How to Get an Online Gambling Licence in 2026 + Contact -

Getting a gambling licence is one of the most important steps in creating an online sportsbook or casino.
It is also one of the most misunderstood.
There is no single international gambling licence that automatically allows an operator to accept players everywhere. Gambling regulation is territorial. The licence you need depends on where your company operates, where your players are located and what type of gambling products you provide.

Before applying for any licence, the first question should therefore be: Which markets do you actually want to enter?

Step 1: Choose Your Target Markets

Licensing should follow your commercial strategy, not the other way around.
An operator targeting one regulated European market may need a completely different structure from a sportsbook targeting several international markets.
Some countries require operators accepting local players to hold a domestic licence. Great Britain is a clear example: operators providing remote gambling to consumers in Great Britain require the appropriate Gambling Commission licence regardless of where the company itself is based.

ℹ️ Gambling Commission +1

This is why obtaining an offshore licence should never be interpreted as automatic permission to advertise or operate in every country.
Before choosing a jurisdiction, investigate local gambling law, advertising rules, payment restrictions, taxation and whether foreign-licensed operators may legally serve the market.

Step 2: Choose the Licensing Jurisdiction

Several jurisdictions license international online gambling companies, but their requirements and reputations differ significantly.
Malta, for example, operates a regulated B2C Gaming Service Licence system. The Malta Gaming Authority currently lists a €5,000 application fee and €25,000 fixed annual licence fee for standard B2C remote gaming licences, alongside applicable gaming tax and compliance contributions.

ℹ️ Malta Gaming Authority

Curaçao has also changed significantly. Its National Ordinance on Games of Chance, known as the LOK, entered into force on December 24, 2024. Online gaming licences are now issued and supervised directly by the Curaçao Gaming Authority rather than through the old master-licence structure.

ℹ️ Curaçao Gaming Authority +1

The cheapest licence is therefore not necessarily the best licence.
Banking, payment processing, supplier acceptance, target-market regulations and the reputation of the jurisdiction should all be considered.

Step 3: Establish the Company

A gambling licence normally belongs to a legal entity rather than an individual.
Depending on the jurisdiction, the applicant may need to create a local company, appoint directors, disclose shareholders and ultimate beneficial owners and demonstrate the source of the money being used to finance the business.
Regulators will usually investigate the people behind the company.
This can include criminal-record checks, professional histories, financial information and source-of-funds documentation.
For example, Curaçao’s application process requires personal-history disclosure for qualifying individuals including significant beneficial owners, directors and certain key personnel.

ℹ️ Curaçao Gaming Authority

Prepare this documentation before beginning the application. Missing information is one of the easiest ways to delay licensing.

Step 4: Prepare Your Business and Compliance Documentation

A gambling regulator wants to know that the operator can run the business safely and responsibly.
Applicants may therefore need to provide a business plan, financial projections, ownership structure, AML procedures, KYC processes, responsible-gambling policies, technical information, payment arrangements and descriptions of the products being offered.
The regulator may also assess whether the company has enough capital to operate sustainably and pay players.
Technology matters as well.
The sportsbook or casino platform must meet the technical standards required by the chosen jurisdiction. Game suppliers, sportsbook systems and other critical suppliers may themselves require approval or licensing.
Malta, for example, separately regulates B2B critical gaming suppliers, including providers of systems supporting fixed-odds betting.

ℹ️ Malta Gaming Authority

Step 5: Submit the Application and Complete Due Diligence

Once the company and documents are prepared, the formal application can begin.
The regulator will review the company, its owners, funding, technology and operating procedures. Additional information may be requested during the process.
Some regulators also require technical audits or system reviews before operations can begin.
This is why licensing timelines should not be treated like buying a normal company registration. The process involves regulatory due diligence.
The better prepared the application is before submission, the smoother the process usually becomes.

Step 6: Remember That Licensing Continues After Launch

Receiving the licence is not the end of regulation.
Operators typically face ongoing reporting, AML obligations, player-protection requirements, technical standards, licence fees and regulatory supervision.
Compliance should therefore be built into the business from the beginning rather than added after launch.
A sportsbook that cannot properly verify customers, monitor transactions or meet responsible-gambling requirements can create far more expensive problems than the original licensing cost.
How Much Does a Gambling Licence Cost?
There is no meaningful universal price.
The licence itself may cost thousands or tens of thousands of euros, but the real cost includes company formation, legal work, compliance staff, platform costs, audits, technical certification, payment integrations and operating capital.
For serious projects, it is better to calculate the total cost of becoming operational rather than simply comparing licence application fees.
A €10,000 licence attached to a €150,000 launch is not really a €10,000 project.

Choose the Licence Around the Business

A gambling licence should support the markets you want to enter, the payment companies you want to use and the long-term structure of the business.
Do not begin with “What is the cheapest gambling licence?”
Begin with:
Where are my players going to come from?
Once that question is answered, the licensing strategy becomes considerably clearer.

VB iGaming helps sportsbook and casino entrepreneurs evaluate licensing jurisdictions, platform options and complete market-entry structures.

To check how to open an online casino in your country, visit our casino page. To check how to open a sportsbook in your country, check out our sportsbook page.

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