Isle of Man Casinos

The British dependency of the Isle of Man is a small island located between Great Britain and Ireland. Since 2001, the Isle of Man has been offering gaming licenses to companies around the world through its Gambling Supervision Commission. In September 2012, the Isle of Man partnered up with the Malta LGA to form one of the largest licensing authorities in the world. For a list of casinos licensed in the Isle of Man, check the list on this page.

Types of Licenses Available

The Isle of Man offers licenses to a number of different e-gaming websites, including online casinos, poker rooms, and sportsbooks. The procedure for obtaining a license is virtually the same for any type of online gaming company. This is a much simpler policy than that of other jurisdictions, so companies that offer multiple gaming services can obtain a license more easily.

Application Requirements

When someone applies for a gaming license in the Isle of Man, he or she must fill out a series of forms. These forms provide information about the licensee's identity and criminal history, as well as the financial stability of his or her company. If the reviewing committee approves the licensee's site, he or she can obtain a license by paying the necessary fees and duty. Full licenses cost £35,000 per year, plus a percent cut of gross profit between .1% and 1.5%.

Continual Audits

The Isle of Man requires its licensees to abide by the terms and conditions of the license at all times. The Gambling Supervision Commission enforces this by routinely inspecting the casino's business records. If they find evidence of fraud, nonpayment, insufficient funds, or other breach of the license agreement, the Commission may revoke the license.

List of Licensees

A genuine Isle of Man license indicates that a casino is safe to play at. To protect this image, the Gambling Supervision Commission has a list of all licensees on their website. Anyone can view this list by going to the Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission website (http://www.gov.im/gambling/) and clicking the “License Holders” link on the left menu.

Dispute Resolution

The Isle of Man offers a dispute resolution service to players with a grievance against one of their licensees. The vast majority of disputes can be resolved without this service – simply contacting the casino or using a third-party affiliate with a complaints service usually solves the problem. However, for serious issues, the Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission can help.

To file a complaint with the jurisdiction of the Isle of Man, visit their website (http://www.gov.im/gambling/) and click the “Player Protection” link on the left. On the bottom of the page is a complaints form that you will need to fill out and email to gaming@gov.im. Make sure you check your email inbox regularly for correspondence.