Kahnawake Gaming Commission facts for kids
The Kahnawake Gaming Commission is a group that gives licenses and checks on many online gaming websites. These include online casinos, poker rooms, and sports betting sites. They also oversee three poker rooms located in the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake.
The Commission was created in 1996. This happened because of the Kahnawake Gaming Law, which was made by the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake. The rules for online gaming were first put in place in 1999.
The Commission gives special permits to online gaming companies. These are called Client Provider Authorizations. There is a fee to apply for these permits. This fee helps cover the cost of checking the application.
Why It's Allowed
The Mohawk Council of Kahnawake and the Commission believe they have the right to make gaming laws. They say this right comes from their long-standing Mohawk or "aboriginal rights." These rights have been recognized in Canada's Constitution Act, 1982.
Since 1996, no one has successfully challenged the legality of the Kahnawake Gaming Law. This means the Commission's work is considered legal.
In 2007, a court case in Quebec looked at a decision made by the Commission. The court sided with the Commission. This showed that the Commission's decisions were respected.
Keeping Things Fair
The Commission currently licenses over 50 online gaming companies. These companies run about 250 different online gaming websites.
In 2009, the Commission investigated a big cheating problem. This was known as the Ultimate Bet cheating scandal. The Commission found that cheating had happened on the Ultimate Bet poker site. They took strong action against the company that owned it.
The Commission ordered the company to pay back about US$22,000,000 to the players who were cheated. They also fined the company US$1,500,000. On top of that, they made the company change its operations. This was to make sure cheating would not happen again.
In 2016, the Commission made an agreement with New Jersey in the United States. They agreed that they would no longer give licenses to gaming companies that accept players from the USA. This helps make sure gaming rules are clear for everyone.
