Gambling Licences
The licence a casino holds determines your protection, your taxes and whether it is legal in your country. We explain each licence and list the top-rated casinos that hold it.
SGA Spelinspektionen (Swedish Licence)
Sweden’s gambling authority – mandatory to legally offer casino games in Sweden.
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MGA Malta Gaming Authority (MGA)
The most widely held international casino licence in Europe.
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UKGC UK Gambling Commission (UKGC)
The strictest mainstream gambling regulator, covering Great Britain.
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Curaçao Curaçao eGaming
The classic offshore licence – common, fast, but lighter on player protection.
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DGA Spillemyndigheden (Danish Licence)
Denmark’s gambling authority – mandatory to legally offer casino games in Denmark.
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GGC Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner
A long-standing, reputable licensing hub for major operators.
Read moreHow to choose a casino with the right licence
A gambling licence is the single most important thing to check before you sign up at a casino. It determines who regulates the operator, whether your money is held safely, what player protection you get and whether winnings are tax-free. A casino without a valid licence should always be avoided.
Licences fall broadly into two groups. National licences (like Spelinspektionen in Sweden or Spillemyndigheden in Denmark) give local consumer protection, self-exclusion and tax-free winnings – but stricter bonus rules. International and offshore licences (like the MGA and Curaçao) often offer bigger bonuses and a wider range, but count as grey-market in countries with their own regulation.
In practice: always check the footer for a licence logo with a licence number and verify it in the regulator’s register. Use the cards above to read about each licence and the matrix below to see its status in your country. We only list the top-rated casinos for each licence.
Which licences are accepted in each country?
| Licence | Sweden | Norway | Finland | Denmark | Germany | United Kingdom | International |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SGA | ✓ Licensed | – Not applicable | – Not applicable | – Not applicable | – Not applicable | – Not applicable | – Not applicable |
| MGA | ~ Grey market | ~ Grey market | ~ Grey market | ~ Grey market | ~ Grey market | ~ Grey market | ✓ Licensed |
| UKGC | – Not applicable | – Not applicable | – Not applicable | – Not applicable | – Not applicable | ✓ Licensed | – Not applicable |
| Curaçao | ~ Grey market | ~ Grey market | ~ Grey market | ~ Grey market | ~ Grey market | ~ Grey market | ~ Grey market |
| DGA | – Not applicable | – Not applicable | – Not applicable | ✓ Licensed | – Not applicable | – Not applicable | – Not applicable |
| GGC | – Not applicable | – Not applicable | – Not applicable | – Not applicable | – Not applicable | ~ Grey market | ~ Grey market |
Simplified overview. "Licensed" = locally regulated; "Grey market" = available without local protection; "Not applicable" = national licence that does not apply here.