The Kahnawake Gaming Commission is a gaming licensing and regulatory commission which offers its services to numerous online casino operators, online poker rooms and sport betting sites. Additionally, they are responsible for the activities of the land-based poker rooms which are located within the Mohawk Territory.
The commission first came to the spotlight in 1996 after the Mohawk Council Kahnawake enacted the Kahnawake Gaming Law while the Regulations about Interactive Gaming were implemented in 1999.
With more than a decade in the gambling industry, Kahnawake will be remembered for being one of the first licensing authorities on the interactive gaming worldwide. They have won the trust of punters, casino operators and iGaming experts and professionals with their unparalleled services and strictness in licensing requirements. In fact, it is mandatory for all online casino operators licensed by the Commission to be hosted by Mohawk Internet Technologies. As of now, the commission boasts of issuing licenses to more than 50 online casino operators.
Impact of the Kahnawake Gaming Scandal
The first international scandal at the commission was witnessed in 2007 when it was found out that two clients site-Ultimate Bet and Absolute Poker were found cheating during the Poker tournaments. The commission started investigating the case where over $23 million was compensated to players. Further action was taken on the two companies including their URLs being seized by FBI. On the other side, the unaffected license holders continued with their activities as normal. Their system was audited and updated in 2008 with extra staff and an enhanced dispute system. Although the commission’s reputation was soiled by this scandal, their affordability has managed to win a huge follow up over the past years.
Types of Gaming Licenses
The Kahnawake Gaming Commission issues four different types of gaming licenses to their clients in the gambling world. They include:
Interactive Gaming License – The commission only issues one of these licenses at a time and it can only be issued to an approved hosting facility within the domain of Kahnawake.
Client Provider Authorization – It is awarded to an entity who intends to offer online games from an approved Kahnawake hosting facility. The license holder is free to offer any type of e-gaming they want such as poker room, casino, and sports betting.
Inter-jurisdiction Authorization – This option allows license holders to be issued with a license from another licensing authority. Nevertheless, the original licensing jurisdiction is responsible for overseeing the company’s activities.
Key Person License – This type is awarded to an individual who performs managerial functions for a company with a Client Authorization license.
Obtaining a License from the Gaming Commission
In order to be issued with a gaming license, there are some requirements to be met. Some of the most important information you will be asked to provide include:
- Submit the business entity information form
- Provide your personal information form
- Application for client submission
- Provide a letter from Mohawk Internet Technologies stating their acceptance to host all the operations of the applicant
- Control system submission
- Provide the Key person license application form
Additionally, the applicant must also pay the following fee: $25000 for a one year license and the initial KGC investigation; $5000 for every person included as a vital component.
Player Disputes Update
Contrary to other licensing authorities, Kahnawake posts an annual report of all the complaints filed by online players. This helps in coming up with the best methods of solving similar problems in the future. The list includes complaint totals, dispute resolution and types of complaints.
Reputable Kahnawake License Holders
The commission has set up straightforward ways for online gamers and gambling experts to determine whether you are using a legit KGC license or not. The first thing is that all brands that are licensed by KGC are also awarded a Certificate of Good Standing. Also, legit casinos will display the latest official logo of the commission. The logo has a hotlink that will redirect you to the operator’s certificate. Lastly, consider checking their list of Interactive Permit Holders by the real operator.