On our third part of the guide - are online casinos legal? We are going to present to you some of the companies that work behind the scenes of the iGaming industry to ensure fair conducting among online casinos and betting operations. These companies are crucial for us players, to have a good and fair experience in online casinos and find a reliable and trustworthy casino. Without these companies, online casinos would have a much easier time in case they had any malicious ideas. The four leading organizations we are going to cover in this guide are:

• eCOGRA
• International Gambling Council (IGC)
• Gaming Laboratories International (GLI)
• iTechLabs

eCOGRA

eCOGRA is short for eCommerce Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance - They are a company that is located in London and are internationally approved for performing testing while providing player protection. Established in 2003, they are the most common testing company that is supplying certifications that many online casinos are proud to own. Approved online casinos by eCOGRA will most likely also display this certification in the bottom of their website. There is a good reason why many websites are proud to have this certification. It is not easy to obtain. They perform onsite and offsite reviews that ensure compliance of online casinos depending on the jurisdiction where these casinos are operating. The team behind eCOGRA is compiled of test engineers that have been a part of the online gambling industry for years, and as such, they have a great understanding of how a good and fair casino reports should look. They build their systems to read through the casino's reports and test them automatically. Problematic reports will alert eCOGRA immediately. Areas where eCOGRA are there to ensure compliance with legal standards -

• The restriction of minor playing
• Reassurance for vulnerable players
• The security of players privacy information
• Assuring timely and correct customer payments
• Fighting dishonest and criminal conduct
• Responsible marketing
• Fair gaming (which include both RNG and RTP game evaluations)
• Providing a reliable, safe and secure operating conditions
• Commitment to client content and assistance

Most importantly, eCOGRA are testing the RNG and the RTP. RNG - Random Number Generator eCOGRA is providing RNG certification to online casinos that deliver live gaming data to eCOGRA, which in turn are performing analysis on this data. Their systems are smart and can tell from the reports if anything shady is going on with the RNG. RTP - Return to Player eCOGRA is running analysis on player wagers and winnings, on reports delivered live from online casinos. They, in turn, can calculate the return players get on average in a given online casino and in case the RTP is too low then eCOGRA can understand that something isn't quite right. These reports are often available when clicking on the image in the homepage of an online casino monitored by eCOGRA. The reports are conducted on a monthly and bi-annually basis. Although this is a very simple representation of how eCOGRA operates, it sums up the overall way of how things work.

Interactive Gaming Council (IGC)

The IGC is a non-profit association in the online gaming industry that acts as a collective voice for a group of members in it.The IGC offers online casinos the opportunity to be a part of a collective. The membership will allow them to let their voice be heard inside the organization. Also, they can receive substantial assistance in acquiring licences, and other legal help in certain countries, by the organization. The IGC, in turn, will perform actions on their behalf in various aspects when is necessary.Online casinos that are a part if the IGC must obey specific standards - a code of conduct. The IGC will not allow an online casino to advertise a misleading advertisement, promotion, or any other false incentive to players.The IGC also requires online casinos to list some crucial information to us players, in a clear and visible position.This information includes contact details, information about registration, deposits and withdrawals, responsible gambling service resources, information about licenses held, underage gambling and the casino's privacy policy.

Gaming Laboratories International (GLI)

One of the most prominent groups of international gaming companies. Dedicated to providing independent testing services in the gaming industry. The GLI provides compliance and functional testing of all sorts of systems. Including software and gaming machines. some of the things they evaluate -

• slot systems
• mobile gaming
• networked gaming
• electronic table games
• progressives
• Random Number Generators
• Bingo

GLI provides thorough testing to RNG's to make sure nothing will influence the numbers generated. They will only certify online casinos that have passed all examinations and inspections. Websites that have the GLI approval will have a "Gaming Labs Certified" shown at the bottom of the website. Only certified casinos will have the right to use the GLI approval trademark. If you enter an online casino and see the GLI approval at the bottom, you can rest assured that this online casino has been tested and is safe to deposit funds.

iTechLabs

iTechLabs is another testing lab for online casino systems. They have tested an extensive amount of games and casinos in their 10 years of operation. Much like eCOGRA, their evaluations are dependent on the jurisdictions where the casinos are operating. Each jurisdiction has its requirements, and iTechLabs are familiar with all requirements and make sure online casinos within these jurisdictions abide by them. Evaluations that are conducted include:

• Random Number Generator (RNG) testing
• Return to Player (RTP) / RNG output audits
• Casino and multiplayer games testing
• Platform testing
• Sports betting system testing

They are pioneers in creating a variety of different algorithms that innovatively perform the testing, and as time goes on, more and more providers are placing their trust with iTechLabs. If you come across online casinos that have been tested and approved by iTechLabs, you can rest assured that this casino is safe to play. It has been monitored to ensure that the RNG behind the table games, slot games, and all kinds of casino games, are 100% true and honest.They also provide RTP audits, much like eCOGRA.Both of their testings, the RTP and the RNG are created by testing actual game data from the online casino's servers. These testing are performed live. The seal of compliance will be available in the bottom on online casinos that have passed the iTechLabs testings.

Conclusion