eCOGRA

eCOGRA stands for eCommerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance. It is a not-for-profit organization that is independently contracted. They service all legal online casinos around the world.

The History of eCOGRA

The development of online casinos in the 1990s saw a huge surge in the number of players who enjoyed the entertainment of casino games. Unfortunately, due to the nature of online gaming, many disputes arose regarding the fairness and integrity of online operators. This in turn resulted in a drop in the numbers of online casino patrons. Finally, in 2002, 888.com (a publicly listed online casino operator) and Microgaming (a publicly traded online gaming software provider) joined forces to create eCOGRA. The result is that many players, whose confidence in online gaming was waning, now feel a renewed sense of trust in the industry.

eCOGRA Aims

eCOGRA was developed for the betterment of the online gaming industry. It aims to create a basis for excellent gaming standards throughout the industry. They are, in a sense, a watchdog for the industry, although their powers only extend to their members.

eCOGRA also strives to keep players informed of their rights and responsibilities to try to ensure smoother gaming experiences. eCOGRA has provided an international framework for best operational and player practice standards, which is referred to as eGAP. They attempt to enforce their high level of standards by conducting regular reviews, inspections and continuous monitoring of their licensed sites. They also aim to continue to improve the current standards of online gaming by regularly updating their standards and introducing new measures for the safety of their members.

eCOGRA Role in the Online Gaming Industry

One of the most important contributions that eCOGRA has made to the online gaming industry is their Seal of Approval. eCOGRA awards their Seal of Approval to online casinos that meet their high level of standards. Their requirements focus on areas such as fair gaming, player protection and responsible business practices. The eCOGRA Seal of Approval also guarantees that the online casinos meets standards with regards to the security of information storage, gaming to true random number generators, timely processing of payments, responsible behavior of gaming operators and honest advertising. By being a member of eCOGRA, operators are agreeing to regular audits by a third party company. Any online casino who has been approved by eCOGRA will proudly display their Seal for all players to view (and many online casino reviews make sure to mention if the casino in question has earned their seal).

eCOGRA has a Dispute Mediation department whose role it is to help players stand up for their rights. If you have a problem with an online casino that is approved by eCOGRA and you cannot resolve your problem though the casino's channels, you can contact eCOGRA for support.

If you visit an online casino that does not display the eCOGRA Seal of Approval, you may be at risk. Certainly if you have any problems with the casino, you will have no-one to turn to for help. You can view a list of approved online casinos on the eCOGRA website.