Established in 2003, the UK-based eCOGRA is an independent regulatory body for the online gambling industry. eCOGRA stands for eCommerce Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance. The international regulation authority concentrates on fair gaming, player protection and responsible operator conduct. Most players familiar with the online gambling industry will recognize the eCOGRA logo found scattered throughout websites of a majority of the top operators, affiliates, and software providers in the world.
Gambling.com patrons will probably notice we proudly display our eCOGRA Affiliate Trust Seal!
When you visit the eCOGRA website, you are immediately promoted to select which division of the company you are looking to access, either their Approved Testing Agency (ATA) Services or Self-Regulation Services (SRS).
eCOGRA's ATA Services specialize in the certification of online gaming software and systems through agency testing. This division has completed over 500 compliance reviews for almost 80 industry leading operators and software providers. Their list of clients include world-class operators like Bet365, 32Red, 888, Betway, and Ladbrokes as well as the software giants Microgaming and NetEntertainment.
eCOGRA's SRS website provides the following list of this division's policy objectives:
The eCOGRA Generally Accepted Practices (eGAP) are requirements assigned to operators, affiliates and software providers breaking down what it takes to earn one of three official eCOGRA certifications. If the particular client fulfills all assigned eGAP requirements, eCOGRA will award them a seal of approval to be produly displayed throughout their site.
Operators receive and display the familiar eCOGRA’s Safe and Fair Seal. Affiliates are awarded eCOGRA's Affiliate Trust Seal while software providers receive eCOGRA’s Certified Software Seal.
eCOGRA clearly lays out how these eGAP requirements are enforced: "through reviews and continuous monitoring conducted by a team of highly specialised staff members. The majority of eCOGRA staff members have an auditing background at Big 4 auditing firms and are qualified Chartered Accountants and/or Certified Information Systems Auditors."
The lack of regulation over the internet has caused privacy and corruption issues for almost every industry including gambling. Thousands of players each day are scammed out of their hard earned cash. Fortunately, regulatory bodies like eCOGRA help curb these criminal acts and work towards ensuring all online gambling is not only enjoyable but fair.
Most people can agree it is impossible to totally regulate any online industry. In order to avoid the scams that aren't immediately detected by law enforcement, check for trusted seals of approval like eCOGRA's to ensure you are playing with a certified operator or affiliate.