The Top Level Domain (TLD) “.casino” is a part of the domain name system (DNS) of the Internet. Every website you visit, every email you send, has a domain name, and that domain name has a TLD. For example, in the domain name www.google.com, ‘.com’ is the TLD. These are controlled and managed by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).
The “.casino” TLD is a specific type of domain extension, called Generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD), introduced by ICANN, that is intended for use by the online gambling industry. It was approved into ICANN’s New gTLD Program on April 29, 2014, as a part of the program’s expansion that introduced over 1,200 new gTLDs. The “.casino” gTLD is managed by a registry called Afilias, a leading domain registry operator.
This gTLD provides an opportunity for casinos, both online and brick-and-mortar ones, to register domain names that users would intuitively reach for when wanting to visit a casino website. For example, a domain like ‘www.vegas.casino’ would be much more intuitive for a user wanting to play online casino games than ‘www.vegascasino.com’.
“.casino” is an unrestricted domain, meaning it is open to any individual or business to register, there is no need for a validation process and it’s not required for the website to be related to a casino or gambling. However, considering the meaning “casino” carries, it makes sense mostly for businesses and individuals related to this sphere to utilize it, to make it clear to the website visitors about the content of such a site. Some examples of websites using the “.casino” TLD include www.vegas.casino and www.bitcoin.casino.
It’s important to note that in order to protect the integrity of the industry, the registry Afilias has reserved some domain names related to gambling integrity, dispute resolution, player protection, etc. These and other reserved names may be released in the future, but their use will likely be regulated to ensure they are used in a manner consistent with the interests of the casino community.
Sources:
- Global Domain Division, ICANN website (https://newgtlds.icann.org).
- Afilias Registry, Afilias website (https://afilias.info).
- “.CASINO Domain Name”, The Registrar Website (https://get.casino).
- New gTLD Program, ICANN Website (https://newgtlds.icann.org/en/about/program).
