Near the end of every casino’s terms sits a clause that decides which country’s law applies to the contract and where a dispute is heard: in the courts of one country, or in private arbitration. This guide explains the clauses in plain words and shows what the terms of each of the 15 casinos we profile actually say, quoted from the document we captured and dated. It reports what the documents say. It is not legal advice, and whether a clause binds you depends on the law that applies to you.
Four clauses that are often confused
- Governing law. The country’s law used to interpret the terms and settle disagreements about them.
- Jurisdiction (venue). The court the terms name for a dispute. Some terms make one country’s courts exclusive.
- Arbitration. A private procedure that replaces a court case. Some terms make it mandatory (“settled exclusively by arbitration”) and some only mention it as a possibility.
- Class-action waiver. A promise to bring claims only on your own behalf, not as part of a group.
ADR is a different thing. Alternative dispute resolution is a complaint body that looks at a dispute after the casino’s own complaint process. The UK Gambling Commission describes it as “a free, independent service”, and eCOGRA’s own page says that if you are not satisfied with an ADR decision “you have the option to refer the matter to a court”. A mandatory arbitration clause is written differently: it says disputes are settled by arbitration. Where to go is covered in where to complain about an online casino.
What each casino’s terms say
One row per casino, taken from the terms we captured (date in the last column). “Not found” means the clause did not appear in the document we stored, which is not the same as the clause not existing.
| Casino | Governing law (as written) | Courts or arbitration | Class-action waiver | ADR named | Terms captured |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 888casino | not captured | not captured | not captured | not captured | — |
| BC.Game | "the laws specified in the Company's licensing jurisdiction" (jurisdiction not named in the clause) | not stated Arbitration: possible ("where permitted by Applicable Law"), rules set by the company | not found | not found in the stored terms | 5 Oct 2026 |
| Betway | Malta | Maltese courts (exclusive) | not found | eCOGRA | 7 Oct 2026 |
| BitStarz | not stated in the terms | Arbitration in Curaçao Arbitration: mandatory (exclusive) | not found | not named (the terms mention a "designated gambling dispute resolution service") | 5 Oct 2026 |
| Gamdom | Costa Rica | Courts of Costa Rica (exclusive) | not found | not found in the stored terms | 5 Oct 2026 |
| Guts | Malta | Maltese courts | not found | eCOGRA | 7 Oct 2026 |
| LeoVegas | Malta | Maltese courts (exclusive) | not found | eCOGRA | 13 Oct 2026 |
| mBit Casino | Curaçao | Arbitration under the rules of an ADR institution selected by mBitcasino Arbitration: mandatory (final) | yes | not named | 6 Oct 2026 |
| Mirax Casino | not stated in the terms | Arbitration in Curaçao Arbitration: mandatory (exclusive) | not found | EGIS | 7 Oct 2026 |
| Mr Green | Malta | Courts of Malta | not found | eCOGRA | 7 Oct 2026 |
| Rizk | Malta | Maltese courts | not found | eCOGRA | 7 Oct 2026 |
| Roobet | Curaçao | Arbitration procedure before a lawsuit (pre-suit step) Arbitration: required before starting a lawsuit | not found | not found in the stored terms | 5 Oct 2026 |
| Shuffle | Curaçao | not stated Arbitration: not found | yes (individual claims only; jury-trial waiver) | not found in the stored terms | 5 Oct 2026 |
| Wild.io | Anjouan, Union of the Comoros | Courts of Anjouan (exclusive for claims against the casino; the casino may sue elsewhere) | not found | not found in the stored terms | 6 Oct 2026 |
| Winz.io | not stated in the stored terms | Arbitration in Costa Rica; waiver of lawsuits outside arbitration Arbitration: mandatory (exclusive) | not found | EGIS (operates under the regulations of the Tobique Gaming Commission, per the terms) | 7 Oct 2026 |
Which law the terms name
| Law or venue named | Casinos | Which |
|---|---|---|
| Malta | 5 | Betway, Guts, LeoVegas, Mr Green, Rizk |
| Curaçao | 5 | BitStarz, mBit Casino, Mirax Casino, Roobet, Shuffle |
| Costa Rica | 2 | Gamdom, Winz.io |
| Anjouan | 1 | Wild.io |
| Not stated in the clause | 1 | BC.Game |
| Not checked | 1 | 888casino |
The law named in the terms is a separate fact from the licence. A casino can name Maltese law and Maltese courts and hold a Maltese licence, or name one country’s law while its licence is issued somewhere else. Check the licence on its own: step-by-step licence check.
The clauses in their own words
Open a casino to read the sentences we relied on, word for word, with the capture date and a link to the page.
888casino
Our stored 888casino documents are the terms index and the Gibraltar regulator page, not the full player terms (the site runs separate terms per market operator). Clause not checked.
BC.Game
captured 5 Oct 2026. Source
law. Unless otherwise required by Applicable Law or the Company's licensing conditions, these Terms shall be governed by the laws specified in the Company's licensing jurisdiction.
arbitration. Where permitted by Applicable Law, disputes arising from these Terms may be referred to confidential arbitration in accordance with the arbitration rules specified by the Company.
Betway
Last updated: 21/08/2026 · captured 7 Oct 2026. Source
law and venue. If, however, You wish to bring proceedings against Us, you must do so in Malta. These Terms and Conditions and the relationship between You and Us shall be governed by, and interpreted in accordance with, the laws of Malta. Maltese courts have exclusive jurisdiction.
adr. The ADR entity available to You is: eCOGRA ADRs are free of charge and the ruling reached by the ADR entity will be considered final by both Betway and the Customer
BitStarz
Last updated: June 25th, 2025 · captured 5 Oct 2026. Source
arbitration. All disputes which may arise between you and the Casino including their successors in title under general or special title as a result of these Terms and Conditions or as a result of further agreements and other acts in connection with these Terms and Conditions shall be settled exclusively by arbitration in Curacao and in accordance with Curacao Civil Procedure Rules.
escalation. You may escalate the complaint to the gambling authority or request a review by a designated gambling dispute resolution service should You not be satisfied with the Casino resolution.
Gamdom
Last updated: 1st October 2025 · captured 5 Oct 2026. Source
law and venue. These T&Cs are governed by the laws and regulations of Costa Rica. By using the Website you agree that any disputes, claims, or disagreements arising out of or relating to these T&Cs will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Costa Rica. All services are deemed to be provided from within Costa Rica, and the legal relations between You and the Company is established under Costa Rican law.
Guts
captured 7 Oct 2026. Source
law and venue. The Terms of Use shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of Malta in the Maltese Courts.
adr. We have appointed eCOGRA (www.eCOGRA.org) as our Alternative Dispute Resolution provider ("ADR").
LeoVegas
captured 13 Oct 2026. Source
law. The contractual relationship between You and the Operator is governed by these T&Cs and shall be construed in terms of the Laws of Malta.
venue. You hereby irrevocably agree that any dispute or claim arising out of these T&Cs and/or Your use of the Website or Games, shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Maltese Courts.
adr binding threshold. A decision of the ADR is considered to be binding where the amount of the claim does not exceed five thousand euro (€5,000) or the equivalent in the player’s national currency. Where the decision is in relation to a claim which exceeds five thousand euro (€5,000) or the equivalent in the player’s national currency, the Operator reserves the right to consider such a decision to be non-binding, on the basis of the Operator’s ADR Policy. In such instances, recourse may be made by the player to the Court of Magistrates of Malta or to the Superior Courts of Malta, depending on the amount of the claim, in order to obtain a binding decision.
mBit Casino
captured 6 Oct 2026. Source
arbitration. you agree that all disputes arising under or in connection with these Terms and Conditions, or in respect of any legal relationship associated with or derived from these Terms and Conditions or your use of the Services provided on this Website, will be finally resolved by arbitration under Arbitration Rules of a qualifying global ADR Institution as to be selected by mBITcasino and communicated to the Player once a claim is to arise.
law. GOVERNING LAW: These Terms and Conditions shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, laws of Curacao
class action. This class action waiver precludes the Player from participating in, or becoming represented, in any class or representative action regarding any claim brought under as a result of any agreement, including these Terms and Conditions and use of the Services and/or the Website.
Mirax Casino
Effective from 15.06.2026 · captured 7 Oct 2026. Source
arbitration. All disputes which may arise between you and the Casino including their successors in title under general or special title as a result of these Terms and Conditions or as a result of further agreements and other acts in connection with these Terms and Conditions shall be settled exclusively by arbitration in Curacao and in accordance with Curacao Civil Procedure Rules.
adr. The Company cooperates with EGIS (https://egis.io/) as its independent ADR provider.
Mr Green
Version 18, updated 5 August 2026 · captured 7 Oct 2026. Source
law and venue. all matters relating to your access to, and use of the Site and services provided by the Gaming Operator shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Malta. Any dispute arising out of your use of the Site and/or the Gaming Operator's services shall be settled by the courts of Malta.
adr. you may submit your complaint to eCogra using their free ADR service.
courts remain open. The ultimate resolution of the ADR or the regulator does not deprive you of the right to pursue the matter in the courts, which will be the final stage in the process.
Rizk
captured 7 Oct 2026. Source
law and venue. Terms of Use shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of Malta in the Maltese Courts.
adr. We have appointed eCOGRA ( www.eCOGRA.org ) as our Alternative Dispute Resolution provider
Roobet
captured 5 Oct 2026. Source
law. These Terms and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with it or its subject matter, whether of a contractual or non-contractual nature, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Curaçao.
arbitration step. In case of any dispute you warrant to first contact our Support Team about any potential dispute. If you dispute is not resolved within 30 days or you do not agree with the result of the Dispute, you agree that before starting a lawsuit you will start a Arbitration procedure in accordance with Curaçao law.
Shuffle
Version 2.0 September 2026 · captured 5 Oct 2026. Source
law. These Terms of Service will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of Curaçao.
consumer rights. Nothing in these Terms of Service affects any right you have as a consumer under law that cannot be excluded or limited by agreement.
class action. You must bring any and all legal claims under these Terms of Service in your individual capacity and not as a claimant in or member of any purported class action, collective action, private attorney general action, or other representative proceeding. You agree to waive the right to demand a trial by jury, where applicable.
Wild.io
captured 6 Oct 2026. Source
law and venue. The Agreement and any matters relating hereto shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Autonomous Island of Anjouan, Union of the Comoros. You irrevocably agree that, subject as provided below, the competent courts of Anjouan shall have exclusive jurisdiction in relation to any claim, dispute, or difference concerning the Agreement and any matter arising therefrom
operator carve-out. Nothing in this clause shall limit the right of Wild.io to take proceedings against you in any other court of competent jurisdiction
Winz.io
Effective from 17 February 2026 · captured 7 Oct 2026. Source
arbitration. All disputes between you and the Casino whether arising under these Terms and Conditions, additional agreements, or any related activities shall be resolved exclusively by arbitration in Costa Rica. By agreeing to these Terms and Conditions, you waive any right to bring a lawsuit in any court outside of this arbitration process.
adr. Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of our internal complaints process, you may escalate the matter to an independent ADR body. We cooperate with EGIS (https://egis.io/), which operates under the regulations of the Tobique Gaming Commission.
How to read the clause before you deposit
- Find the section – usually called “Governing law”, “Applicable law and jurisdiction”, “Disputes” or “Arbitration”, near the end of the terms.
- Note the country. Is it the country where you live, or another one? That is where a court case or arbitration would have to take place.
- Look for the word “exclusively”. “Settled exclusively by arbitration” and “exclusive jurisdiction of the courts” leave you one route; wording such as “may be referred” leaves more room.
- Check the ADR line. Does the casino name a body (for example eCOGRA or EGIS) or only say that one exists?
- Save the terms. Take a dated screenshot or PDF of the terms you accepted; terms change, and a dated copy shows what you agreed to.
Frequently asked questions
What is a governing law clause in casino terms?
It names the country whose law is used to interpret the contract between you and the casino. It is not the same as the licence, which says which authority permits the casino to operate.
Can I still go to court if the terms mention arbitration?
That depends on the exact wording and on the law that applies to you, so it is a question for a lawyer or a consumer advice service. What we can show is the wording: some terms say disputes are settled exclusively by arbitration, others only mention it, and some name courts instead.
Is ADR the same as arbitration?
Not in the sources we checked. The UK Gambling Commission describes ADR as a free service you can use after the casino’s own process, and eCOGRA says you can still refer the matter to a court if you are unhappy with the decision. A clause that makes arbitration the exclusive route is a different, stronger wording.
Does Maltese law in the terms mean the Malta Gaming Authority supervises the casino?
No. The clause names a law; supervision is shown in the regulator’s register. Compare both on the casino’s profile.
Gambling can harm. If play is no longer fun, use our responsible gambling page. The method behind our checks is described in our methodology.