Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission
Review
The Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission
Established in 1962, the Gambling Supervision Commission (GSC) is an independent statutory board of the Government of the Isle of Man. The GSC regulates land-based operations, such as casinos, lotteries, amusement arcades and bookies, as well as online gambling activities. The GSC is built on three core principles:
- To keep the gambling industry crime free
- To protect the young and those at risk
- To ensure that the services offered by licence holders are fair and that players receive their true winnings
To serve these principles, The IOM Gambling Supervision Commission creates a strong regulatory environment where player safety and casino compliance are of utmost importance. In addition, to prevent crime from penetrating its jurisdiction, the GSC promotes Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (CFT) with the diligent oversight of strict licencing requirements.
In 2001, the GSC became one of the earliest to regulate e-gaming by enacting its Online Gambling Regulation Act. The resulting OGRA licence comes in several formats covering all gaming verticals. Obtaining an OGRA licence is expected to be completed within 12 weeks. Furthermore, as a forward-thinking regulator, the GSC embraces blockchain technology, resulting in a crypto-friendly OGRA licence, allowing cryptocurrency and digital assets to be used for gaming.
What to Expect from an IOM GSC Casino
The GSC has a long history as a robust and progressive regulator. In many ways, the OGRA Egaming licence can be seen as similar to the Curacao license in terms of scope and possibilities for prospective casino owners. Both have global reach, ready to serve jurisdictions lacking home regulation or those who seem happy to share the servitude of their nation’s pastime with legitimate authorities. For some, however, the Gambling Supervision Commission has historically been a more consistent and hands-on regulator than its counterpart.
You can expect the following from an IOM GSC (OGRA) licenced casino:
- Thousands of Casino and Live Casino games, Random Number Generator (RND) certified and tested.
- Sportsbook Betting.
- Various Payment Methods, including Pay N Play and Open Banking.
- Cryptocurrency Gaming.
- Complementary Bonuses and Promotions.
- Peace of Mind from a Trusted and Established ‘Tier 1 Regulator’.
In addition, the GSC takes player complaints seriously and carries out investigations where needed, which means players can take comfort that the regulator will ensure a fair outcome and resolution. In short, players can expect a certain standard of operation from a GSC casino, under a stern and fair regulator ready to set straight any problem casinos or establishments that fail to meet the expected standards.
Combating Gambling Crime
To further cement its position of trust in regulation, the IOM GSC works in conjunction with the Isle of Man Financial Services Authority to monitor operations under their supervision for AML and CFT compliance. On November 6th, 2023, the partnership launched its new data gathering and monitoring tool, STRIX AML. Developed under the guidance of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) by Financial Transparency Solutions, STRIX AML collates data and analyses potential weak spots, possible areas of threat or companies exposed to a higher-than-average risk of crime.
From a press release on the IOM Government website, GSC Director of AML/CFT & Enforcement, Helen Ault stated:
‘Compliance with AML/CFT international standards is crucial in terms of maintaining the Isle of Man’s reputation as an excellent place to do business. Joining forces with the Authority to adopt a common system makes a lot of sense and will support a consistent approach to AML/CFT data collection and risk assessment.’
Director at Financial Transparency Solutions, Garrett Dunker added:
‘The automation provided by STRIX saves supervisory authorities time and resources, and makes complex risk analysis easier to handle. We have enjoyed working in partnership with the Financial Services Authority and Gambling Supervision Commission and are confident they will see immediate and longer-term benefits.’