So, you have decided to open your own gambling establishment.
One of the biggest barriers that you will face is the acquisition of a casino license. Firstly, the gambling business is prohibited on the territory of the Russian Federation, except for special zones: Azov-City, Siberian Coin, Primorye, Yantarnaya, etc. And in other regions of the country, it is not possible neither to get a license nor conduct this kind of business.
And secondly, the permit is issued after a number of terms are observed, the list of which depends on the jurisdiction and the type of activity.
Nevertheless, it is the online gambling license that makes it possible to work legally, develop your business in other countries, and even gain the trust of the players. Without it, you will get nowhere. Therefore, entrepreneurs are getting a gaming license but mostly abroad.
In this article, we have collected everything you need to know about the described kind of permits:
Since the online casino license has a legal background, let us briefly consider the basic terms and special symbols.
A document that allows its holder to carry out a certain type of activity. Without this document, the company can only exist illegally, which may end up with prosecution.
The process of obtaining the right to the pursuit of gambling activities. It is granted by the controlling authority of the jurisdiction after the fee is paid and the package of documents is filed.
A sole proprietor or a legal entity that holds a license to conduct a particular type of business.
A holder of a patent, invention or a product of intellectual activity. In the case of gambling, the licensor is the regulator of the selected jurisdiction. It is the licensor you are looking for when you are thinking about how to get a gaming license and where.
A set of requirements that provide the validity of the casino gaming license. Your permit for the gambling business may be revoked in case of non-compliance with the rules.
The right of the judicial and administrative authorities of a particular country to pass judgments in a certain sphere of issues. Simply speaking, it is the legal field of the country that can issue a license. There are about eighty jurisdictions in the world, and each of them has its own requirements, a list of documents, and taxation rules. In some countries, it is relatively easy to answer the question “How to obtain a gaming license?”, and somewhere, this process can be extremely difficult.
There are several reasons to obtain an online casino license, and among them, we can name not only the fact that it allows you to give a positive answer to the question “Is gambling legal?” but much more.
And although today many entrepreneurs are launching the gambling business without a license, experts believe that this is commercial suicide.
If you have plans not only to open a casino but also to launch a lottery or a bookmaker’s office, you will be able to obtain a single license for all types of gambling. Some jurisdictions issue such a document. In other countries, things are stricter, and the permit is issued only for the type of activity that you have requested in the application.
There are four classes of a license, and each of them is characterised by a separate type of service:
Each class has its own permit and, accordingly, its own procedure for issuing a permit. Let us see how they differ.
The situation with international gambling laws is getting worse every year. Taxes are getting higher, it becomes harder to obtain a permit, and in some jurisdictions, gambling clubs are totally prohibited.
Other countries, on the contrary, are simplifying the work of casinos. Basically, these are offshore casino zones that live because of taxes that come to the state budget. That is why many companies prefer to be established in such countries, and many casinos that are already working have “moved” there in the last decade.
Why it is better to obtain gambling licenses in the offshore jurisdictions:
There are regulators that give permits according to your official request: if you want to work on the Internet, then, to open a land-based casino, you will have to file an application for a new license.
If you are an ambitious entrepreneur, you want to open both types of casinos in the future, and your jurisdiction does not give a permit for all types of activities, then, we would recommend you to pay attention to the procedure for obtaining licenses.
Nuances of the opening of different types of casinos:
In general, it is easier to get an online casino license: no need to solve territorial and architectural problems, as well as issues related to human resources (personnel and security). Besides, a license for gambling on the Internet can be obtained for you by an intermediary.
The cost of the acquisition of a permit depends on two variables: the jurisdiction and the type of activity. On average, you have to pay from five thousand to fifteen thousand dollars to get a casino license (expressed in the currency of the chosen country). Also, each year, you need to pay an extra twenty thousand dollars for the use of a license and the maintenance of physical assets if there are such in the country-licensor.
The gaming license cost consists of the following elements:
Permits for owners of gambling halls with slot machines are issued according to the general scheme. But there are more gaming license requirements.
Among the obligatory conditions, there may be:
Software is the same important element of the success of a casino as a license. First of all, it is so because it guarantees stable operation without interruptions and errors. But the problem is that if you do not have a casino license, you will not be able to negotiate with a reliable software vendor. In this case, it will be necessary to use the fake software.
This decision may have several negative consequences:
The main difference in the acquisition of an offshore lottery license (or not in an offshore jurisdiction) is that entrepreneurs will have to deal with lottery tickets and choose the winner from a large number of participants. And all this process will be closely monitored by the regulator.
The raffle legal requirements and the necessary documents:
Speaking about the expenses on taxes, the registration of lottery business in the offshore countries is extremely beneficial. Another advantage is the loyal attitude of the regulator and simple tax reporting procedure. However, the process of obtaining a permit may be difficult, and in some jurisdictions, it is also necessary to renew the license every year.
The cost of gaming license for lotteries in different countries:
Gibraltar | from 3740 dollars |
Cyprus | from 2574 dollars |
Mauritius | from 3950 dollars |
Malta | from 3100 dollars |
Panama | from 1750 dollars |
In other countries, a single gambling license is issued, and its cost you can find in the detailed analysis of each jurisdiction.
A special bookmakers license is a good option for companies that do not in any way affect the result of the raffle. That is, they either act as an intermediary between the players when they place a bet or accept bets on the outcome of the game.
Most bookmakers choose to register in the offshore zones. Firstly, it is easier to prepare all the documents that are necessary for legal activity. Secondly, it is economically advantageous since taxes are often lower.
But it is important to understand that everything that is mentioned above is true for large bookmakers. The beginning entrepreneurs or small betting shops are better to choose the option with a sub-license or a franchise.
Both online and offline locations are required to work under a license. But is there a difference in the acquisition of a permit?
In fact, it completely depends on what jurisdiction you choose. Somewhere you need a special permit for a virtual bookmaker’s office, and somewhere you can get a single license and open an office of any format. And then add other gambling projects to it.
In any case, when a copy of the permit is posted on the wall or on the main page of your website, it tells users that their money will go to a serious enterprise and if they win, they will make a real profit. A bookmaker's office without a license is doomed to diminishment and loss of the audience.
Who issues permits for betting shops? The document can be obtained from the Federal Tax Service after it checks the package of documents of the applicant. It is necessary to confirm that you have assets of more than one billion rubles and provide a bank letter in the amount of five hundred million rubles.
If you decide not to buy a betting license but join an existing network as a franchisee or a holder of the sub-license, then you will have to pay one hundred fifty thousand rubles once and about thirty thousand rubles every month. It is worth noting that in comparison with other types of gambling permits, a license for the bookmaker’s activity has a very reasonable price.
It is much easier to open a bookmaker's office on a franchise than to launch a business from scratch.
It is beneficial to both parties: the parent company pays for the acquisition of a license and also receives additional income. The daughter company does not need to spend time on the paperwork that is necessary for the registration, tax reporting, etc. That is why, for beginning entrepreneurs, it is a good option to open a bookmaker’s office with an affiliate program.
We would like to remind you that any licensee will give preference to a candidate who has the potential in the future to create a large network of sweepstakes or betting shops. Therefore, try to find several options for locations and convince the license holder of your ambitions.
At first glance, it seems that the organisation of sweepstakes requires some kind of special license. Let us see how this business works.
The office accepts bets on the outcome of the competition from everyone who wants to bet. As soon as a common bank is formed, the organiser gets his commission. The remaining money he divides between the winners according to the placed bets. The point is that players are not completely aware of how much they will receive if they win.
In the sweepstakes, people play with each other and in the case of the bookmaker’s office ― with the bookmaker. But both types of activity have something similar: the game does not depend on the player’s skills or on luck. Therefore, in most jurisdictions, the process for the acquisition of a betting license and a permit for sweepstakes is the same.
The main difference between poker rooms and other types of gambling is that the outcome of the game depends on the skills of gamblers. It is an intellectual game, and that is why those people who came into it remain for a long time and place high bets.
However, in many jurisdictions, a poker room does not need a separate license but can operate under a single permit. Where there is a need for separate licensing, for example, in Malta, there are strict requirements for poker rooms.
Among the most important rules, we can name the security of the customers’ data, readiness for continuous monitoring of all transactions, and detailed reporting. Moreover, the poker club will have to agree to cooperate with the regulator and fight against money laundering, which, in practice, means to check every big money transfer of players.
After the license is issued, regulators closely monitor the work of a poker room and investigate any suspicious incidents.
There are two types of licenses in the gambling industry: international and internal.
International licenses are chosen by companies who want to work with several countries. They can be obtained in Malta, Gibraltar, Curacao or the Isle of Man. The Costa Rica gambling license is different since it is relatively easy to receive a permit in this country but it is difficult to work under such a permit. Due to the fact that terms are not always clear, people can sometimes understand them differently.
Internal licenses allow you to work within the territory of only one country. But often, national regulators require that not only a casino but also a software vendor has a license. As a result, the overwhelming majority of entrepreneurs are focused precisely on those jurisdictions that issue international licenses.
Questions, which may help you to choose a jurisdiction:
You can ask specialists from Rosloto for a piece of advice. A personal manager will help you to decide on the jurisdiction, the type of a license, and pay less money. Sign up for a consultation right now!
Curacao is part of the Netherlands, which legally belongs to the European Union. Curacao Internet Gaming Association issues the most common licenses on the planet. Every ninth gambling club works with this permit.
The international Curacao license is a single permit for all types of gambling activities.
But in Curacao itself, there is a monopoly: there are only three holders of such a license. And it is impossible to get a new one: the regulator no longer issues gambling licenses due to pressure from the EU and the US. The reason for it is the intention to counteract illegal money laundering and terrorism financing.
That is, a beginning entrepreneur can get only a sub-license of Curacao, which can be given by one of the three license holders. Nevertheless, it is an excellent option for launching a casino business.
The Curacao sub-License allows you to operate anywhere in the world. The exceptions are the Netherlands, France, the United States of America, and Curacao itself.
But the foundation of the company or its transfer to the island makes it possible to request the right to enter the e-Zone. In this zone, organisations pay only 2% of the tax on income, and the gross receipts tax is 0%. Add to this the lack of the import levy and VAT. In this case, reports are submitted once a year. This scheme is available only in the e-Zone.
What documents are necessary for the acquisition of a permit:
1. Documents for the company registration:
2. Confirmation of the residential address.
3. Scanned copies of passports.
4. Bank statement about your current balance and accountant activity.
5. Non-conviction certificate.
6. A CV (resume) with the contact information.
All documents must be issued less than ninety days before the application is filed. The usual response time ranges from three weeks to two months.
The size of expenses will consist of several blocks, among them, there are one-off payments and those that need to be paid year by year.
What is the cost of gaming license in Curacao:
Incorporation Fee | Registration of the company | €3250 | One-off payment |
Management Fee | Salary of the agent for management | €3250 | Annual payment |
Application Fee | Consideration of a package of documents | €1000 | One-off payment |
License Fee | Payment for the right to use the license | €4800 | Annual payment |
Domain registration | Registration of a domain name, one address | €2400 | If necessary |
Bank account | Opening of a bank account | $1000 | One-off payment or if necessary |
When you file documents for the first time, you can register only two domains. For other domains, it will be necessary to pay extra money.
Important! All figures here are given as an example, and they may differ from the real ones due to changes made to the legislation.
But these are not all expenses. Curacao Internet Gaming Association also requires you to install a transit server and conduct all transactions through it. So the regulator, if necessary, can monitor the work of a casino. The maintenance of the server will cost twelve thousand dollars per year.
What is included in this sum of money:
Thus, a future holder of the Curacao license will need to pay about twenty thousand dollars for the acquisition of a permit + from fifteen to twenty thousand dollars for additional expenses + 2% of the income tax = forty thousand dollars on average.
This permit is one of the most prestigious but quite expensive. In 2004, Malta became the first European country to take on the legalisation of the gambling business. The regulator of this jurisdiction is the Malta Gaming Authority. The Maltese license is issued for five years, and the entire licensing period lasts about two months.
Where the Malta casino license is valid: in the EU, and some other countries. For example, a few years ago, Malta was included in the “white list” of the UK, so the licensee of the jurisdiction of Malta can also enter this market.
Permits here are divided into four classes and are issued to:
To obtain the Malta casino license, be prepared to draw up and present a business plan, transfer to the regulator the personal data of shareholders, and the information on the account activity. Moreover, all the software that the future casino is planning to use must pass the inspection of the Malta Gaming Authority.
What you need to do to make Malta grant a license:
The Maltese permit will cost from fifty thousand euro. Here is what this sum of money includes:
Thus, licenses of different classes require different budgets. But practice shows that all expenses pay off. Malta casino license is recommended for those operators who have a large initial capital and extensive plans to conquer the European gambling market.
In this jurisdiction, the permit is issued by the Gambling Supervision Commission, which controls the conduct of the games, protects the interests of players, and regulates currency transactions. GSC has started its work back in 1962 but only in 2001, it began to issue licenses to online casinos. It was the first case in the world when an online project obtained a permit.
The Isle of Man produces universal licenses for all types of gambling. It is worth noting that this document is highly appreciated, and all software vendors recognise it. However, the acquisition of such a permit is still rather complicated.
The control commission sets the following requirements for future holders of an online casino license:
Please note that the regulator of the jurisdiction of the Isle of Man closely monitors the work of all operators, ensures that the rights of players are respected, and checks, from which regions the traffic comes from. It even controls whether the company is actually conducting any gambling activity since there were some precedents when companies were opened only to advertise their services in the informational space of England.
The volume of the guideline of the organisation of the gambling business from GSC Commission is eighty pages. To study them, and especially to follow them, is not easy. If you are thinking to obtain a license in this jurisdiction, we would recommend you to contact specialised intermediaries.
Maintenance of the license from the Isle of Man license costs, on average, from fifty to sixty thousand pounds per year.
This sum consists of:
The jurisdiction also allows you to get a sub-license, which cost is much less ― five thousand pounds. Such a document may be issued by a holder of a full license.
The Gibraltar Regulatory Authority has been the regulator of Gibraltar, which has issued permits to operators of casinos for twenty years, since 1998. Gibraltar is part of the British Kingdom but in many aspects, it remains independent. For example, in the casino rules and regulations.
The Gibraltar license is one of the most in-demand one, and it is very difficult to obtain. Gibraltar is a member of the EU and is included in the “white list” of the UK. Therefore, holders of this permit have the right to advertise their services in England, and their casinos are considered European.
Other advantages of the permit from Gibraltar:
GRA issues a single license for all types of gambling.
If we take into account the fact that there are many advantages of the license of Gibraltar, it will become obvious that there are also many people who want to obtain it. But the demands are high. First of all, it is not even the business plan that comes under close attention but you yourself as a future entrepreneur.
The commission examines your financial status (which means not the basic capital but the stable receipt of income from other sources). The licensee must sign on the Code of Practice issued by the Gambling Commissioner. This is a set of rules that indicates how a gambling establishment should work.
Among other things, you must set the seal on:
It may be an advantage if you will have a license from another authoritative jurisdiction and a realistic business plan.
Valid licenses may be suspended or revoked if the rules of the Code are broken.
The price of a single permit for all activities is two thousand pounds. Taxes are paid at the rate of 1% of the total annual income ― minimum eight-five thousand pounds and a maximum four hundred twenty-five thousand pounds.
The Alderney regulator GCC is a member of the European Game Regulation Forum and the International Association of Gambling Regulators. It is interesting that the commission, together with the law enforcement officers, develops the rules for games and preventive measures against financial crimes. Therefore, the GCC license is a real mark of quality for any gambling project.
The Alderney regulator issues two types of permits:
In each category, there are four more subcategories:
A full gambling license gives you the right to conduct any legal gambling activity.
A full license may be issued only to companies that registered in the jurisdiction of Alderney. All operators, regardless of the type of a permit, must use certified hosting, maintain transit servers in Alderney, and be ready for an annual audit.
On average, the application is considered within sixty days.
The future licensee should pass two stages of inspections:
Due to such a strict verification, the Alderney license is considered to be a high-quality mark. For gamblers, it is a synonym to the transparency of the gambling establishment.
The total cost of the permit depends on the chosen type of document and starts at seventeen thousand five hundred pounds. The price of the annual renewal is from ten thousand pounds.
The concept “white label” appeared in the last century, when a white square was left on the packaging ― a place where another company (dealer) could later print its logo. Thus, small enterprises saved money on production, purchasing high-quality goods from large manufacturers and selling them.
A casino based on the White Label model offers a simplified launch: you do not need to obtain a license, collect huge packages of documents, and select specialised software. Here lies one of the main advantages of the model: an ability to develop your own business by using the ready-made software.
In fact, the launch of a casino under the White Label license is the purchase of the “filling” of a turnkey casino. The customer improves the design, identity, and marketing and loyalty program. Also, he deals with the promotion of the network. But payment channels and support services, as a rule, remain common.
The launch of a White Label casino includes the following stages:
You will not have to wait for a long time to obtain a permit or search for the software vendors and providers of games. You get a ready-made business in the fastest possible way: just in four-six weeks.
First of all, it is worth noting that White Label is one of the most popular ways to open your own gambling business.
Here are its main advantages:
Where there are positive aspects, there are always negative ones as well.
Providers sell White Label at relatively low prices but then they issue an invoice, and it may be unexpectedly big. In some cases, this amount of money can reach half of the total net income of a subsidiary casino.
And if you are focused on the long-term work, sooner or later you will have to get your own license and buy out the casino. And it will be even more expensive.
To choose a good supplier, contact Rosloto. We will help you to weigh the pros and cons and choose the option that suits you best. With our help, you can profitably purchase casinos based on the White Label model.
An online casino license is not just necessary ― it opens the doors to the offices of good software vendors, access to new countries, and loyal taxation. But this is not a “magic bullet”.
The permit does not allow you to work in all countries of the world. Each jurisdiction has its own requirements for operators, its own inspections and conditions for the acquisition of permits. To find the perfect option and not to make a mistake with the class of the license or the choice of the tax category, contact specialists from Rosloto.
It is believed that if you apply for a license abroad and prepare all the documents, you will be able to work also in Russia. But it is not like this. In fact, the operator must register the company in the country that issued the permit. A license only allows you to operate in those countries where gambling is allowed.
Let us give you an example. Put the case that you have a Curacao license. You can work under it in all EU countries (the exceptions can be found in the section about the Curacao permit). But if in another country, you are required to have an internal license to conduct business, and you work under a general license from Curacao, it will mean that you are breaking the law.
All jurisdictions strictly monitor the traffic and check the game certificates and the operator’s work permit. And when they find even the slightest reason to demand penalty, they do it. Remember: the gambling business brings high income but fines can also be very high. Not making online casino gambling legal is simply not profitable.
Stay confident in what you are doing at every stage. The Rosloto team will help you to choose and purchase a license in any jurisdiction.
Yes, it is possible. There are even two options:
The first option is perfect for beginning entrepreneurs. For experienced businessmen, it will be better to obtain a full license.
The second option is extremely dangerous and may threaten not only fines. Nevertheless, casinos of a new type are very common now, and they prefer to operate without a permit.
We all know the Telegram messenger and appreciate it not only for its convenient and pleasant interface, huge functionality, and instant access to any information. One of its best features is complete anonymity.
All that we have mentioned above became an excellent basis for the emergence of Telegram gambling.
Neither gamblers nor owners have to disclose personal data, they are not visible to the regulatory authorities, and therefore can easily and without unnecessary experience plunge into gambling. Telegram casinos are in special demand in those countries where gambling is strictly prohibited and prosecuted. Players can easily access any slots, card games, and even roulette.
Since the casino niche in messengers is still quite young, the regulatory authorities did not have time to work out an algorithm for regulating the work of such projects. But it is only a matter of time. Therefore, a permit for a Telegram casino is still necessary. If not today, then tomorrow. The sooner you take care of the legality of the business, the sooner you will be able to develop it.
A similar situation is with bitcoin casinos.
The main reason is that bitcoin is not defined as a currency, is not regulated by any bank in the world, and is a completely new method of payment.
Unlike official institutions, casinos always keep up with the times. Therefore, they have quickly adopted bitcoin and gladly accepted it as a payment method. Its main advantage also is complete anonymity.
There are also other advantages of obtaining the bitcoin casino license:
These opportunities, in our opinion, cost much more than the bitcoin casino license itself.
Specialists from Rosloto work with almost all jurisdictions of the world and with the most popular ones ― on an ongoing basis. We have studied all the pitfalls that can emerge on the way of a beginning entrepreneur and will be glad to help you to bypass them. Make a decision and start the process of obtaining a license or purchase it from us. You will be pleased with this collaboration!
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