Trusted Testing Houses

Here at CasinoReviews one of the most consistent complaint topics submitted to our Complaints Manager relates to online casinos being rigged. Players are often suspicious about the integrity of online casino games, particularly if they have undergone a losing streak more than once in quick succession at the same operator. Then they begin to question whether someone may have been tampering with games behind the scenes to cheat them out of wins. Whilst this is seldom true, it cannot be ruled out entirely, not all online casinos are reputable and we have caught online casinos using cheating games and even fake versions of games. We have compiled an indepth article on this subject - Are Online Casinos Rigged. To be sure that a casino has a reputation for fairness and honesty we suggest only playing with those operators that can be found in our Best Online Casinos list.

Those online casinos licensed by high quality licensors are expected to subject their games to regular fairness testing by trusted testing laboratories who issue dated certificates to indicate the process has taken place satisfactorily. The best online casinos display a testing seal in the footer of their website that functions as a link, allowing players to click through to the verified testing page on the testing lab’s website. The remainder of this article will focus on how testing agencies function and give further detail on the different test laboratories functioning at the moment.

Testing houses have an important role to play in the safety of online gamblers. They were founded in order to establish that online casino games function in a safe and legitimate manner. Testing houses are independent organisations who employ those with the skillsets needed to determine, beyond any doubt, that casino software is free from bugs or glitches that may cause results that are statistically implausible. Games requiring the use of RNG for functionality – even some that would be slotted into the “live” category – are subjected to testing by testing labs.

Strict regulations are in place that must be met by every game offered by every casino and it is the role of the testing house to determine whether the games are functioning to the standards stipulated. If a game is found to be functioning outside of the expected standards, it is made inaccessible to players playing for real money until any errors have been corrected by the associated developer.

It is important to note that each of the individual regulators have different requirements as to how often games must be tested. Generally, it is accepted by all regulators that a brand-new game must acquire a testing certificate before it is ever made available to players. Beyond this initial test for fresh to the market games, there is quite a bit of variance as to how often a game must undergo testing. Some regulators require blind annual audits of a selection of games across several categories for each of their licensees, whilst others enforce more or less stringent rules for this. It is important to check with each regulator as to their testing standards and requirements if there is any ambiguity.

The random auditing of games is based on specific results that have been returned to players – ensuring that the game’s performance falls inside mathematically expected norms. It must be highlighted that this provides only an overview of overall “fairness” at any single time, but very existence of these agencies and the actions they carry out makes it highly unlikely that any software provider is going to alter games to behave non-randomly, consequently, games exhibit more safety and security than before these testing houses existed.

Each regulator takes a different approach to approving testing facilities. A considerable number of testing laboratories exist today and not all regulators approve all laboratories. Some regulators clearly state which testing houses an operator may obtain their testing certificate from, whilst others do not make such information readily available. We have done our best to provide a comprehensive overview of the testing houses approved by each regulator by locating the information from primary sources such as the regulator’s website or from the list of jurisdictions the testing house states it provides approved services to on its website. In the interests of simplicity, we have amalgamated all subdivisions of the same testing house under one single listing. The various testing houses immediately follow.

Recognised as a credible testing agency by the world’s most reputable licensors, including the UKGC and MGA, iTechLabs have served the testing requirements of online gaming industry since 2004. They were also heavily involved in the evolution of the Australian Internet Gaming Standards now utilized by licensors and regulators across the world.

Gaming Labs International (GLI) have over 30 years of testing services to the igaming industry behind them. They are one of the testing labs appearing on the UKGC’s list of approved testers, meaning their brand is considered reputable and competent to carry out independent checks.

In its 38-year history, BMM Test Labs has forged a reputation for excellence in the testing and compliance markets. BMM is a globally serving testing provider and is currently able to offer its expertise to the following jurisdictions: United Kingdom, Isle of Man, Spain, Antigua and Barbuda and the State of Nevada. There are likely to be more approved jurisdictions, but this information does not seem to be available on the BMM website.

British based company, eCOGRA came into being in 2003 and have a reputation for being one of the industry leaders in providing testing services for the igaming sector. The company have a global presence and have obtained many jurisdictional approvals over the years. They are able to offer compliance and testing services and they currently provide these to in the region of 80 of the best-known names in the industry synonymous with fair and independent services. eCOGRA currently have jurisdictional approval for the following areas: Alderney Gambling Control Commission, Belarus - Gambling Business Monitoring Center, Buenos Aires Province, Bulgaria State Commission of Gaming, Colombia - Coljuegos, Croatia Ministry of Finance, Czech Republic, Denmark - Spillemyndigheden, Estonia Tax and Customs Board, First Cagayan, Gibraltar Gambling Commission, Great Britain – United Kingdom Gambling Commission, Greece, Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission, Italy - Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli, Jersey Gambling Commission, Kahnawake Gaming Commission, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta Gaming Authority, Netherlands - Kansspelautoriteit, Philippines - PAGCOR, Portugal - Serviço de Regulação e Inspeção de Jogos, Romania - Oficiul Național pentru Jocuri de Noroc, Spain - Directorate General for the Regulation of Gambling, Sweden – Spelinspektionen and Switzerland.

Gaming Associates have been operating since the 1990s meaning they have one of the longest standing presences in the casino sector. They are an internationally renowned company that operate fully independently to provide testing, security and auditing services to igaming operators globally. The jurisdictions they are approved to offer services to include: Alderney Gambling Control Commission, Antigua Directorate of Offshore Gaming, Australia - Northern Territory Gambling & Licensing Department of Business, Belarus- Gambling Business Monitoring Center, Bulgaria - State Commission of Gaming, Coljuegos - Republic of Colombia , Croatia - Ministry of Finance, Denmark - Spillemyndigheden, Estonia - Tax and Customs Board, Gibraltar Remote Gambling, Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission, Italy - Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli, Jersey Gambling Commission, Kahnawake Gaming Commission, Latvia, Lithuania, Madrid Province, Malta Lotteries and Gaming Authority, Netherlands – Kansspelautoriteit, Norsk Tipping, PAGCOR, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, Philippines, First Cagayan Leisure and Resort Corporation, Portugal - Serviço de Regulação e Inspeção de Jogos, Romania - Oficiul Național pentru Jocuri de Noroc, Swedish Gambling Authority, Switzerland, Spain Directorate General for the Regulation of Gambling and the United Kingdom Gambling Commission.

Having been established in 1989, Gaming Labs International (GLI) have in excess of 30 years of igaming testing experience to draw on. Their statistics are impressive: they have offered testing services to almost 500 jurisdictions whilst providing certification for more than 1.75 million products. They are highly regarded in the industry and have a reputation for fairness and integrity which in turn extends to those they provide services for. GLI have gained approval for offering testing services to: United Kingdom Gambling Commission and Italy - Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli – there will be more but we could not say for sure which ones as we could not find the necessary information on the GLI website.

Global Lab Limited offer a range of services including games certification. They have a strong team of cybersecurity experts on staff alongside testing gurus. They have been approved to offer services to: Estonia Tax and Customs Board, Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission and Lithuania. There may well be further jurisdictional approvals, but we could not locate this information on the GLL site.

Boasting lead consultants with over 100 years combined experience, iTech Global Labs are one of the market leaders in their field. They were heavily involved in the development of the Australian Internet Gaming Standards. Jurisdictional approvals include: Alderney Gambling Control Commission, Antigua and Barbuda Directorate of Offshore Gaming, Belarus, Buenos Aires Province, Colombia, Croatia, , Czechia, Denmark (Spillemyndigheden), Estonia Tax and Customs Board, First Cagayan Leisure and Resort Corporation, Gibraltar Regulatory Authority, Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission, Italy (Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli), Jersey Gambling Commission, Kahnawake Gaming Commission, Latvia (Lotteries and Gambling Supervisory Inspection), Lithuania (Gaming Control Authority under the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Lithuania), Madrid Province, Malta Lotteries and Gaming Authority, North Cagayan Gaming & Amusement Corporation, Northern Territory Gaming & Racing, PAGCOR (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation), Panama, Portugal (Serviço de Regulação e Inspeção de Jogos), Spain (Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego), Sweden (Spelinspektionen), Switzerland (Commission Fédérale des Maisons de Jeu, CFMJ), Tasmanian Gaming Commission and the UK Gambling Commission.

QALab is a well-established company offering a range of testing and consulting services to the igaming industry. It operates on an international scale and works to a multitude of international standards. QALab are approved to offer services to the United Kingdom Gambling Commission and the Isle of Man Gambling Commission – beyond this we cannot be sure which jurisdictions they are able to work with because they do not offer this information on their website.

Quinel Ltd have been operating for over a decade – not as long as some of the testing houses – but in that time they have secured a reputation for high standards and integrity. With laboratories in the United Kingdom, Malta, Argentina and Italy, Quinel are well placed to offer their services internationally. Quinel are approved to offer services to the following jurisdictions: Argentina, Estonia, Lithuania, Belgium, First Cagayan, Malta, Belarus, Georgia, Philippines, Bulgaria, Gibraltar, Portugal, Colombia, Jersey, Spain, Croatia, Isle of Man, Sweden, Curaçao, Italy, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Kahnawake, United Kingdom, Denmark, Latvia.

Trisigma was established in 2010 by Rob Hubregtse and Frank Otte and in its 11-year history it has become synonymous with high standards and trustworthiness. With experience in certification and compliance Trisigma has become an industry mainstay when it comes to testing facilities. To date Trisigma is approved to offer services to the following jurisdictions: Alderney, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Gibraltar, Isle of Man, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

SIQ are one of the oldest testing and compliance companies in existence having been founded in the 1960s and developing in the 1990s – they even hold the national standard for time and frequency in Slovenia! SIG are approved to offer services to the following jurisdictions: Gibraltar, Jersey, Nevada and the United Kingdom.

Eclipse Compliance Testing are based in the US and they offer testing and compliance services to the igaming sector. They have cultivated a very positive reputation in the industry and are growing steadily in this competitive market. Eclipse have provided us with a full list of their approved jurisdictions, and we would ask any operator wishing to avail themselves of their services to contact us for confirmation that the company are able to provide services to them. Eclipse will also be very happy to help should you prefer to contact them directly.

NMI is now part of GLI.

Enex Test Labs was first established in 1989 when it was part of RMIT University, but it has since become a commercial enterprise offering a diverse range of testing services to both igaming and non-igaming clients. Authorised igaming jurisdictions include: Alderney, Gibraltar and the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation.

Expleo considers itself to be a “technology partner” and it offers its technological expertise to a wide range of industries including Aeronautics, Automotive, Banking & Financial Services, Energy & Utilities, Gaming, Healthcare & Pharmaceutical, Industrial, Insurance, Naval, Public Sector, Rail Transportation, Retail & Logistics, Space & Defense and Telecoms & Media. Gibraltar and Antigua and Barbuda list Expleo as being approved to offer services to igaming clients in their jurisdictions – there may be others but we could not find concrete information on this.