casino. A huge variety of high quality games are included in the library the AGCC licensed casinos offer to their players.
The Alderney Gambling Control Commission has become famous with its serious licensing requirements and strict regulation procedures. It is much more important for the Commission to ensure compliance with international standards than to issue countless licenses. All the AGCC licensees are world-class operators that offer premium quality gambling services for fantastic entertainment.
