How to Get a Casino License for Your Gambling Business

From the US to Malta, we’ll break down the essentials of obtaining that all-important stamp of approval in the most popular gambling jurisdictions. In contrast, offshore licences like Curaçao and Anjouan may require operators to use alternative payment solutions due to banking restrictions in certain jurisdictions. A revenue-based license requires operators to pay a percentage of their Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) or Gross Gambling Yield (GGY). This model is common in stricter regulatory environments such as the UK and Malta. For operators planning to expand internationally, an iGaming license becomes a passport to new markets.

Since then, a growing number of states have passed laws allowing sports betting, including mobile and online wagering, and the market has expanded quickly across the country. Thirty-eight states have legalised sports betting, but the level of access varies by state. Some states have more restrictions; for example, in New Mexico, North Carolina, and North Dakota, retail sports betting is limited to tribal casinos. For many, New Jersey is still one of the more accessible ways to enter the US online gambling market. It legalized online casinos and poker in 2013 and added statewide mobile sports betting in 2018, building a large, competitive market with numerous experienced partners and vendors.

In 2021, the State of Florida and the Seminole Tribe signed a compact allowing the tribe to offer online sports betting in the state. Most state gaming commissions implement detailed, rule-based systems that specify licensing standards, technical requirements, internal controls, and reporting obligations. These prescriptive frameworks are designed to ensure operational integrity, consumer protection, and transparency across all licensed operations. Both federal and state laws impose criminal penalties against those who offer or promote unlawful gambling.

In addition to periodic audits and compliance reviews, many states require the continuous presence of regulatory agents or inspectors at gaming facilities. These agents oversee day-to-day operations, verify adherence to approved controls, and report any irregularities to the state gaming authority. Some states have defined the term “advertising” or “advertisement” specifically for gambling activities, but other states just have a general definition for all business. Additionally, the FTC, particularly its Division of Advertising Practices, enforces federal “truth-in-advertising” laws.

• Reputable iGaming brands choose to get a gaming license and operate legally on the market.
• In this step, you will need to gather all the necessary documents and pay the appropriate fees.
• They also lean on integrity monitoring and incident reporting for unusual betting patterns.

The efficiency of the iGaming business model is inextricably linked to the taxation of gambling operators. BetConstruct offers a bunch of licenses and certificates for its partners to operate with. The White Label offering includes betting and gaming products under our licenses of Curaçao, Malta, UK, ONJN, France, etc. All gambling operations executed in Gibraltar must comply with licensing under the Gambling Act 2005 (“the Act”).

Corporate Service Providers and Online Gaming

Having a license protects against legal risks including potential fines and prosecution for illegal activity. When the financial sector is experiencing challenges in the global market, the gaming business is growing rapidly and covers a considerable part of the overall market. The initial requirement is to pay a fee of 20,000 units, with each unit costing $1.15. In this article, we will figure out what an Australian gambling license is and how to obtain one. Proving that games are fair to play goes a long way to helping applicants get their licences. You will need to have a functioning website that you have designed to the last detail.

In addition to consideration and chance, for an activity to constitute gambling, the player must have the potential to win a valuable prize, or “something of value”. Courts typically interpret “something of value” for the prize element of gambling the same way they interpret it for the consideration element. While it is usually clear whether or not a game offers a prize, sometimes a prize takes a less obvious form, such as virtual currency or plays of the game. The lawsuits claim that such practices misled users about the competitive nature of the games and have raised broader questions about fairness and transparency in skill-based gaming.

Entry requires partnering with a land-based casino, with one online skin per casino and brand rules that keep the operator’s name front and center. The headline GGR is 36% of gross sports wagering revenue, so promotions and pricing need tight control to protect margin. When we say that a country “does not regulate” online gambling, this means that the country in question does not have laws in place regarding online gambling. The timeline for obtaining a license varies from one jurisdiction to another. In some locations, licenses are issued within a few weeks, but others may take several weeks or months. The type of license you’re applying for and the strength of your application (documentation and compliance) can also affect the timeline.

Customers prefer to turn to licensed operators, knowing that these companies do not infringe on the law and comply with ethical principles. All jurisdictions have laws about these tools, and licensed operators are obliged to provide them. Self-exclusion is a tool by which you can effectively ban yourself from a casino or sportsbook, for a period of time.

Successfully obtaining a remote gambling license requires strategic planning that often takes 6 to 18 months, depending on the jurisdiction and complexity. The Isle of Man (IOM) gambling license is highly respected for its stability, clear legal framework, and early adoption of crypto gambling regulations. It offers a balance between the high reputation of the UK and Malta, and the operational clarity of offshore centers. The application and annual fees are different for each operating license type. UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) is an executive body in the Government of the UK that regulates gambling and gaming in Great Britain. Online gaming and gambling businesses need to obtain a remote license from UKGC to operate, advertise or accept players from the UK.

The key law is the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970 (the BSA), and other relevant laws include the Money Laundering Control Act of 1986, the USA Patriot Act of 2021, and the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020. State-level AML laws and regulations generally work in conjunction with these federal laws. For example, in Nevada the initial application fee for operating interactive gaming is USD500,000, and in New Jersey the initial application fee is USD100,000. Application fees vary significantly across states and depend on the type of licence and scope of operations. It is difficult to estimate precisely how long a gambling licence application will take, as each state follows its own independent review process and timeline. Most states require gaming operation licence applicants to demonstrate suitability, which generally includes good character, honesty, and integrity.

How Much Does an Online Gambling License Cost?

The factors that impact duration are the quality of your paper, whether you provided all the necessary documents, applying process complexity, whether strong casino software providers run your software, and more. Overall, choosing a residence for your business is a complex process, and its complexity varies depending on the games you provide, your scale, etc. For example, you start learning how to get a gambling license in the US and find out that there’s no option for your kinds of games.

Without any exception, the states allowing online casinos require their customers to be 21 years old. However, more states permit mobile and online sports betting (see 2.1 Online Gambling). As described, online gambling (other than sports betting) in the US is limited, and there are only seven states offering regulated online gambling (see 1.1 Current Outlook and Recent Changes). For example, in Delaware, only the state Lottery Commission is authorised to conduct online gambling.

The Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission (GSC) manages the regulatory environment, focusing on player protection and operational stability. To apply for a GSC license, a complete application form and statutory application fee must be submitted to the Inspectorate. The licence fee for B2B Critical Gaming Supply licensees depends on annual revenue, varying from €25,000 to €35,000. Operating license applications usually take about 16 weeks to process, provided that the full information is submitted.

A Comprehensive Licensing Guide: Curacao, Anjouan and Tobique

There are no legal real-money online casinos or poker rooms, but sweepstakes platforms (like Stake.us) operate legally under virtual-coin models. Retail sportsbooks and kiosks are not licensed, giving Tennessee a uniquely digital-only framework. Vermont online sports betting legalized in June 2023, with mobile wagering available statewide since January 11, 2024, via FanDuel, DraftKings, and Fanatics. Real‑money online casinos and poker remain illegal, and sweepstakes platforms exist in a legal gray area. There is no iLottery or retail casino presence, but the state allows daily fantasy sports (DFS) and charity gaming.

Gofaizen & Sherle provides professional assistance in obtaining a gaming license, ensuring a ready-made solution for starting and legalizing a business in the gaming industry. The complexity and length of the licensing process depend on the particular region of the country. However, there are several other factors that will affect the time it takes to issue an online casino and other types of licenses in Australia. For example, if you need to register a business entity and open bank accounts, this will also take a considerable amount of time. On top of that, collecting documents online casino no verification can take a long time, and if you make a mistake, you will have to start the whole process from the beginning. Using a VPN, you can hide your physical location to try to access a casino that is restricted in your country.

Affiliate marketing in online gambling is regulated at the state level, and requirements differ across jurisdictions. Generally, affiliates that receive revenue share or commission-based compensation must register or obtain approval from state gaming authorities, as they have a financial interest in gambling outcomes. Missouri has seen multiple sports betting bills filed, with significant interest from casinos and sports teams.

Recent legislative proposals aim to allocate online sports betting revenues towards problem gambling support and youth sports. With that said, another round of negotiations in early 2025 again broke down amid disagreements over who would operate and share revenues, leaving legalization unfinished in the latest session. Mobile betting was launched in 2019, and adoption has been strong thanks to clear rules, remote sign-up, and familiar national brands.

Check our blog post to learn how to start an online gambling business for complete guidelines. You will definitely need to collect a large amount of documents and do your paperwork before filling out the form to apply for any gaming licenses. Technical compliance represents another major challenge, as operators must implement complex systems for player verification, transaction monitoring, and game integrity. Regulatory requirements continue evolving, requiring ongoing investment in compliance technology and staff training. Modern gambling regulation emphasizes player protection, financial crime prevention, and operational transparency. Operators must implement comprehensive compliance frameworks covering multiple regulatory areas.

Therefore, companies that want to have possibilities to expand their gaming solutions, partner with worldwide brands, and operate legally choose to obtain permission to provide online gambling solutions. The scope of sports betting licenses typically encompasses multiple betting formats. Pre-match betting allows wagers placed before events begin on outcomes including match winners, point spreads, over/under totals, and countless proposition bets. Esports betting on competitive video gaming is increasingly included under sports betting licenses, though some regulators treat it separately. Casino gaming licenses authorize operators to offer games of chance including slot machines, table games like blackjack and roulette, and live dealer gaming experiences.