Obtaining a gaming license: step-by-step guide

Gambling license application is not just an action intended to follow the internal regulations. Having a license opens a lot of opportunities for your business. Rapid growth, successful cooperations, expanded geography – all these benefits will help you to gain results you are aiming at. LicensingAid specialists unveil the most essential information for application procedure in this article. You will find out how to choose a jurisdiction wisely, including the main factors to be kept in mind; how to get ready for a smooth application process and much more.

What is a gambling license?

A gaming license is a permit granted to the gambling companies by recognized regulators. This way authorities make sure that the companies are operating according to high gaming standards. The whole international gambling community strives to align with the AML and KYC policies to provide a fair play principle. This also helps to prevent money laundering experiences and other law violations. 

How to apply for a gaming license online? 

Let’s proceed to the casino license application process. It consists of a clear set of actions you need to take. The company’s readiness at each step guarantees that time will not be wasted later for fixing mistakes of the preparation process.

Step 1. A gambling company registration

The company has to be present at the local market to be able to receive a gambling license. A registration process must be proved by documents. In each jurisdiction there are specific requirements as for the company staff. You will have to hire local representatives/directors if needed. 

Step 2. Make sure to collect the required paperwork

There is a standard set of paperwork you have to collect. As a rule, it looks like this:

1. A Police Clearance Certificate. A proof of having no criminal record is required.
2. Passport copies. The ID copies of key team members and leaders are to be applied.а
3. AML and KYC compliance. A company must integrate the AML and KYC policies in its business performance.
4. A business plan. Sharing your financial plans and expectations is important to prove your professional approach.
5. Games certificates with description. It is required to add the RNG certification (if you use one), the games with certified content description, etc.
6. The incorporation documents. The proof of your company registration must be attached too.

Depending on the jurisdiction and your company type the list of the documents may vary. It is recommended to check it with the authorities’ official website before starting collecting the paperwork.

Step 3. Open a merchant and a bank accounts

Let’s spot the difference between those two. A company’s bank account is needed to handle business legally and smoothly by keeping income from the operational processes. A merchant account is a mediator between a gambling platform and a bank. It helps to maintain customers’ transactions in a quick and safe way. Both accounts allow businesses to handle big money sums without troubles. They can be opened after the registration of the gambling company. The benefits you get are the following:

• Avoiding payment issues. A merchant bank account helps to operate smoothly as soon as the gambling business special features are taken into consideration, providing safety to banks and players.
• Separating funds. This is another safety measure. It is essential to separate individual and commercial funds.
• Compliance with international demands. A merchant and a company bank accounts allow you to develop your business legally.
• Easiness of transactions. Gamblers choose the gaming platforms which are safe and comfortable to use. Simple and fast transactions are crucial choice criteria.

Even though it is quite difficult to receive a bank’s approval and to open accounts, there are particular banks which are more friendly to high-risk companies than their competitors. If the bank is chosen correctly and you gather all the necessary documents, there is a high chance that you will have your account opened successfully. A help from the professionals may be beneficial to make everything fast and right.

Step 4. Attach a gambling license application form

A gambling company representative fills in and submits an application form online. The regulator needs particular information to be aware of your ability to operate in the gambling market. Usually a gambling company needs to submit these data in the application form:

1. Full registered name and contact information of the company.
2. A license type you apply for (B2B or B2C, etc).
3. Full names and personal details of owners/co-owners, directors, shareholders and other leading figures.
4. Game platform description with technical information provided.
5. The software and payment providers you will cooperate with.
6. The AML and KYC compliance policies.

The required information may vary depending on the chosen jurisdiction. A gaming license service will help you to save time and money. To be sure you fill in and submit everything correctly, please feel free to contact our specialist for an individual consultation appointment. We provide various kinds of assistance for gambling companies – from the trademark and the company registration to the platform design and bank accounts opening.

Step 5. Pay the fees

Depending on the chosen license type and jurisdiction, you should pay a set amount of fees. Make sure you are aware of all additional and monthly/annual fees before making a choice.

Step 6. Wait for a decision after a review process

Before taking a decision, a regulator will conduct thorough monitoring and checks. Each country has its own reviewal terms and conditions. The following audit will take place:

• A business and marketing plans review
• Leading figures background checks
• The AML and KYC compliance checks
• Technical compliance audit (software, data protection, servers, etc)
• Player acquisition strategy audit

After a detailed review the decision will be made. Whether the regulators issue a permit for you or not, a gaming license application fee will not be returned. In some jurisdictions, where a review is quite long, you may be offered a temporary permit to start operating before being granted an actual gaming license.

How to choose a jurisdiction?

When choosing a country for receiving a gambling license, an operator should consider the gambling company's features and type, future plans as well as the conditions of various jurisdictions. The following factors must be kept in mind and compared in different jurisdictions:

1. Initial fees for a gaming license application
2. License renewal and annual maintenance fees
3. Tax rates and local duties of the selected country
4. Compliance and audit fees
5. Technical requirements
6. Rules and checks strictness
7. Reviewal period
8. Trustworthiness and reputation of a regulator
9. Available types of licences
10. Openness to innovations

You are way more lucky to choose a jurisdiction suitable for your company if you get a professional consultancy with a thorough analysis and monitoring of the available options, competitors in the market and the special features of your company. 

How much does a gambling license cost in various jurisdictions?

Which countries for a gaming licensing are popular among gambling companies? It is possible to mention such jurisdictions as Curacao, Malta, UK, Anjouan, Gibraltar, Isle of Man, Vanuatu, Kahnawake, Estonia, Belize, Alderney, Panama, Ukraine, Costa Rica, Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, Germany. Let’s get down to some famous choices.

Curaçao

Curacao is famous due to its beneficial tax system. Its cost has increased after the White Label changes. Annual fee was increased to ANG 48,000. A gaming license application fee is around ANG 9,000. A monthly fee is ANG 4,000. A domain and due diligence fees are paid as well. The Curacao gambling license is a type of permit that is universal for any kind of a gambling company or activity. 

Malta

The initial application for gaming license in Malta will cost you €5,000. Annual fees vary from €10,000 to €25,000. It will depend on the revenue. Every gambling license type also implies particular requirements of the minimal capital. 

Isle of Man

To apply for a gambling license in this jurisdiction, an operator should pay around £5,000. Annual maintenance is quite high (about £35,000). Nevertheless, this license is considered to be beneficial due to its business friendly tax system and strict regulations.

UK

The gambling license application system in the United Kingdom is complex. The initial application cost will be different in each case according to a license type and the Gross Gambling Yield (GGY):

• General betting
• Casino/sportsbook/bingo
• Pool betting

Annual maintenance cost depends on the company size. It can vary from £2,027 to £694,856. Please, contact our specialists to estimate the price for your exact company type.

An application review procedure 

The jurisdictions are classified by Tiers (1, 2, 3). Each Tier includes countries with different regulations’ strictness and market potential. There are a lot of different aspects besides this one that you should bear in mind. When the countries have long review procedures, they usually offer operators an option of working under a temporary license while all the checks and audits are conducted. Let us compare reviewal terms of a few jurisdictions as an example.

Jurisdiction	Review period
Curasao	~1.5 months
UK	3-4 months
Malta	3-6 months
Belize	3-6 months

The actual review time will depend on the company's preparedness. If some extra background checks are needed, a regulator may request additional documents and information.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to apply for an online gambling license?

The application process is explained in a detailed way on the jurisdictions’ official websites. You need to gather specific documents, to fill in and submit an application form and to pay required fees.

What is a gaming license application process?

Gaming license application is a process a gambling company needs to go through to be able to obtain a gambling license. After choosing a regulator suitable for your company, it is important to follow exact steps to apply for a license correctly. After submitting all the necessary documents, a gambling company is waiting for a decision from the jurisdiction. 

Does it take long to get a gaming license?

The review procedures take from weeks to months. Check all the aspects of the chosen gaming jurisdiction to be sure you make the right choice. In fact it is highly recommended to order a consultation from our experts to take all the necessary factors into consideration and to make decisions based on your company situation and future plans.