Casino Regulator - Monitoring Online Casinos

Casino Regulator Code of Practice

A CASINO displaying the Casino Regulator logo on their web site agrees to follow these guidelines.

1. INTRODUCTION

Aims of the Casino Regulator Code of Practice:

To ensure the fairness and accuracy of disclosure of Casino terms and conditions to potential players and public in general;
To improve the standard of conduct within the industry;
To provide public access to complaint handling and cost-effective redress mechanisms;
To impose and regulate industry standards;
To improve customer relations;
To protect rights of access;
To ensure that information and procedures are in place for the protection of minors from accessing sites;

1.2 COMPLIANCE

All members of the Casino Regulator Code of Practice will:

Include in each of its agreements with users a provision that they comply with the Code;
Include in an obvious location, a statement of support for the Casino Regulator Code of Practice and immediately adjacent a direction to the Code of Practice document;
Provide a link to the Casino Regulator Code of Practice Home Page which provides information to the user about their rights under the Code.

2. WHO THE CASINO REGULATOR CODE OF PRACTICE APPLIES TO

For the purposes of this document:

a CASINO is defined as a person or organisation, who for commercial or non-profit reasons offers casino style games over the Internet.
a user is defined as a person or organisation who is being offered such casino style games over the Internet.

3.CONDUCT OF CASINOS

3.1 CASINO'S WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THE CASINO REGULATOR CODE OF PRACTICE WILL MAKE AVAILABLE TO EACH USER:

A Copy of the Casino Regulator Code of Practice upon request;
Full disclosure of all terms, and description of services, relevant to the service being offered prior to reaching agreement with user. The information will be provided in such a format that a lay-person can easily understand. A user who then agrees to use the service agrees to be bound to these terms;
Information about dispute resolution should be easily located by users;

3.2 INDUSTRY AWARENESS

Members of the Casino Regulator Code of Practice must require their employees and agents to operate within the guidelines of the Code.

3.3 MEMBERS OF THE CASINO REGULATOR CODE OF PRACTICE WILL:

--Act in accordance with high standards of ethics and integrity;

--Provide for each user and potential user, particulars regarding who the business is, including the physical office, contact telephone number and facsimile number;

--Ensure that all advertising complies with Local Advertising Standards Board guidelines;

--Take all practicable measures to protect the confidentiality of users information

--Make readily accessible to the public, registration procedures, deposit/withdrawal options and associated fees, and payout percentages;

--Inform the user all the different ways of paying and tell them clearly how to pay.

3.3.1 SECURITY

--Maintain a secure site for sending personal information and provide information about the type and level of security being used on the site.

--Make sure that any changes to the system are made in a secure way

--Make sure that the security guidance of the supplier of the system are followed

--Take steps to make sure that the user is who they say they are

--Take steps to make sure that the content of the site cannot be interfered with

--Make sure that transactions are confidential and cannot be interfered with

--If third party services are used to fulfil transactions, to ensure that they maintain a similar level of security

--Provide any information necessary to enable complaints to be handled properly under the terms of this code

3.3.2 CUSTOMER SUPPORT AND SERVICE

To provide a customer service phone number and provide when this service is available and state clearly the cost of the calls.
Customer service staff must be aware of obligations under the Code.
To invite users to post comments about their experience of using the CASINO on the Casino Regulator forum discussions.

3.3.3 FAULTY SOFWARE

To provide the option of a full refund, within a reasonable time, if PROVED that loss is caused to the user due to faulty software.
To give all refunds as soon as possible, and at the latest within 30 days of agreeing to give the refund, taking into account the original method of payment.

3.4 MEMBERS OF THE CASINO REGULATOR CODE OF PRACTICE WILL NOT:

Inaccurately represent the benefits of their service
Engage in conduct that is misleading or deceptive

4. DISPUTE RESOLUTION

Each member of the Casino Regulator Code of Practice will comply with the following dispute resolution procedures:

When a dispute arises between the Casino and its user, the complainant shall be asked to set out in writing the nature of the dispute;

Both parties will make every effort to resolve the dispute by negotiations;

If the parties are unable to reach a resolution of the dispute, either party may, by notice in writing, advise the other party that it seeks to have the dispute resolved by mediation or arbitration. If either party nominates arbitration rather than mediation before a mediator is appointed, the matter shall be arbitrated.

If the parties cannot agree on an independent arbitrator they may refer the matter to the Casino Regulator Code of Practice Complaints Board (See Appendix A)

APPENDIX A

EITHER PARTY MAY NOTIFY THE CASINO REGULATOR CODE OF PRACTICE COMPLAINTS BOARD OF THE DISPUTE

Within 21 days of the date of the notice the parties may refer the matter to a mutually agreed arbitrator or mediator (as the case may be). In the event that no agreement can be reached on an appropriate arbitrator, the dispute will be referred to an arbitrator or mediator nominated by the Council (to be appointed).
The arbitrator will have the right to determine procedures and may or may not allow the appearance of lawyers on behalf of the parties and may co-opt other expert assistance.
Arbitration of any dispute shall take place in accordance with any rules or directions published by the Council from time to time and the law of the state where the industry member is located.
Nothing contained in this clause will deny a party the right to seek injunctive relief from an appropriate court where failure to obtain such relief would cause irreparable damage to the party concerned.