Those sites that have eCOGRA’s Approval receive an award for achieving compliance to the high standards set for demonstrating that:
- Any game is fair!
- Casinos work honestly and are responsible!
- Winnings are paid!
- A deposit is safe!
When it comes to the world of online gambling, one of the most important things that many players are concerned about is safety. They always want to know whether their money is safe and the casino games are honest in their payouts. One of the main reasons why most people are often hesitant to make use of online casinos is because they may have to deposit a large amount of money in them and they are not sure whether they would be paid out instantly. At times, they are confused and feel that some online casinos are fixed, so they do not know who they would be able to approach in case they have some sort of a problem at any such casino.
All these concerns are very real and as a result, many people prefer not to visit online gambling sites. At the same time, unlike the Casino Control Board, there was nobody capable of governing such casinos over the Internet. However today, there is one organization that is able to certify poker sites and also regularly monitor online casinos. This group is known as eCOGRA and is located in the United Kingdom. The main objective of this organization is the online protection and privacy of players. Not only do they undertake protection of the players, but also make sure that the games which are played by the players are conducted fairly and there is no fixing undertaken by the casinos.
At the same time, eCOGRA makes sure that all players are treated equally and see to it that they receive their payments on time. Any casino that acquires the eCOGRA certification must behave responsibly and has to follow the various rules, regulations and guidelines that have been laid down by the governing body. At the same time, the online casinos are regularly reviewed to make sure that the acquired standards are continually being met.
The seal of approval by eCOGRA is only offered to those online casinos that have been able to meet the requirements and standards that have been laid down by the eCOGRA declaration. This certification implies that the online casino is responsible and does not partake in any under hand behaviour, that all the games are fair and that any player who has a winning hand would be paid whatever he has won in a good timeframe.
At the same time, in case of any disputes between the online casinos and the players, eCOGRA acts as a mediator between the two and is quickly able to resolve them. In fact, many of the player disputes that took place in 2005 were often resolved in less than two days.
The certification of eCOGRA is usually given to only those websites that carry out the operation of their games in accordance with the requirements of eCOGRA. At the same time, casinos are often regularly monitored to ensure that their operation still meets up to the required standards. However, simply because an online website has a certification off eCOGRA, it does not imply that eCOGRA can be held responsible for the actions of the gaming casino.
Currently, over 76 online gaming casinos have the certification of eCOGRA.
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