Who Regulates Online Gaming?
Did you ever wonder who regulates most of the online poker websites? Who runs them and who is the governing system behind them? The answer lies in an icon on the homepage of approximately 450 gaming sites, all of which are required to display the “Kahnawake Gaming Commission” icon that links back to the Kahnawake Gaming Commission (KGC) home page. This council is the regulating force behind these interactive gaming websites, or “permit holders,” as the KGC refers to them as. Not all of the sites are functioning, but they are listed on the “Permit Holders” page along with their URL.
The KGC is part of the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake, a community in Canada. This tribe, along with seven others, makes up the Kahnawake people who live in Northeastern North America, approximately 10 kilometers from Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
The KGC is in existence to regulate and monitor the fairness and security of gaming. The KGC website states its three goals are to ensure
- That only suitable persons and entities are permitted to operate within Kahnawake;
- That the games offered are fair to the player; and
- That winners are paid.
The council is comprised of only three Mohawk tribe members and, according to their website, is “empowered to regulate and control gaming and gaming related activities conducted within and from the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake in accordance with the highest principles of honesty and integrity.” This encompasses the online gaming sites that hold permits to operate under the commission.
In order to obtain a permit, a gaming applicant must be extensively investigated, financially verified, and checked against security records. Once approved, the gaming site is monitored to make sure players are being compensated, treated fairly, and that the security of personal information is upheld.
Recently, Absolute Poker was accused of unfair play. Because of this accusation, the KGC is now investigating the company and performing a thorough audit of AP’s “current and historic activities” and “interaction with its gaming and financial systems.” As a KGC permit holder, AP is required to follow the KGC’s regulations concerning interactive gaming. The KGC’s consultants, Gaming Associates, who are experts in game testing and investigation, as well as information security experts, will be conducting the audit. The KGC expects to have the entire audit by December 7, 2007 and will not be releasing any information until the reports have been evaluated and a decision has been made.
The KGC website is fairly easy to navigate through and news and regulations are easily accessible. Information on the history of the Mohawk Kahnawake Tribe is also readily available at Kahnawake.com. Sites displaying their logo and icon undeniably operate at a level of high standards when it comes to fair play and security in interactive gaming. It seems unfathomable that only three people watch over so many gaming websites, but with such a small council, there is not much room for corruption, especially when the council comes from a community that was built on such morals as honor, trust, and respect.
Resources:
http://www.kahnawake.com/gamingcommission/
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