OPEN LETTER TO ONLINE CASINO AND POKER ROOM OPERATORS

Join the ranks of 115 other gambling sites to improve standards and business

115 online casino and poker sites now proudly display the eCOGRA seal, guiding players to sites where they know they will enjoy a safe, fair and efficient online gambling experience.

Over the last 4 years eCOGRA and its membership has invested over $3 million to lay the groundwork and create an effective and widely respected organisation. eCOGRA is now recognised as a major industry force for lifting the credibility and integrity levels of the online gambling industry as a whole.

Your interest in the benefits of the eCOGRA initiative suggests that you have established a sound professional reputation in the industry and intend to go further, and we believe that this ambition can be profitably advanced through involvement with eCOGRA. I therefore hope that the information below will provide you with sufficient practical motivation to apply now for the eCOGRA seal.

Player Perceptions of eCOGRA’s Role and Services

The recent eCOGRA Global Online Gambler Survey conducted during the last quarter of 2006 in conjunction with Nottingham Trent University strengthened the eCOGRA brand within the player community, with results that showed:

  • Once informed about the role eCOGRA plays, 69 percent of 11 000 players surveyed - the biggest global online gambling survey ever - said they would look for eCOGRA's "Play It Safe" seal before gambling at a site going forward;
  • 88 percent of players rate monthly payout percentage reports prepared by a reputable independent third party as important, and 91 percent rated RNG fairness reports in similar light;
  • Players who sought out logos proclaiming the trustworthiness of an Internet casino or poker website looked first for a reputable payment system logo, then the eCOGRA logo, then that of a software provider; and
  • The body which was reported most frequently to have successfully resolved player-casino disputes was eCOGRA.

What does eCOGRA certification involve?

In order for you to achieve eCOGRA seal status, it is necessary for our highly qualified and specialised team to perform an onsite review of your operations and some aspects of your software provider operations to ensure full compliance with our detailed and practical eGAP requirements (www.ecogra.org/egap).

Prior to the review, we’ll provide you with appropriate advice, policies, manuals and other easy-to-use information to help you make sure your operation complies with industry best practices and our standards and requirements.

Typically the inspection will take 3 or 4 days, and once your site is fully compliant a full report will be submitted to our four Independent Directors responsible for considering the award of the "Play It Safe" seal.

Monthly payout percentage, bi-annual RNG and monthly card-shuffling reports will then be routinely provided by eCOGRA.

Are there any other benefits?

Very definitely - consider the following:

  1. Best practice guidelines: Prepared by international auditing firms and other professional organisations, operators receive these guidelines to facilitate implementation of eCOGRA’s eGAP standards.
  2. Professional training: For staff dealing with underage and problem gambling issues, eCOGRA utilises the expertise of relevant specialists to offer the latest training methodologies available, including a 2 day training program for all eCOGRA operators.
  3. Accountability: eCOGRA provides certified software provider and operator management with comfort that appropriate controls, policies and procedures are in place to comply with best practice operational standards.
  4. International recognition: eCOGRA's software testing principles and methodologies are recognised by certain leading jurisdictions, such that licensees using eCOGRA certified software do not have to subject their software to testing by other 3rd parties.
  5. The “Play It Safe” Seal: All operations passing inspection receive the eCOGRA Seal—a beacon to all players that their play is fair, safe and constantly monitored.
  6. Game Fairness Reports: All operators have the option to receive independently prepared monthly payout percentage reports for all categories of casino games, monthly card shuffling reviews for poker games and bi-annual RNG reports.
  7. Fair Gaming Advocate: All players at eCOGRA approved sites have unlimited access to eCOGRA's full-time Fair Gaming Advocate for resolving disputes - typically achieved in less than 48 hours.
  8. Critical decision making: Approved operators enjoy being part of an organisation that provides a forum for interaction and decision making by industry leaders, and an opportunity to work together on important initiatives such as social responsibility projects.
  9. Industry-wide recognition: Crucial industry stakeholders such as financial institutions, payment processors, jurisdictions, affiliates and portals recognise that the organisation complies with the highest standards in this industry.
  10. Extensive PR and marketing efforts: eCOGRA invests in marketing and PR to promote its approved sites, positive player feedback and fair gaming standards to support player acquisition and retention efforts of its members.
  11. Portal promotion: Numerous webmasters and affiliates now promote the benefits to players of frequenting eCOGRA-approved sites.
  12. Improving industry perceptions: Software supplier and operator involvement with eCOGRA enables us to show legislators and other industry stakeholders from all around the world that the industry together is willing to act in the best interests of its customers.

I trust the above information will encourage you to apply for eCOGRA’s seal, and should you require any further information or wish to proceed with the certification process, please do not hesitate to contact me at:

andrew@ecogra.org

Kind regards

Andrew Beveridge, CEO eCOGRA