Alderney Gambling Commission: Maintaining High Standards in the Online Gambling Industry

The Alderney Gambling Control Commission has been in the news recently as the jurisdiction to order Poker Stars online poker site to cease operations, since the group was not able to keep true to its guarantee to pay out players in a fast and secure manner.   The point is that the AGCC is an important presence in the world of online gambling and takes its responsibility of maintaining high standards among its licensed online gambling groups very seriously.

But who is the AGCC and what is their role in the industry?

So, first a little background information. The AGCC was established in 2000 as an independent and non-political group, consisting of a chairperson and three other members.  The chief role of the AGCC is to regulate internet gambling on behalf of the States of Alderney and ensures that its regulatory approach meets the highest international standards set.  Alderney is the biggest of the Channel Islands, which are self governing dependencies of the British Crown but do not form part of the United Kingdom or the European Union. Alderney has its own government and banking laws, and is a very successful e-commerce hub for international companies.

In a nutshell, gambling is illegal in Alderney unless it is licensed by the AGCC.  Licenses are only ever issued for remote gambling, ie. over the internet and cover games of skill and also chance and also includes bookmaking.  There are four different licenses issued to those are able to meet the criteria set forth by the AGCC. These are: eGambling Licenses, Associate Certificates, Hosting Certificates and Temporary eGambling Licenses.

One of the most important functions of the AGCC is to ensure that licensees conduct their business honestly and fairly. To do so, the Commission checks the background of the groups that want to offer casino games, including their sources of funding. They also assess the internal controls and operating procedures applied by the operator. Issues such as fairness, security and auditability of the group are also checked.

The Alderney Gambling Commission Control takes great pride in the fact that it is willing and able to maintain high standards in the online gambling industry, protecting players and licensees alike.