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Gaming licence
Applying for a licence to operate online gaming, in a country that suits your games and your markets.
- Malta, Curaçao, Isle of Man and more
- Fees and duties from the regulators
- Application prepared with you
What the licence allows and who needs it
A gaming licence authorises a company to offer games of chance or skill online: casino, live casino, poker, sports betting, exchanges, lotteries and bingo. The licence type depends on the games and on the markets the operator serves; a supplier of platforms or games holds a business-to-business licence instead.
Malta remains Europe's reference, Curaçao rebuilt its regime in 2025 with direct licences and published fees, the Isle of Man offers a low duty with real substance, and the British market needs its own licence whatever the company's home.
Countries
Each country opens with the regulator, the licence, the capital, the fees the regulator publishes, the requirements, the documents, the steps and the sources we checked, with the date we checked them.
| Country | Regulator | Minimum capital | Government fees | Timeline | Last reviewed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malta | MGA | €40,000 to €100,000 share capital | €5,000 application; €25,000 a year plus a compliance contribution | Ask us | 2026-11-11 | |
| Curaçao | Curaçao Gaming Authority | Ask us | €4,592 application; €47,450 a year (B2C) | Ask us | 2026-11-11 | |
| Isle of Man | Isle of Man GSC | Ask us | £5,000 application; £35,000 a year (full licence) | Ask us | 2026-11-11 | |
| United Kingdom | Gambling Commission | Ask us | Application and annual fees scale with gross gambling yield | Ask us | 2026-11-11 | |
| Kahnawake (Canada) | Kahnawake Gaming Commission | Ask us | Per the Commission's schedule | Ask us | 2026-11-11 |
Malta
Europe's reference gaming licence, with published fees, four game types under one licence and an EU home for operators and suppliers.
- Regulator
- Malta Gaming Authority (MGA)
- Licences
- B2C Gaming Service licence (Types 1 to 4) and B2B Critical Gaming Supply licence
- Share capital
- €100,000 (Types 1 and 2), €40,000 (Types 3 and 4), aggregated up to €240,000
- Fees
- €5,000 application; €25,000 fixed annual fee (€10,000 for Type 4 only)
- Compliance contribution
- 1.25% to 4% of gaming revenue by type, with yearly minimums
- Gaming tax
- 5% on revenue from players in Malta
What the licence allows
Type 1 covers casino, live casino, poker against the house and lotteries; Type 2 fixed-odds betting; Type 3 pool betting, exchanges, peer-to-peer poker and bingo; Type 4 controlled skill games. One licence can carry several types. A B2B licence covers platform, game and RNG suppliers.
Requirements
- A Malta company with key function holders approved by the MGA (CEO, compliance, AML, responsible gaming, technology, finance, legal, audit)
- Player funds protected and segregated; a system audit before go-live
- Fit-and-proper owners and directors, with source of wealth and funds
- AML programme under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and FIAU rules
- Technical set-up: gaming system, hosting in Malta or the EEA, data reporting
Documents
- Business plan with three-year projections and a marketing plan
- Corporate and group structure, ownership and source of funds
- Policies: AML, responsible gaming, player protection, IT security, business continuity
- Game and platform documentation for the system audit
Once licensed
- Monthly player-fund reports and compliance contributions
- Annual audited accounts and a compliance audit after the first year
- Key-function reporting and incident notifications
Last reviewed: 2026-11-11
Curaçao
Curaçao rebuilt its regime in 2025: direct licences with published fees, real substance requirements and no tax on gaming revenue.
- Regulator
- Curaçao Gaming Authority (CGA)
- Law
- National Ordinance on Games of Chance (LOK), replacing the master and sub-licence system
- Licences
- B2C operator licence; B2B supplier licence (€24,490 a year)
- Annual B2C fee
- €47,450: €24,490 to the National Treasury and €22,960 to the CGA, due by 15 January
- Gaming tax
- None on gaming revenue; a fixed annual fee
What the licence allows
The LOK replaced Curaçao's old sub-licences with direct licences from the Gaming Authority, in two categories that cannot be combined: B2C for operators and B2B for suppliers. A licence has no fixed term; it continues as long as fees are paid and conditions met. A provisional licence of up to six months lets an operator start while it completes the remaining requirements.
Requirements
- A Curaçao company with local substance: resident key roles, a rented local office and local servers
- Fit-and-proper owners and directors, with due diligence per person
- FATF-aligned AML and KYC programme, responsible-gambling policy and alternative dispute resolution
- Registered domains and apps, each with its own application fee
Steps and timeline
Two formal phases: the first assesses the company and its people, the second the operation and its controls. The CGA publishes its fee schedule and process on its licensing portal.
Last reviewed: 2026-11-11
Isle of Man
A tier-one offshore gaming licence with a low duty, published fees and a Commission that expects substance on the island.
- Regulator
- Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission (GSC)
- Law
- Online Gambling Regulation Act 2001
- Licences
- Full licence, sub-licence, network licence and B2B software licence
- Fees
- £5,000 application; £35,000 a year for a full licence or a B2B software licence
- Duty
- Gambling duty of 1.5% of gross gaming yield, falling to 0.1% in the top band
What the licence allows
A full licence lets an operator offer casino, betting, poker and lottery products worldwide from the island; a network licence lets it share liquidity with foreign operators; sub-licences sit under a full licence. The Isle of Man is on the UK's white list and has a long record with large operators.
Requirements
- An Isle of Man company with at least two local directors and a resident designated official
- Servers and gaming equipment on the island, registered with the Commission
- Player funds protected by a mechanism approved by the Commission
- AML/CFT compliance under the island's Code and the GSC's guidance
Last reviewed: 2026-11-11
United Kingdom
The licence for the British market: demanding on conduct and personal accountability, with fees that scale with yield.
- Regulator
- Gambling Commission
- Law
- Gambling Act 2005
- Licences
- Remote operating licences by activity (casino, betting, bingo, lottery) and personal management licences for key roles
- Fees
- Application and annual fees by gross-gambling-yield band
- Duty
- Remote gaming duty on profits, increased from April 2026
What the licence allows
Any operator that takes bets from customers in Great Britain needs a remote operating licence, whatever the company's home. The Commission licenses by activity and expects personal licences for the people who run compliance, finance, marketing and technology.
Requirements
- Fit-and-proper owners and personal licence holders, with source of funds
- The Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice: safer gambling, AML, advertising, customer interaction
- Technical standards and testing of the gaming system by an approved test house
- Segregation of customer funds with a stated level of protection
Last reviewed: 2026-11-11
Kahnawake (Canada)
A long-standing North American licence with mandatory hosting in the territory, used by operators serving international markets.
- Regulator
- Kahnawake Gaming Commission (KGC)
- Licences
- Client Provider Authorisation (operators), Interactive Gaming Licence (the hosting facility) and key-person licences
- Hosting
- Servers hosted at Mohawk Internet Technologies in Kahnawake
What the licence allows
The Mohawk territory of Kahnawake has licensed online gaming since 1999 under its Regulations concerning Interactive Gaming. An operator holds a Client Provider Authorisation and hosts its gaming system at the licensed data centre in the territory.
Requirements
- A company that hosts its gaming equipment with the licensed facility in Kahnawake
- Fit-and-proper owners and key persons, with background checks
- Player protection, fair-gaming and AML policies; a tested gaming system
Last reviewed: 2026-11-11
Sources
What regulators look at
The detail differs by country. Applications are usually assessed on:
- Capital: the minimum the licence requires, held in a form the regulator accepts, and where it comes from
- People: fit-and-proper owners, directors and the compliance, risk and anti-money-laundering officers
- Substance: a physical office, local directors or staff where the country requires them
- Policies: the business plan, the compliance manual, risk management and the protection of client money
- Systems: the trading or payment platform, its security, its records and its outsourcing
What we do and what you provide
What we do
- Compare the countries that license your activity against your plan, clients and capital
- Prepare the application file and the policies with you
- Coordinate with the regulator during the review and answer its questions
- Set out the obligations once licensed, and keep the calendar
What you provide
- A business plan for the gaming operation
- Background documents for owners, directors and key staff
- Evidence of the capital and its source
- Decisions on structure, staff and office
Steps and timeline
- 1ConsultationWe talk through what you need, where you operate and what you already have in place.
- 2PlanYou receive a plan that sets out the steps, the documents and the parties involved, so you can decide how to proceed.
- 3Set-upWe prepare the applications and documents with you and coordinate with the providers involved.
- 4Ongoing supportAfter set-up, we stay available for renewals, changes and questions.
Your choice, our commitment
Your business model
The structure follows how your business works and where it operates.
Your resources
We start from the documents and people you already have, and say clearly what is still needed.
Support
Questions about the company, the accounts and the licence are handled in one conversation.
Clear next steps
You see what each step involves before you decide to go ahead.
Frequently asked questions
Still have a question?
Talk to usHow long does it take?
It depends on the jurisdiction, the provider and the documents involved. We give you an estimate for the licence after the consultation.
What does it cost?
Costs depend on the jurisdiction and on the services you choose. We set them out for the licence after the consultation, before any work starts.
Do I need to travel?
Some steps can be completed remotely and others need you in person. We tell you which applies to your case before you start.
Is the licence guaranteed?
No. The regulator decides. We prepare the application so it is complete and consistent with the regulator's requirements.
Where do the facts on this page come from?
From the regulators' and registries' own publications, linked in each country's dialog with the date we last checked them. Rules change; we confirm the current position in the consultation before anything starts.
Used in these set-ups
What comes next
Each service leads to the next: the structure, then the accounts, then the payments and the licence.
Plan your licence application
Talk to us- IncorporationForming a company or foundation, and keeping it in good standing.Talk to us
- BankingBusiness and personal accounts, and accepting payments.Talk to us
- LicensingFinancial licences for regulated activities.Talk to us
- InvestmentsOpening investment accounts for a company or for yourself.Talk to us