What is Ecogra?
eCOGRA ("ecommerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance") is the initial and most intensive attempt in the industry aimed at ensuring that online casino operators sustain common standards to give players a satisfactory gaming experience.
ECOGRA is an independent, not for profit association that awards a seal to self-regulating operators who conform to their standards of punctual payments, safe storage of information, fair games, honest advertising, and responsible behavior.
These are some of the primary concerns a player may have when visiting an online gambling operator.
eCOGRA achieves this by advocate a series of standards that are regularly tested by an independent auditor. The eCOGRA Seal and certificate is displayed at the operator's site if they meet the standards.
ECOGRA is a non-profit regulatory body whose function is to monitor and vet the online gambling industry. Online casinos that meet eCOGRA's strict principles are awarded the eCOGRA Free and Fair seal, which most display highly on their home page.
The organization’s mandate is to protect players by as long as as much as they can about their rights, and by ensuring that member casinos stick to a set of rules that ensures fairness of play and set high standards of operation.
The primary requirement is that member casino games behave with honesty. For an online casino, continued membership of eCOGRA means being regularly audited by a third party company (approved by eCOGRA). Players can approach eCOGRA to view these audits, which are usually available through eCOGRA's website.
eCOGRA's rules require that member casinos may not use misleading language in any advertising that invites players to join, and that industry-recognized measures are in place to protect the safety of their players' personal information. The games on offer have to be run truthfully, the day to day operating of the casino has to be monitored, and it has to be easy for players to collect their winnings.
Ecogra Approved Online Casinos
Spin Palace Casino
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Ruby Fortune Casino
A celebratory $1,000 Bonus will be granted to any player who wins a Progressive Jackpot of $25,000 or more, at any of Ruby Fortune’s Progressive Games. Every month Ruby Fortune offers you the opportunity to win extra casino bonuses. Simply play the games that we recommend.
Vegas 7 Casino
Vegas 7 Casino offers players the widest and most exciting range of Casino Games online. Download our Casino today and receive over 250 state-of-the-art digital sound and 3d graphics Viper software casino games with new games released monthly!
At Vegas 7 Casino we pride ourselves on our high level of Safety & Security, Player payouts are independently audited by one of the world's leading and most prestigious accounting firms; all payout certificates are available online and date back to 2003.
Ecogra Function in Casino
eCOGRA will then investigate the matter, and has proven that it has no compunction about taking action where necessary.
In extreme instances, eCOGRA will even provide legal depiction for angry players, although this is hardly ever necessary as most matters are quickly and easily resolved. The association produces an annual report, available on their website and distributed to all members, that lists the number of complaint they received within a given financial year, and how those disputes were resolved.
eCOGRA is governed by a board made up of major players within the online casino gambling industry. The current Chief Executive Officer is Andrew Beveridge, with John Anderson (representing 888.com), Roger Raatgever (representing Microgaming) and Oliver Eckel (representing the Australian gambling giant Bwin).
In addition there are several self-determining directors, all of whom have some background or knowledge in the gaming industry.
This awareness is crucial to their purpose, because admirably, in the interest of fairness, it is the sole mandate of the independent directors to assess whether a new online casino applying for membership of eCOGRA meets with the organization’s strict rules and standards, and thus qualifies for the Free and Fair seal.
Currently the independent directors are represented by William Henbrey, the former head of gaming services at BDO accountancy, Frank Catania, the former director of New Jersey's Gaming Enforcement Division, Willian Galaston, who served as Chief superintendent of the UK's Gambling Board, and Michael Hirst, who spent time working for Ladbrokes.
Since its inception the association has continued to grow, and today its members include more than 20 major players in the online gambling games sector.
More than 100 online casinos now bear eCOGRA's Free and Fair seal, inspiring confidence in players where they see it.