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If you’re one of the millions of people who enjoy gambling at online casinos, you’ve undoubtedly spent a lot of time searching for safe and reliable sites.
This is easier said than done as there are thousands of online casinos located in territories across the globe. Some are obviously extremely safe – like any casinos from the UK, US or Australia – while others aren’t as widely known or recognised, like Curacao casinos.
These sites might not be as widely known as others, yet there’s an abundance of them. It leaves you wondering, are Curacao casinos accepting UK players safe for you to join? The quick answer is yes, they’re generally very safe establishments for any online gaming fan to enjoy. However, let’s explore them in more detail to explain why they’re safe and what to keep a close eye on before joining.
What are Curacao casinos?
For those of you who are unaware, Curacao is a Dutch Caribbean island with a small population. It’s located slightly north of Venezuela and to the east of Aruba. Despite being a tiny island country, it’s become home to many overseas gambling websites in recent years. A Curacao casino can refer to two types of betting sites:
- Casinos based in Curacao
- Casinos with a Curacao licence
There’s an important distinction between the two:
- Casinos based in Curacao don’t have to be licensed
- Casinos with a Curacao licence will be based in Curacao
The easy way to see if a casino is a Curacao casino is by looking at the bottom of the home page or in an “About Us” section. Either should show if the site holds a Curacao licence or is owned by a company registered and based in the country.
Generally speaking, Casinos with a Curacao licence will be more trustworthy and safer than those without one. So, when you’re faced with a casino, you should mainly look for an indicator of a valid licence rather than seeing if it’s simply based in this country.
What is a Curacao licence?
The Curacao licence – often called a CEG (Curacao eGaming) Licence – is one of many online gambling licences throughout the world. It’s one of the top five most recognised licences a casino can have, and according to the CEG, has been in operation for over 25 years.
Having this licence means a casino must meet specific standards and expectations for player safety, reliability and game fairness. Sites also have to pay €1,500 to obtain this licence, which further shows the platform is trustworthy. Dodgy casinos are unlikely to spend this amount of money every year to maintain a license – it just doesn’t happen.
Some of the main things a casino must do to be approved for a Curacao licence include:
- Showing they have a good KYC procedure in place
- Present a full business plan that makes sense and shows how the casino makes money
- Complete a compliance interview
Key things to look for in safe Curacao casinos
We said at the start that these casinos are “generally” safe. What do we mean by that? Well, some Curacao sites are 100% safe and trustworthy while others aren’t. It depends on what type of Curacao casino you’re looking at – but here are a few things to consider if you want confirmation of the site’s credibility:
- A valid CEG licence – Licensed sites are always safer than unlicensed ones as you’ve got a separate company to go to if the casino does you wrong. However, some sites claim to have a Curacao licence, though there’s no evidence of it. Always look for the CEG logo on a website with a link to their Master Licence. If you can’t find one, use the CEG Licensee Register to quickly search for the website and you’ll see if it has a valid, in-date licence.
- SSL encryption – This is usually a necessity for any company with a Curacao licence. Still, it helps to look at the website’s connection before joining. If it doesn’t have an HTTPS connection, don’t use the site. This means the connection is not secure and your data can easily be seen and manipulated.
- Trusted games and betting options – A Curacao casino’s list of games and betting options will also indicate if it is safe and trustworthy. When you can’t see any games or well-known sports betting options, then you should probably turn away. If you see well-known games from trusted developers like NetEnt, Microgaming, Play’nGo and Evolution, then that’s a huge green flag. Similarly, if sports betting is available and offers popular sports like Formula 1, football or rugby, it’s another indicator of a trusted site.
Summary – These Sites Are Usually Safe & Secure
All in all, if you find a website with a valid Curacao licence, it will be safe. This opens the door to thousands of new casinos you might be able to join. Variety is the key to getting the best experience; you have more options to pick from, making it easier to find your favourite place to game or bet.