Casino Licence: Top 7 Most Reliable Jurisdictions

The gambling market is constantly replenished with new participants who are ready to launch the business project but not everyone knows the rules of working in the industry. The Rosloto studio can help you understand the nuances of the casino sector: how to open a company, how and where it is better to buy an iGaming licence, and much more.

You can order a certified turnkey online platform from Rosloto to have no worries about the legalisation of your project.

A permit can be obtained independently but keep in mind that you will have to communicate with the regulator and prepare various documents. They need to be filed to the authorities along with an application. Also, you have to previously decide which country and commission to send all this to.

Gambling Business Licensing: What You Need to Know

First of all, it is necessary to conduct a market analysis and find out where online casinos usually receive permits. The first step is to learn which companies in your country are engaged in casino activity and which jurisdiction has issued their licences. On each gaming site, there is always a scan of such a document that contains information on the logo of the regulatory authority, its contacts, and its location.

Read the reviews of players, find out their geography, and chat with them on the forum. You need to collect as much data about the existing jurisdictions as possible. Of course, there are many articles on the Internet but they may not be objective.

Let us say you have already made up your mind. What is the next step? If you do not have a casino yet, then it will be necessary to create it, and at the same time, continue to deal with the licensing of the gambling business.

The main stages of launching an online casino:

• Creation of a site.
• Choice of a provider of games and software.
• Integration of software into the platform.
• Buying a permit.
• Selection and installation of payment programs.
• Opening and promotion of a casino.

It is worth noting that each of these stages has a separate list of tasks and requires a lot of time and money, so these few aspects are just the beginning. For example, you should not buy casino software from an unknown vendor, and it is better to choose classic games for a new gambling establishment.

We also suggest that entrepreneurs obtain permits in one of the offshore zones since they have minimal taxes and provide operators with the most favourable cooperation conditions.

A gambling licenсe is issued following the requirements of these countries, and they are almost the same. Thus, jurisdictions usually want to know what the enterprise intends to do, who are its founders, what their reputation is, and how high the quality of casino products is. But the hassle related to the collection and provision of this data pays off with benefits and various bonuses for business owners.

Advantages of Offshore Jurisdictions for Online Casinos

Since the economic and political situation in these countries is stable and calm, you can run a business here without fear of any unpleasant surprises. The legal framework in offshore zones is such that they will not take a lot of money from you in the form of taxes but they will provide all the conditions for development.

It is also beneficial for the authorities to register gambling enterprises (and subsequently extend their permits) because this is a paid service.

In turn, the companies that become licence holders receive a special certificate, international status, the possibility of free development, and an automatically improved reputation in the market.

Having decided to certify a casino, you should study the work of such jurisdictions since there are quite a few of them: Curacao, the Isle of Man, Malta, Kahnawake, and a dozen more. It is important to pay attention to all the details: the cost of a permit, the volume of taxes, the rules of the company registration in a particular country, and other conditions.

Casino Licence: Standards of Different Jurisdictions

There is no doubt that supervisory authorities will request a long list of documents — this is a common feature of all regulators. But each commission tries to add some additional favourable conditions to this list so that market participants decide to choose the exact country. However, each region has its views on the gambling business. Usually, the executive and legislative bodies jointly create the list of requests.

Gambling Permit: What Is Needed from the Applicant

Let us review the main package of papers:

• Copies of the charter of the company, passports of all the owners, and the foundation meeting.
• Certificates of good conduct, bank accounts, and the financial condition of the firm.
• Original documents: payments for the office rental, fingerprints (sometimes), and recommendations from financial top managers.
• Evidence: a flawlessly working security system, honest payment services, and high-quality casino software.
• Other documents that each committee requests on an individual basis.

Top 7 Best Jurisdictions

It is beneficial to pay attention to the following regulators:

Malta

The MGA state body controls games for money in this country and issues permits of 4 categories:

1. For casinos where the same repetitive actions take place: in gambling halls, standard online casinos, and lottery draws. The RNG system must be integrated into the software because, in all this entertainment, the result depends on luck.
2. For those who provide bookmaker’s services on the Internet.
3. For games and bets organised between players (poker tournaments, sweepstakes, and other similar solutions).
4. For the supply of products and services to gambling companies (providers, developers) that do not bear any risks.

There are also several types of sublicences. Each of these documents is issued first for 6 months, and only then for a longer period of 5 years. In this way, the commission checks the reliability of the company.

Taxes fluctuate, and each type of licence has its fees. A Class I permit will cost €4,660 (for the first 6 months), and then you will have to deduct €7,000 annually. Bookmakers pay 0.5% of their profit, while other certificates (Class III and IV) require companies to pay 5% of net income. The cost of consideration of an application is €2,330.

Australia

A licence here can be purchased from 8 commissions. The authorities have established such rules because of the joining of all types of enterprises that work in the amusement niche. It includes the organisation of the sale of alcohol, car racing, and gambling. But they are territorially divided: alcoholic beverages in the state of Victoria, gambling in the western regions, and so on.

To obtain a permit, entrepreneurs need to pay a single fee and provide a specific portfolio of securities. The company must be solvent, have its office, and run an honest business. The law on interactive gambling is considered a legislative document in this country.

Curacao

A small autonomous state on the Caribbean coast, which is part of the Antilles, is distinguished by strong economic and political systems. Here, you can carry out a free and independent activity.

The licence here is general, that is, operators do not need to obtain a separate permit for online platforms, poker rooms, and other types of entertainment.

In Curacao, you can buy a full-service certificate and a sublicence, which can be transferred from the country’s resident to another holder.

Consulting on the issues related to the gambling niche will cost the applicant $6,000.

The price of casino licensing can vary from $11,500 (minimum) to $50,000 — it all depends on the range of provided services. And the full permit itself is estimated at $34,000. This is the total amount, which includes registration fees.

The Isle Of Man

There is UK legislation on the island. As is known, a stable economic and political situation has been observed in this country for many years. The main distinguishing feature of the jurisdiction is the absence of the need to obtain a casino licence for each type of gambling solution.

According to the requirements of the GSC supervisory commission, companies must be registered on the Isle of Man, be managed by 2 directors, and the person who is responsible for the registration procedure must live on the island.

Payments to the treasury depend on the amount of gross income: the smallest percentage (0.1%) of it is paid by enterprises that earn more than £40 million per year. After that, the amount increases: for a profit of 20–40 million, business owners pay 0.5%, and for less than 20 million — 1.5%.

Bookmakers deduct 15% of their income to the public treasury, and sweepstakes pay 15% of the size of bets placed by gamblers. The fee for consideration of the application is £1,000, and the renewal of the certificate costs £30,000.

Companies can receive a full permit and a sublicence, which costs £5,000.

Belgium

Issues related to the regulation of the industry are resolved by the Gambling Commission.

In total, there are 7 types of documents for:

1. Opening a land-based casino.
2. Owning premises with slots.
3. The activities of drinking establishments, offering slot games.
4. Casino staff.
5. The developers of software and gambling equipment.
6. Bookmakers and providers of sweepstakes.
7. The organisation of gambling by phone and TV.

Each certificate is marked with letters (A-A+, B-B+, and others), and an online casino permit is simply an additional document to the main document, which is valid for 15 years.

About the payments: 11% of the total profit and €250,000, which should be deposited into the bank account.

Dominican Republic

In this country, the amusement niche is managed by the Department of Gambling under the Ministry of Finance. This body also grants permits. There are 60 land-based casinos in the region and 24 thousand lotteries. There are also sportsbook options, in the regulation of which the departments of culture, sports, and recreation take part.

According to the requirements, licensees should be successful businessmen and own a high-class hotel (it is possible to rent it as well). Entrepreneurs can independently manage gambling establishments or authorise a third party, entrusting it with all the duties and fulfilment of the conditions established by the contract. Casinos must be located in an area, which is easily accessible to tourists. Close attention is also paid to the solvency and financial viability of applicants.

Italy

A permit can be obtained from AAMS, which regulates the gambling industry in the country. Certificates are issued for the organisation of slots, internet lotteries, sports betting, and horse racing. At the same time, for owners of online casinos, digital bookmakers’ offices, and poker clubs, a single tax rate of 20% is determined.

The cost of a licence will be €350,000 (minus 20% VAT). The expenses include €1.5 million, which will be used to pay commissions following the bank's guarantees. Bookmakers must deduct 3.5% of the turnover. As for other activities, bingo — 11.5%, hippodromes — 10%, and bets on slot machines — 3%.

Remember that licensed companies must have high-quality software installed on their gaming sites, and the certificate needs to be regularly updated (prolonged).

The Main Things about Legalising Gaming Projects in Different Countries

The well-known Rosloto studio offers its clients assistance in obtaining the necessary permit. We can also help with the registration of your brand and guarantee success.

One of the most in-demand services is the development of a turnkey online casino, and by choosing it, you get an opportunity to open a gambling establishment in a shorter time.

From us, you can also order:

• the creation of exclusive HTML5 games;
• drafting a business strategy;
• the promotion of an already implemented project, and much more.

For all questions, please contact our managers.