European Online Poker Sites
GGPoker has quickly rocketed to the top tier of online poker operators in record time, and the most recent move by the operator is a new license. The Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission has recently approved a new license for GGPoker, which they plan to use for much of the global player pool.
Europe is certainly a hotbed of online poker, and many of the country specific sites, particularly those from France and Italy, consistently rank among the world’s busiest poker sites, beating out almost all sites that don’t have to get all their players from just one country. The best online poker sites for Americans are: Ignition Casino, SB Poker, and Black Chip Poker. Ignition is best because it has the most players. SB Poker is best at Mac and mobile app software. Europe: Home of the Top Poker Sites. Europe is definitely the world’s powerhouse when it comes to the best poker sites. Companies that help dominate the market include 888 Poker, Party Poker and Bwin. Most online sporting bookmakers also have sister gaming operations on. European Online Poker Rooms In most countries in Europe, poker is perfectly legal and accepted. In fact, every major country in Europe allows their citizens to play online poker with no problem at all (Italy banned poker a few years back, but now it is legal and regulated in their country).
Previously, the operator used a license through Curaçao for most of its global players including the EU, as well as separate platforms in Poland and Germany.
While European players (except UK players, which are licensed separately through the UK Gambling Commission) remain licensed through Curaçao, players from countries like New Zealand and Canada, as well as Asian and South American regions are now playing under the newly acquired Isle of Man license.
- TOP BONUS — $600 deposit matched or up to $100 in rewards.
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- TRUSTED Holds a License from the UK Gambling Commission and the Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission. Available in many countries in Europe, South America and Asia.
GGPoker-branded Skins and their Licenses
| Website | Countries | Licensed in |
|---|---|---|
| GGpoker.EU | 13 European nations | Curaçao |
| pl.GGPoker.EU | Poland | Curaçao |
| GGPoker.DE | Germany | Curaçao |
| GGPoker.co.uk | UK | UK Gambling Commission |
| GGPoker.com | Rest of world, including CA, NZ, S America, Asia | Isle of Man |
Countries on GGPoker.EU under Curaçao License
- Austria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Finland
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Liechtenstein
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Norway
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
Best in Class Offshore Gaming License
The main advantage to securing an Isle of Man license is more legitimacy. The regulator is widely seen as best-in-class for online gaming licenses, with very effective player protection mechanisms leading to one of the best reputations in the business.
Curaçao, on the other hand, is more well known for a hands-off approach to licensed entities that provides a lot of freedom for operators, but does not force as much protection for the player pool.
The industry-leading PokerStars was a large factor in the growth of the Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission. The global juggernaut is headquartered on the island, and historically used their gaming license from the jurisdiction to run much of its global network. More recently, PokerStars moved over to a license from Malta to serve its European market. A lot of other companies and partners are licensed in Malta, so if you want to work with them, you need to have the same license.
While the Isle of Man is an excellent solution for the larger global player pool, it still leaves European players out in the cold. One issue with both Isle of Man and Curaçao is that neither is a member of the European Union. That presents concerns for European players, as many EU jurisdictions tax the winnings of players on sites licensed by an entity outside the EU.
Possible Malta Entry for EU Players
European Online Poker Sites List
That is where Malta comes in. In June 2020, GGPoker secured a license from the Malta Gambling Authority (MGA) for business-to-business gaming activities.
The current Malta license does not allow the operator to offer gambling directly to consumers, but instead is geared towards partnerships and joint-ventures with other gaming companies also licensed out of Malta.
That may change, however. The MGA license may well be the first step towards a license that covers European players within a European regulatory framework.
The groundwork for that path has already been laid by competitor PokerStars. They have moved their European customers over to an MGA license, which courts have looked favorably on in tax cases, as seen recently in a multi-year dispute between Dutch players and their national tax authority.
That case looks to be ending with a settlement where the Dutch Tax and Customs Administration has offered to repay players for unnecessary tax bills over the last decade from PokerStars.EU winnings.
Cleaning House
The moves to secure licensing from Isle of Man and Malta coincide with GGPoker’s larger effort to pull out from grey-market jurisdictions, as reported by our sister site PRO.
In late 2019 they exited from several markets including Colombia, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia and Switzerland. Now, it appears they are making more moves out of grey market areas by ceasing to accept new players from India, and other countries may fall in this new round of clean ups.
These moves seem to signal a desire by GGPoker to move into a more strictly-regulated business model. In addition to the moves that look to improve the situation for European players, parent company NSUS was recently approved for a manufacturer license in Pennsylvania for its first push into the US market.
While it is unclear how they will use this new US exposure, it’s a clear sign that the operator is looking to move into markets that had previously been closed to them.
Poker is a game that is popular the world over, however in Europe there has been something of a revolution recently in regards to the sheer number of people that do play poker in all playing environments.One of the main reasons for the increase in number of people playing poker is that many TV channels now show live footage from poker rooms and poker tournaments, and that has sparked an interest in people who feel they have the skills and capabilities to play poker, and play it well.If you are based anywhere in Europe then you are additionally going to be blessed with a huge number of different poker sites that will allow you to sign up as a new player, and with so many people playing online these day, you are never going to have any shortages of fellow players to take on and hopefully beat too.This guide is one of many that I do hope you make use of throughout this website, and as such if you are based in Europe and you fancy your chances of being a successful poker player then please do read on, as you will find plenty of hints, tips and advice you will find of great interest and use!Anyone travelling through Europe who wants to gamble online or in a live casino should be aware of the various laws covering gaming in the different European countries. Some prohibit online gambling from sites within their borders. There are also countries that permit online gambling, but prevent their banks from processing any of the winnings.
Recommended Licensed and Legal Poker sites
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Why You Should Play at EU Licensed Poker Sites
Contents
- Frequently Asked Questions
European Gambling Laws
The European Commission (EC) permits internet gambling sites with the stipulation they be licensed by countries in the EU. There are some European countries that don’t agree with this policy. There are also countries that require poker sites to become licensed within their specific country. Many new countries are starting to use that particular method of licenser but asking the poker sites to pay 3-5 years’ worth of back taxes. There are a few poker sites that are ponying up. PokerStars for instance has already paid back taxes in a handful of countries and obtained legally operating and licensed status.What it really boils down to is this though; it’s not illegal to play poker in many countries, and there are no consequences to those who do, however, the poker site itself may face a penalty if they’ve not done all that they need to do to comply with the law. This is a lot like eating at an establishment that doesn’t have a permit to serve food. You have no idea you’re doing it, and you’re probably not getting prosecuted for it, it’s not even illegal.On the other hand, there are countries, like Russia, where gambling is absolutely prohibited. Things are changing there as well with the creating of four new legalized gambling zones, but in the meantime, they’re a prime example of a ‘dry country’ when it comes to land based and online gambling.
Benefits of Localized Poker Sites
European Online Poker Sites Near Me
In Finland players can use sites licensed within the EU and not pay any tax on their winnings. In Sweden players can also play tax free if they use a poker site approved by the government and operates inside the EU. France has strict laws to regulate and tax gambling. Poker sites that accept French players must have a .fr domain and get a gaming license. In Russia the government has blocked all gambling sites but has established four gambling zones in the country. People in Norway can use an online gambling site if it has a license within the country. In Northern Ireland online gambling is approved, but the strict laws here make residents go to Ireland to play live poker.
Denmark
Finland
Greece
Norway
Scotland
Sweden
Playing Live Poker in Europe
Europe offers many hot tourist options when it comes to poker play including a plethora of major poker tournament events, like the World Series of Poker Europe for instance. There are also several famous poker rooms located throughout the continent. One major thought to keep in mind is that European poker rooms often feature dress codes and much like poker rooms located in Asia, they often require players to show an international passport.
Deposit and Play in Euros
One aspect of playing poker online in Europe is that you will be much better off playing at a poker site at which you can set your account to use Euros, as that way you are never going to be faced with having to pay any currency exchange rate fees when making a deposit or a withdrawal.You should also try and make use of a deposit and withdrawal option that comes with no additional fees and charges for using them, there will be plenty of them to pick and choose from but many European players much prefer using their debit cards as a way of funding their betting site accounts online.Web wallets are another popular option, and to be fair they often allow for a poker site to pay out their winning player instantly, as soon as they have put in a withdrawal request, however you will also find plenty of other ways of topping up your account and making a withdrawal too.Just try and select a poker site that offers rapid winning pay-outs to their players or you could end up waiting a very low time to get paid out your winnings if you don’t!
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are now getting quite interested in playing poker online, and you are based anywhere in Europe, then please do read on, for I am more than confident that you may have a few questions you want answering about doing so, and there is a very good chance those questions will be answered below.