{"id":6137,"date":"2026-10-21T21:20:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-21T18:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/legalbit.top\/ru\/?p=6137"},"modified":"2026-10-25T12:18:43","modified_gmt":"2026-10-25T09:18:43","slug":"an-igaming-license-your-key-to-a-legal-and-successful-online-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/legalbit.top\/en\/an-igaming-license-your-key-to-a-legal-and-successful-online-business\/","title":{"rendered":"An iGaming License: Your Key to a Legal and Successful Online Business"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"lbm\"><svg width=\"0\" height=\"0\" style=\"position:absolute\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><symbol id=\"i-info\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><circle cx=\"12\" cy=\"12\" r=\"9\"\/><path d=\"M12 11v5M12 8h.01\"\/><\/symbol><symbol id=\"i-shield\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path d=\"M12 3l8 3v6c0 5-3.5 8-8 9-4.5-1-8-4-8-9V6z\"\/><path d=\"M9 12l2 2 4-4\"\/><\/symbol><symbol id=\"i-users\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><circle cx=\"9\" cy=\"8\" r=\"3\"\/><circle cx=\"17\" cy=\"9\" r=\"2.5\"\/><path d=\"M3 20c0-3.5 3-6 6-6s6 2.5 6 6M16 14c3 0 5 2 5 5\"\/><\/symbol><symbol id=\"i-bank\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path d=\"M3 10l9-6 9 6M5 10v8M9 10v8M15 10v8M19 10v8M3 21h18\"\/><\/symbol><symbol id=\"i-globe\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><circle cx=\"12\" cy=\"12\" r=\"9\"\/><path d=\"M3 12h18M12 3c3 3 3 15 0 18M12 3c-3 3-3 15 0 18\"\/><\/symbol><symbol id=\"i-alert\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path d=\"M12 3l10 18H2z\"\/><path d=\"M12 10v4M12 17.5h.01\"\/><\/symbol><symbol id=\"i-list\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path d=\"M9 6h11M9 12h11M9 18h11\"\/><path d=\"M4 6h.01M4 12h.01M4 18h.01\"\/><\/symbol><symbol id=\"i-build\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path d=\"M4 21V5l8-2v18M12 9h8v12M8 8h1M8 12h1M8 16h1M16 13h1M16 17h1\"\/><\/symbol><symbol id=\"i-doc\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path d=\"M7 3h8l4 4v14H7z\"\/><path d=\"M15 3v4h4M10 12h6M10 16h6\"\/><\/symbol><symbol id=\"i-search\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><circle cx=\"11\" cy=\"11\" r=\"6\"\/><path d=\"M20 20l-4-4\"\/><\/symbol><symbol id=\"i-cube\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path d=\"M12 3l8 4.5v9L12 21l-8-4.5v-9z\"\/><path d=\"M12 12l8-4.5M12 12v9M12 12L4 7.5\"\/><\/symbol><symbol id=\"i-key\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><circle cx=\"8\" cy=\"15\" r=\"4\"\/><path d=\"M11 12l9-9M16 7l3 3\"\/><\/symbol><\/svg><section class=\"lbm-intro\"><div class=\"lbm-intro-main\"><p class=\"lbm-lead\">A gaming licence is the foundation of an iGaming business: banks, payment providers and game studios work with licensed operators. The licensing map has changed: Cura\u00e7ao replaced master licences with direct licences from its Gaming Authority in December 2024, while international projects often also consider Anjouan (Comoros), whose status is now disputed. We go through how to choose a jurisdiction by target markets, budget and partners, what the new Cura\u00e7ao requirements change and what an operator with an Anjouan licence risks.<\/p><p class=\"lbm-verified\">Checked on 25 October 2026. Rules and sources are current as of this date.<\/p><ul class=\"lbm-toc\"><li><a href=\"#now\">What changed<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#lok\">LOK requirements<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#why\">Why you need a licence<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#choose\">Jurisdictions compared<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#steps\">Licensing steps<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#faq\">FAQ<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/section><section id=\"now\"><h2>What has changed since 2024<\/h2><div class=\"lbm-cols\"><p>Cura\u00e7ao&#8217;s National Ordinance on Games of Chance (Landsverordening op de kansspelen, LOK) has applied since 24 December 2024. Only the Cura\u00e7ao Gaming Authority (CGA) now issues licences, and the system of master licences and sub-licences is gone. Existing operators received a provisional licence by law for up to six months, extendable by another six (Article 15.1 LOK). A regular LOK licence is issued for an indefinite period (Article 2.1).<\/p><p>Anjouan (Comoros) offers online casino and betting licences citing a 2005 law on computer gaming licensing (the Computer Gaming Licensing Act). In October 2026, according to media reports, the Comoros government publicly disputed the legitimacy of the Anjouan licensing bodies, including the Anjouan Offshore Finance Authority. The Central Bank of the Comoros, in its communiqu\u00e9 on offshore activity, calls fictitious the structures that issue banking and financial licences in the name of Anjouan and Moh\u00e9li. The communiqu\u00e9 concerns banking, not gambling directly. We found no formal decision declaring gambling licences invalid, but the risk to an operator is real, because banks and payment providers may not accept such a licence.<\/p><p>In September 2026 the CGA reported unauthorised access to its licensing portal and publication of licensees&#8217; data. On 7 October 2026 it announced that the portal will not return to service and that it is moving to a new platform. According to the CGA, this does not affect the validity of existing licences or operators&#8217; obligations, and portal submission deadlines have been postponed.<\/p><\/div><\/section><section id=\"lok\"><h2>LOK requirements for a Cura\u00e7ao operator<\/h2><p>Only an NV (public limited company) or BV (private limited company) company incorporated under Cura\u00e7ao law with its registered seat there can obtain a licence. It must be managed by at least one director resident in Cura\u00e7ao, or by a local company with such a director (Article 2.1).<\/p><p>An application is reviewed in two phases (Article 5.1). In the first, the CGA assesses the integrity of beneficial owners, qualifying holders and management, and the applicant&#8217;s financial position and viability. It decides within eight weeks of receiving all documents, extendable by at most four weeks. Once the application moves to the second phase, documents are due within four weeks, and the CGA again decides within eight weeks with a possible four-week extension. During the second phase the CGA may grant a provisional licence for up to six months, extendable by at most six.<\/p><p>A licence must be refused in particular if not all beneficial owners are established, if a beneficial owner or holder of more than 25% or a manager was convicted in the eight years before the application of an offence for gain, money laundering or terrorist financing, if the source of funds and wealth is not established, if the applicant lacks sufficient liquid funds to pay expected winnings immediately, if it has no responsible gaming policy or is not registered in goAML (Article 2.2).<\/p><p>Once licensed, presence requirements apply (Article 5.12). For the first four years after the LOK took effect the operator must give permanent full-time work to at least one key person registered in Cura\u00e7ao who is not its director, and to at least three from the fifth year. It also needs its own office in Cura\u00e7ao with the usual facilities, used only for business under the licence. There is an exemption for small new companies if, among other things, the company was set up no earlier than one year before applying, its beneficial owners are not involved in other gaming operators and gross gaming revenue stays below NAf 20 million a year (Article 5.12(4)).<\/p><p>Under the CGA fee document of 15 October 2025, a B2C (business to consumer) or B2B (business to business) application costs EUR 4,592 one-off. A B2C operator pays EUR 47,450 a year, of which EUR 24,490 is the licence fee to the Treasury and EUR 22,960 the CGA supervisory fee. A B2B operator pays EUR 24,490 a year.<\/p><\/section><section id=\"why\"><h2>Why you need a licence<\/h2><div class=\"lbm-roles\"><div class=\"lbm-role\"><span class=\"lbm-ico\"><svg><use href=\"#i-shield\"\/><\/svg><\/span><h3>Legality<\/h3><p>Operating without a licence is illegal in most countries and can lead to criminal liability and blocking of your domains.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"lbm-role\"><span class=\"lbm-ico\"><svg><use href=\"#i-users\"\/><\/svg><\/span><h3>Player trust<\/h3><p>Users trust licensed platforms with their money. A licence from a reputable regulator signals fairness.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"lbm-role\"><span class=\"lbm-ico\"><svg><use href=\"#i-bank\"\/><\/svg><\/span><h3>Partners<\/h3><p>Banks, payment systems and leading game providers work with licensed operators only. Without a licence you cannot open a corporate account or connect these partners.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"lbm-role\"><span class=\"lbm-ico\"><svg><use href=\"#i-globe\"\/><\/svg><\/span><h3>Scaling<\/h3><p>A licence opens access to international markets and lets you attract traffic legally.<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"lbm-co dark\"><span class=\"lbm-ico\"><svg><use href=\"#i-alert\"\/><\/svg><\/span><div><b>Without a licence<\/b><p>Expect blocked domains and payment accounts, refusals from game providers and, in many countries, criminal liability for the owners.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/section><div class=\"lbm-svc\"><div><b>Need help with this topic?<\/b><p>We will review your situation and propose a solution for your project.<\/p><\/div><a class=\"lbm-svc-btn popmake-4929\" href=\"#\" role=\"button\">Contact us<\/a><\/div><section id=\"choose\"><h2>iGaming licence: jurisdictions compared<\/h2><div class=\"lbm-tl\"><div class=\"lbm-row\"><div class=\"lbm-d\">Cura\u00e7ao<\/div><div class=\"lbm-w\"><b>Facts:<\/b> CGA licence for an NV or BV in Cura\u00e7ao with a local director; EUR 4,592 application, EUR 47,450 a year for B2C; office in Cura\u00e7ao, liquidity to pay winnings, one local key person for the first four years and three from the fifth.<\/div><div class=\"lbm-f\"><b>Fits:<\/b> Projects targeting international markets that can meet stronger requirements than before.<\/div><\/div><div class=\"lbm-row\"><div class=\"lbm-d\">Malta<\/div><div class=\"lbm-w\"><b>Facts:<\/b> MGA (Malta Gaming Authority) licence; EUR 5,000 application, fixed B2C annual fee EUR 25,000 (EUR 10,000 for Type 4 only); compliance contribution from EUR 15,000 for Type 1 to EUR 600,000 for Type 2; 5% tax only on revenue from players physically in Malta.<\/div><div class=\"lbm-f\"><b>Fits:<\/b> EU-facing operators who value a top-tier reputation.<\/div><\/div><div class=\"lbm-row\"><div class=\"lbm-d\">Anjouan (Comoros)<\/div><div class=\"lbm-w\"><b>Status:<\/b> the licensing bodies cite a 2005 law, but the Comoros government disputes their legitimacy. We found no formal decision declaring gambling licences invalid.<\/div><div class=\"lbm-f\"><b>Fits:<\/b> only those who knowingly accept the risk that banks and payment providers will not recognise the licence. Check the status before applying.<\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"lbm-co soft\"><span class=\"lbm-ico\"><svg><use href=\"#i-info\"\/><\/svg><\/span><div><b>Other options<\/b><p>The Isle of Man and Kahnawake are also used, usually by established operators. Each has its own fees, conditions and market access, so compare them against your plan.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/section><section id=\"steps\"><h2>Licensing steps<\/h2><ol class=\"lbm-steps\"><li><span class=\"lbm-ico\"><svg><use href=\"#i-list\"\/><\/svg><\/span><div><h3>Prepare<\/h3><p>Collect data on beneficiaries and directors, and write the business plan.<\/p><span class=\"lbm-tag\">Start here<\/span><\/div><\/li><li><span class=\"lbm-ico\"><svg><use href=\"#i-build\"\/><\/svg><\/span><div><h3>Register the company<\/h3><p>Incorporate the legal entity in the chosen jurisdiction.<\/p><\/div><\/li><li><span class=\"lbm-ico\"><svg><use href=\"#i-doc\"\/><\/svg><\/span><div><h3>Submit the documents<\/h3><p>AML\/KYC and responsible gaming policies, a software description and the business model.<\/p><span class=\"lbm-tag must\">Important<\/span><\/div><\/li><li><span class=\"lbm-ico\"><svg><use href=\"#i-search\"\/><\/svg><\/span><div><h3>Pass due diligence<\/h3><p>The regulator checks the founders and key persons, including source of wealth.<\/p><\/div><\/li><li><span class=\"lbm-ico\"><svg><use href=\"#i-cube\"\/><\/svg><\/span><div><h3>Certify the platform<\/h3><p>Technical audit and RNG (random number generator) certification against the regulator\u2019s standards.<\/p><\/div><\/li><li><span class=\"lbm-ico\"><svg><use href=\"#i-key\"\/><\/svg><\/span><div><h3>Receive the licence<\/h3><p>After all checks, the licence is issued.<\/p><\/div><\/li><\/ol><\/section><section id=\"faq\"><h2>Frequently asked questions<\/h2><div class=\"lbm-faq\"><details><summary>Can I rely on an Anjouan (Comoros) licence?<\/summary><p>It carries risk. The Comoros government disputes the legitimacy of the Anjouan licensing bodies, and the Central Bank of the Comoros calls fictitious the structures that issue offshore banking licences in the name of Anjouan. We found no formal decision declaring gambling licences invalid, but banks and payment providers may refuse an operator with such a licence.<\/p><\/details><details><summary>Do I need an office and local staff in Cura\u00e7ao?<\/summary><p>Yes. Article 5.12 LOK requires your own office in Cura\u00e7ao and at least one local key person who is not a director for the first four years, and at least three from the fifth year. Small new companies can be exempt.<\/p><\/details><details><summary>How long does a Cura\u00e7ao licence take now?<\/summary><p>Under the LOK the process has two phases of about eight weeks each, with a possible four-week extension per phase. The \u201cone to two months\u201d that was quoted under the old system no longer applies.<\/p><\/details><details><summary>Is Cura\u00e7ao still the cheapest option?<\/summary><p>Fees are moderate, but requirements are stricter than under the old sub-licence model: an office, liquidity for player claims and key persons in Cura\u00e7ao. Compare the full cost, not just the fee.<\/p><\/details><details><summary>Can I operate before I have a licence?<\/summary><p>No. Accepting players without a licence is illegal in most countries and cuts you off from banks, payment providers and game suppliers.<\/p><\/details><details><summary>Which licence should I pick?<\/summary><p>It depends on your target markets, budget and partners. Start from where your players are and which payment methods and game providers you need, then compare regimes.<\/p><\/details><\/div><p class=\"lbm-more\"><b>See also: <\/b><a href=\"\/en\/how-to-choose-a-jurisdiction-for-your-company-registration\/\">How to choose a jurisdiction for your company registration?<\/a>; <a href=\"\/en\/loot-boxes-secondary-market\/\">Loot Boxes and Secondary Markets: When a Game Mechanic Becomes Gambling Under EU and US Law<\/a>; <a href=\"\/en\/online-casino-license\/\">Online casino licence: Cura\u00e7ao, Malta, Estonia, Anjouan or Tobique<\/a>; <a href=\"\/en\/payment-institution-emi-licence-eu-uk-canada\/\">EMI and Payment Institution Licence in the EU, UK and Canada<\/a>; <a href=\"\/en\/igaming-responsible-gambling-aml\/\">Responsible gambling and AML for operators<\/a>. Services: <a href=\"\/en\/igaming-legal-services\/\">legal services for iGaming<\/a>.<\/p><div class=\"lbm-src\"><b>Sources<\/b><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/gamingcontrol.spin-cdn.com\/media\/online_gaming\/20241230_landsverordening_op_de_kansspelen.pdf\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">CGA: Landsverordening op de kansspelen (LOK), P.B. 2024 no. 157<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/portal.cga.cw\/uploads\/publications\/aZPlS7pIPL5pJubskS3bNhtWjOXPNAawyRrFClRf.pdf\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">CGA: License Fees under the LOK, v2.0, 15.10.2025<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/gamingcontrol.spin-cdn.com\/media\/general_publications\/20261007_261007_announcement_transition_to_new_platform_cga.pdf\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">CGA: Transition to a New Regulatory Platform, 07.10.2026<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mga.org.mt\/app\/uploads\/Guidance-Note-Licence-Fees-and-Taxation-1.pdf\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Malta Gaming Authority: Licence Fees and Taxation<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/banque-comores.km\/uploads\/COMMUNIQUE-DE-LA-BCC-SUR-LEXERCICE-ILLEGAL-DACTIVITES-BANCAIRES-OFFSHORES%283%29.pdf\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Central Bank of the Comoros: communiqu\u00e9 on illegal offshore banking activity<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/comoros-calls-anjouan-licensing-bodies-fictitious-seeks-uk-assistance\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Casino.org: report on the Comoros government position (19 October 2026). A media report, as we could not find the primary government statement<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/section><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"lb-ac\"><h2>This is what we do<\/h2><p>How we help projects with this topic:<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/legalbit.top\/en\/regulatory-and-compliance\/\">Licensing, compliance and AML\/KYC<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/legalbit.top\/en\/igaming-legal-services\/\">Legal support for iGaming projects<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"An iGaming License: Your Key to a Legal and Successful Online Business\",\"description\":\"iGaming licence in 2026: Cura\u00e7ao LOK requirements, Malta fees, the disputed status of Anjouan and the licensing steps.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/legalbit.top\/en\/an-igaming-license-your-key-to-a-legal-and-successful-online-business\/\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":\"https:\/\/legalbit.top\/en\/an-igaming-license-your-key-to-a-legal-and-successful-online-business\/\",\"image\":\"https:\/\/legalbit.top\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/igaming-licnsing.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-10-21T18:20:00Z\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-10-21T18:20:00Z\",\"inLanguage\":\"en\",\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"LegalBit\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/legalbit.top\/\"},\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"LegalBit\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/legalbit.top\/\"}}<\/script>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Can I rely on an Anjouan (Comoros) licence?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"It carries risk. 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We go through [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7032,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[69],"tags":[78,116,106,108],"post_folder":[],"class_list":["post-6137","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-igaming","tag-gambling","tag-igaming-licence","tag-jurisdictions","tag-licensing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/legalbit.top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6137","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/legalbit.top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/legalbit.top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legalbit.top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legalbit.top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6137"}],"version-history":[{"count":44,"href":"https:\/\/legalbit.top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6137\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8197,"href":"https:\/\/legalbit.top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6137\/revisions\/8197"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legalbit.top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7032"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/legalbit.top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6137"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legalbit.top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6137"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legalbit.top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6137"},{"taxonomy":"post_folder","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legalbit.top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_folder?post=6137"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}