Online casino licences compared
The jurisdictions a new online casino most often weighs — what each licence costs, how long it takes, what it requires and what it does not let you do. Licensing is the operator's responsibility; these pages are here to help you plan it.
Jurisdiction guides
Which gambling licence should a new online casino get?
The one your target markets and payment providers accept — not the cheapest. Anjouan has the lowest regulator fees at €17,828 a year and needs no staff on the island; Curaçao charges €47,450 a year and, from 2027, local staff; Malta's fees are modest but its share capital, people in Malta and audits make it the most expensive to run. Costa Rica issues no online gambling licence at all.
Price is the wrong first question. A licence is what payment providers underwrite against, what game studios require in their contracts and what affiliates check before sending traffic. A cheap licence that your market's payment providers will not accept costs more than an appropriate one. And no offshore licence authorises you to serve a market — the UK, Mexico, Kenya and others — that requires its own.
Licensing is the operator's responsibility and depends on the markets they serve. WW Games does not hold or sublicense a gambling licence, and can put operators in touch with licensing providers. How the licence fits into a white label launch is on white label vs turnkey, which platforms include one on white label providers, and what each country requires on markets.
| Jurisdiction | Regulator fees | What else it takes | Typical time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anjouan | €17,828 to issue and €17,828 a year; €500 per extra domain; no GGR tax (source) | A company, which can be formed offshore, and key-person approvals; no office on the island | Weeks; the regulator publishes no timeline |
| Curaçao | €4,592 to apply, then €47,450 a year for B2C; no GGR tax (source) | A Curaçao company, a local managing director, a compliance officer and MLRO; resident staff and an office from 1 April 2027 | 3–5 months |
| Malta | €5,000 to apply, €25,000 a year plus a compliance contribution from €15,000; 5% tax on Maltese players (source) | A Maltese company with €40,000–240,000 share capital, key staff in Malta and system audits — advisers put year one at €80,000+ to six figures | 4–6 months |
| Costa Rica | No gambling licence; annual tax on betting data processors of 57 base salaries up to 50 staff (source) | A local company and municipal permit — and, for card payments, a gaming licence elsewhere | Weeks — but it is not a gambling licence |