In the absence of government regulation, a number of groups and associations have been formed to help online casinos regulate themselves. These regulators and watchdogs work to create an atmosphere of legitimacy in the online casino business. So who are they and what do they do?

Offshore Gaming Association: Created by a group of folks who "worked in the Sports Book Business and know how the business works," OSGA is basically a consumer reports outfit. They gather tips, insider news, player reports and their own casino and sportsbook experiences and collate the info into Bad Bets and Top Books lists. They also provide a Gambling News section and a Forums page. I've got nothing against these guys, but the casino advertising on their home page makes me wonder just how impartial they're really gonna be.

Interactive Gaming Council: A whole different bird in that their part in the online gaming community centers on a self-defined Code of Conduct that all IGC Members must adhere to. The Code is basically a ten point manifesto covering Regulatory Compliance, Accountability, Transaction Records, and other issues that strive to make online gambling fair, reasonable, private and honest. The idea is that anyone unhappy with an IGC Member's conduct can report it to the IGC and they'll look into it. A very professional looking and serious sounding operation. Members pay to join the IGC and are permitted to display the IGC logo on their sites. There are currently about 50 IGC Members.

Fidelity Trust Gaming Association: In a nutshell, a smaller version of the IGC. They present a set of Bylaws that Member sites agree to adhere to. These bylaws look suspiciously like a stripped-down version of the Code of Conduct at IGC. Again, members pony up a membership fee to join, about half that charged by the IGC. FTGA says "we do comprehensive background checks on not only the company but the individuals behind the company." Sounds good. But as far as I can tell, they only have two members.

So that's our first pass at who's who in the self-regulation biz. I fully expect that this will be an evolving part of WINNERonline, so stay tuned. I'll update and supplement this page as new info comes to light. In the meantime, keep an eye on our gaming news section for the latest happenings in the world of online gambling.