PREVIEW: SBC SUMMIT
Choosing the right iGaming licence: does it really matter?
One of the biggest decisions an operator makes is choosing the license, or licenses, they pursue. You hear many acronyms all the time, but what is the difference between them? Are all licenses the same? What do you need to do one or once you have one? If you have one, does this also give you a license to thrill?
introduced local licensing with many others looking to follow this trend.
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hankfully we know a thing or two about licences, so allow us to elucidate you. The licence(s) one holds determines the rules and regulations under which the casino operators have to abide by. Different jurisdictions come with vastly different requirements and a plethora of other things one needs to consider when moving from one to another.
LICENCE CATEGORIES Generally speaking you can divide the licenses into two categories; regional and offshore licenses.
Regional, local or national licenses allow you to accept players in that particular country and operate in that given country legally. Many significant markets such as the UK, Netherlands, Germany, Spain and Sweden have already
This brings significant tax income but also gives them full control over the regulations, so it’s not a surprise many countries are moving towards this model. For example, we have recently had the opportunity to help clients prepare for newly regulated markets opening up in New Zealand, Ireland, Finland and Alberta, Canada. It’s crucial to exercise caution however, data shows that tightening the regulations too much can harm both operators and channelisation, pushing players to the unregulated black market.
What about the United States and Canada, I can hear you ask? Well, as they often do, matters such as gambling are handled on the state or province level. Therefore it again varies a lot, and for example an Ontario license has been in existence and very popular for some years now.
OTHER LICENCE OPTIONS Okay, so you don’t want local licensing, at least not yet. What options do you have? The offshore gambling licenses, also known as ‘dot com’ licenses, allow for much more freedom when it comes to target demographic.
Names such as Malta, Gibraltar and Isle of Man are well established, have robust regulations and generally come with more oversight and higher demands of the licensee. This robust system means a higher level of investment to get started, they do also carry an aura of credibility, giving the indication that an operator is held to a certain standard, helping newcomers to solidify themselves as a legitimate casino with good intentions.
Alongside the ‘traditional’ names we have seen the rise of newcomers such as Anjouan, Tobique and Nevis among others. The main benefits of these licenses is the speed with which you get the license, a smaller initial investment and a lower degree of technical scrutiny. What is underestimated by many however, is the level of KYC that is performed on UBOs and entities, resulting in a lot of paperwork.
However, as the knowledge of the differences between licenses becomes more well known, the value which they bring to an operator is likely to be questioned more easily. This is where a knowledgeable compliance partner is able to help immensely as they know the licenses and their quirks inside and out.
The licenses, their benefits and their requirements can vary very significantly between licenses. It also heavily determines the direction your company wishes to go, unless you have financial means to apply for multiple licenses from the word go.
Whichever your approach, BetComply is happy to help you every step of the way.
28 OCTOBER 2026 GIO
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