eCOGRA UK Licenced Casinos (2024)

eCommerce Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance (eCOGRA) is a London-based, independent testing agency approved in more than 30 jurisdictions worldwide for quality assurance and compliance reviews regarding the gambling industry. 

There are two divisions to eCOGRA, with their own objectives. These are the Approved Testing Agency (ATA) Service and the Self Regulation Services (SRS). Here's what these do:

Clients requesting evaluation will be assessed based on eCOGRA's Generally Accepted Practices (eGAP). If they meet these criteria, clients will receive eCOGRA's seal of approval, which they can later display on their site to signal their level of regulatory compliance to players. 

Short History of eCOGRA

Founded in 2003, eCOGRA helped establish and maintain high operational standards and player safety requirements. The company takes pride in its independence and objectivity, a sentiment which we can see in its re-vamped brand purpose statement: 

Compliance Without Compromise

eCOGRA has the first online gambling testing lab authorised to offer operators and providers accredited testing and certifications for Information Security Management and the first lab to provide Alternative Dispute Resolution services. 

Why Is eCOGRA Important to the Gambling World?

Before eCOGRA launched, the online gambling industry was catching wind and on its way to becoming a multi-billion dollar industry. Naturally, many sites operated without oversight, and there were still no generally accepted practices to unite operators, providers, and affiliates. 

Many rogue casinos ran by unscrupulous operators scammed players and got away with it since players had no recourse over these sites. Moreover, the regulatory framework was still blurry at the time, as many jurisdictions were unprepared for the abrupt rise of online gambling and its implications. 

By now, the benefits of an independent, well-prepared, multi-national testing agency are apparent. The industry needed someone to level the playing field and put together a set of procedures that could demonstrate whether a gambling product is objectively safe and fair. 

eCOGRA's seals of approval did exactly that by offering players an easy-to-recognise mark from a trustworthy and transparent institution, which says, "Hey! You're going to be safe gambling here!"

eCOGRA's Reach

eCOGRA is approved as an independent testing agency in more than 20 European countries, including the UK, six states in America, and parts of Asia, South America, and Canada.

They've never had their accreditations suspended or revoked, which serves as a testament to their impeccable services and commitment to fairness. 

eCOGRA Approved Casinos - Your Perks

Plenty of players in the United Kingdom gained the habit of looking for the eCOGRA seal of approval before they registered in a new casino. Players of eCOGRA-certified UK casinos know their casino is:

• Reliable. The site can be held accountable for any issues and will act in accordance with local regulations and laws. 
• Fair. The casino provides fair and transparent games, does not use predatory marketing practices, and allows players to become timely informed of any terms and conditions that might be impacting their gameplay. 
• High-quality. Casinos that go through the trouble of becoming eCOGRA certified do so after investing heavily in their platforms. You won't see eCOGRA casinos that don't meet the high-quality standards you'd expect. 

Apart from the peace of mind you'll get while playing in a certified casino, you can always benefit from the following eCOGRA services:

Return to Player Monitoring

eCOGRA regularly verifies the total wins and total wagers placed on specific games and determines whether the game works according to its specified RTP rate. 

This is different from their RNG testing, but it's yet another layer of monitoring that ensures games in eCOGRA casinos output what they are openly supposed to output to an acceptable level of randomness. 

In other words, this monitoring aims to identify any potential products that don't pay out according to their published payouts. 

ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution)

The ADR was created to quicken the process of resolving disputes without having to go to the court system. The goal of this service is to find amiable, mutually acceptable solutions to a dispute through mediation, arbitration, and negotiation. 

Players found that solving their disputes through ADR was generally faster, less costly, and more confidential than traditional dispute resolution, so the service is becoming more and more appealing to both operators and players. 

All players at eCOGRA-approved sites in the UK have unhindered, full-time access to this dispute resolution service at no extra cost. If you wish to log a dispute, you can do so through the online form present on their official website. 

Operators cover the costs of the disputes, as detailed by the UKGC:

• £100 for eCOGRA Safe and Fair seal holders
• £175 each month for non-seal holders.

If you wish to log a dispute, you can do so through the online form present on their official website. Players can check detailed reports of past disputes on the same page. 

ISO 27001 Certification

This is the certification gold standard offered to companies when a testing agency determines their information management system is safe and appropriate for the scope of their operations. 

To put it simply, this certification indicates that your personal data and funds are kept safe and handled in accordance with internationally recognised standards. 

Moreover, some prerequisites for this certification include the implementation of a system to promptly identify and reduce risks and the development of internal procedures to allow quick recovery from disasters and continue business as usual. 

Types of eCOGRA Certifications

Here are some of the most common types of certifications UK casinos can receive from eCOGRA, along with a short description of what they mean for a player. 

• eCOGRA Safe and Fair Seal – Offered to UK online gambling sites, poker sites, bookmakers, and more, as a way to suggest safety and fairness.
• eCOGRA Certified Software – Given to casino sites that use software reviewed by eCOGRA and that meet their criteria.
• eCOGRA Percentage Payout Report – Found at all casino sites that have a Safe and Fair seal, with the purpose of detailing gamblers' potential payouts.
• eCOGRA Randomness Reviews – Allows gamblers to read a review of Random Number Generators and whether these meet eCOGRA's standards for operation.
• Information Systems Security Certification - Offered to operators who prove a solid system of data management and protection for their players.

The eCOGRA eGAP certification ensures that a casino's operations, ranging from management solutions to software, are safe and fair. 

There are plenty of criteria being evaluated during an eCOGRA review, but an eGAP certification ensures that the casino is reliable and safe and demonstrates excellent conduct towards their customers. 

Why Should I Play at an eCOGRA-Certified UK Casino?

Well, safe and secure sites have become the norm in the gambling industry. No one wants to play at UK casinos that don't go through the motions of ensuring their players’ peace of mind, not to mention the security of their funds. 

And since "rigged games” are a couple of dreaded words by gamblers worldwide, we'd obviously all prefer to play games that were tested by third parties to ensure acceptable random outcomes. 

eCOGRA seals are the industry standard for signalling trustworthiness, fairness, and security in an online casino. So, if you ask me, that should be a good enough reason to look for the seal of approval in any casino you visit.