Scam sites intend to not get a license because number 1 is (like you said) no license company are going to allow them. Number 2 is their license will still be removed if found out that they turned into a scam (if ever they started as a legit one) and not only that but they can also be arrested. Number 3 is they can attract players to play on them because many players likes a casino without a KYC.
Things are actually not balanced if we take a look into the whole case, from the casinos side you will discover that truly we have some scam gambling site that could not be allowed to participate in any legal form of endorsement, also from the gambler's end you discover many ways they have been trying to attack the gambling sites by all means, so therefore scam exist both from the casino and the gamblers, same applies if you're in search for a reputed one whereby with time you will discover one that best suit your taste, that's why scammers are much attracted to the scamming casinos and if you're not a scammer then you will definitely be far away from any even though they are drawing close to you, you will discern well.
They claimed to have a license, but with their reputation, the license is just useless if I would choose to gamble. There are plenty of sites I believe that have a license but with a bad reputation, maybe gamblers do not sue them but due to the evidence from the accusers, the community tagged them as a bad gambling sites.
An average gambler should atleast go for both reputation and functionality of a gambling site, one interesting idea about searching is that it may only take you some time but you will actually got attracted to the type which you're on a look for, if a gambling site is found operating under misconduct, all you need is to avoid such, you may not have the time, money and resources needed to sue such.