Kahnawake Jurisdiction profile

To register a complaint about an interactive gaming site licensed by the Commission email complaints@gamingcommission.ca

The Kahnawake Gaming Commission is a body that licenses and regulates interactive wagering in the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake a reserve that is situated south of the Canadian city of Montreal with over 10,000 inhabitants. In 1982, the territory was granted self-government by the Canadian government. The Kahnawake Gaming Commission was established in 1996 and has since established a successful name for itself in the gambling industry.

The Kahnawake Gaming Commission operates under three basic principles. Firstly, all games need to be fair to players. Secondly, winners have to get paid out at all times and, thirdly, only suitable entities and individuals are allowed to operate through this territory's jurisdiction.

Applicants pay a non-refundable licensing fee as well as a non-refundable deposit to cover any costs incurred. A refundable license fee is also required by applicants for the first year but will be returned if the application for an operating license is turned down. In general, interactive gambling licenses are issued for two years.

The independent Mohawk Internet Technology group provides all interactive gaming services in the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake. The company provides state of the art technology, high speed connection, uncapped bandwidth and full technical support to ensure that services run smoothly at all times.

To determine whether a potential operator can be considered “suitable”, the Commission begins a process that requires that the entity provide information concerning the business. This information is checked by the National Fraud Center to ensure that the data provided is accurate and complete. Based on the outcome of these checks, an application is either granted or denied.

The Commission has established certain technical standards to ensure that the games offered by license holders are fair. Before implementing their systems, applicants need to subject these systems to risk analysis, performed by Gaming Associates. A full audit plan is established and monthly audits are conducted to ensure the licensees comply with the Commission’s standards. The Commission also works with the prestigious auditing firm Pricewaterhouse Coopers when conducting monitoring activities of licensed businesses.

In order to receive a license from the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, potential operators need to meet the strict industry requirements set forth by the organization. These include the need to address underage gambling and problem wagering. In addition, all sites that operate under the Kahnawake Gaming Commission jurisdiction need to display a prominent logo that is hyperlinked to the Commission itself. This allows players who wish to query whether a site is truly licensed by the Commission to check for themselves on the organization’s official website.

The Commission may revoke the licenses or penalize any businesses that do not comply with these standards, and it has done so in the past. For example, in recent months, the Commission has enforced sanctions on one of its licensees, Absolute Poker, for unethical gaming practices. In its own words, the Kahnawake Gaming Commission is thus empowered to control and regulate all gaming related activities conducted from the Territory of Kahnawake “in accordance with the highest principles of honesty and integrity.