Kahnawake Suspends Grand Prive Licenses

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The Kahnawake Gaming Commission is one of the most reputed licensors and regulators of online gaming operators. Operating from the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake, the Commission has issued licenses to over 50 operators who between them run more than 250 online gaming sites. The Kahnawake Gaming Commission is known for its strictness in enforcing regulations. This was seen last year when it ensured that those who had lost money in the poker superuser scandal at some of its licensed poker rooms were adequately compensated. The same resolve has been exhibited again this month when it has suspended the licenses of a number of gaming sites belonging to one of its licensees for not complying with the rules. The licensee is none other than the Grand Prive group, which has been in the news of late for all the wrong reasons.

Through an advisory notice dated April 7 the Kahnawake Gaming Commission has informed the online gaming industry that it has suspended the Client Provider Authorization held by Maricass International Holdings Inc. with immediate effect. The licenses issued by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission are known as Client Provider Authorization and Maricass International Holdings Inc. is known to the online gaming industry as the Grand Prive group. The notice lists the affected online gaming sites, which are Bella Vegas, Big Dollar, Casino Grand Bay, Fortune Junction, Grand Bay Casino, Jackpot Wheel, Jupiter Club, Kasino Grand Bay, Lake Palace and Road House Reels. The advisory is signed by Murray Marshall, general counsel of the Kahnawake Gaming Commission.

The advisory notice cites the reason for suspension as the Grand Prive group's failure to file a Material Change Report informing the Kahnawake Gaming Commission that it had recently switched software suppliers. An opportunity has been given to the Grand Prive group for filing the required documents informing the Commission of the change and seeking approval for its new software. If the Grand Prive group fails to take the required steps immediately then its Client Provider Authorization will be permanently revoked. The Kahnawake Gaming Commission has instructed the defaulting group that while its license is under suspension the group is not authorized to operate any of the aforementioned online gaming sites, or any other sites under its control, from Kahnawake. The advisory has put the other online gambling jurisdictions and the players at large on notice as well by stating that "the Commission is not responsible for these sites should they continue to operate from another jurisdiction". This advisory was issued following reports that Grand Prive has switched to the BetonSoft software and is operating its brands with the prefix 'Bet' under a Netherlands Antilles license. This change was made apparently without notice to Microgaming, the former software supplier. If the reports are true then the Netherlands Antilles licensing authority will have to answer some questions as well.

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