Kahnawake Gaming Commission
The Kahnawake Gaming Commission (KGC) is an organization which licenses online gambling operations, such as online casinos, sports betting sites and poker rooms. It is based on the Mohawk territory of Kahnawake, which is a Native American reserve located south of the city of Montreal in Canada. The territory is administered in a semi-autonomous manner, independent from the government of Canada. This is why it’s the only jurisdiction in the country which licenses online casino operators.
If you play at a casino licensed by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, you can have the assurance that you’re dealing with a legitimate operator that takes ethical treatment of players seriously. The KGC is one of the oldest and most widely known licensing jurisdictions in the online gambling world. Unlike some other jurisdictions with lax rules that enables anyone willing to pay the fee to obtain a gaming license, they are committed to only approving licenses for reputable casino operators. All new license applicants are thoroughly vetted and the software they use to run their games must pass a technical evaluation to ensure that it is fair. The KGC is also active in responding to player complaints and has mediated disputes between players and casino operators on numerous occasions.
MOHAWK INTERNET TECHNOLOGIES is empowered to conduct such activities as are required to develop, manage, operate and administer Internet commerce and related technologies within the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake that are in the best interests of the community of Kahnawake, provided that such activities are in accordance with the laws of Kahnawake.
-Internet Gamling Report V
How and when was the Kahnawake Gaming Commission established?
- The Commission was established on June 10, 1996 pursuant to the provisions of the Kahnawake Gaming Law (MCR No. 26 / 1996-97).
- The Commission has been continuously licensing and regulating online gaming since July 8, 1999 – the date on which the Commission enacted its Regulations concerning Interactive Gaming – longer than almost any other jurisdiction in the world.
- The Commission is empowered to license and regulate gaming and gaming related activities conducted within and from the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake in accordance with the highest principles of honesty and integrity.
Where is Kahnawake?
Kahnawake is a community of approximately 8,000 Mohawk (North American Indian) persons located on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, 20 minutes from Montréal, Canada. The Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake presently occupies approximately 20 square miles.