Located just outside Montreal, Canada, on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, is the 8,000-strong Mohawk community known as Kahnawake. This area is also the base for the Kahnawake Gaming Commission.
The Kahnawake Gaming Commission is tasked with licensing and regulating all gaming and related activities conducted from the Kahnawake territory.
Notably, the Kahnawake license is a favored option for new businesses due to its lower cost and relative ease of acquisition compared to other jurisdictions.
The Kahnawake Gaming Commission, established on June 10, 1996, is one of the oldest gaming regulators globally. It introduced regulations for interactive gaming on July 8, 1999, in accordance with section 35 of the Kahnawake Gaming Law.
These regulations aim to:
- Provide a legal framework for regulating and controlling interactive gaming based in or offered from the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake.
- Ensure that interactive gaming is conducted in a responsible, fair, and honest manner.
- Prevent any association of interactive gaming with crime or criminal activities.
- Guarantee that operators treat players fairly, pay winners promptly, and keep all player account information confidential.
- Protect individuals under eighteen years old and other vulnerable groups.
Kahnawake-licensed casinos regulate various forms of online gambling, including poker, casino games, and sports betting.
The KGC also has the authority to appoint third-party “Approved Agents” to assist with its functions related to gaming sites. These agents might investigate an applicant’s suitability to offer interactive gaming services or conduct testing and auditing to ensure compliance. Examples of approved agents include Scout Intelligence Inc, Triton Canada Inc, Gaming Associates Europe Ltd, and eCOGRA.
