Trust icons...more casino jargon

Most online casinos pride themselves with their ability to legally showcase a variety of icons in their footer. Many of them mean that the casino has met some very stringent standards. These symbols are very important in helping us pick the rogue casinos from the good guys.

What do these icons mean?

Software developers

Each casino site looks very different from the next so how do you know which software developer provides then with their games and why does that matter?

Software providers have their own rules, payout ratios and standards. For example RTG offers casinos the ability to alter the payout ratio of each game and it is the only software developer that allows that. Other providers such as Microgaming and Playtech do not allow any casinos that use their software to accept players from the United States.

Icons to keep an eye out for

Ecogra

Ecogra is an independent body that regulates online casinos ensuring that try offer fair gambling. This is own of the most difficult seals to obtain and maintain by online casinos. Any casino displaying the ecogra seal has fulfilled all 9 of their requirements including:

• Quick and accurate payouts
• Keeping fraud to a minimum
• Games and the random number generator are evaluated to ensure they are fair
• Personal information is safe and never sold.

CDS (Central Dispute System)

Supposedly independent CDS is a forum for disputes and is found mostly on sites that use RTG software. CDS offers recourse for players who have disputes with the casinos displaying their seal

Responsible Gaming

As part of the ecogra requirements many sites offer links to responsible gaming websites. Casinos displaying these symbols in their footer are likely to prevent players from continuing to gamble if they find they are not gambling responsibly. They are known to close casino accounts and add them to a central 'problem gamblers' database which prevents them from opening accounts at other casinos that advocate Responsible Gaming.

Licensing information

In the footer you will more often than not find icons relating to the licensing of the casino. Examples include:

• Khanawake Gaming Commission
• Malta
• Gibraltar Regulatory Authority(known to be the strictest of the lot)

Other certifications

RNG certified

This symbol usually means the random number generator has been tested by one of two or sometimes even both testing services. The one is Technical Systems Testing (TST) and the other SKL (National laboratory for Forensic Science) 

   

TST

This is the seal that states the casino has gone through the testing offered by TST ensuring that the random number generator works as it should. TST Washington acquired by GLI and thus is now outdated. 

Gaming Labs Certified

Formerly TST this is the mark offered by Gaming Labs once they have tested that the software complies to their standards.


This is a very basic overview of the most common symbols used in the footer of the website for any online casino. These symbols are all earned, some have more stringent requirements than others  As far as choosing an online casino, it is important to know what recourse you have as a player and what you can expect from a casino.