The island of Curaçao, located in the southern part of the Caribbean Sea, has been a pioneer in licensing the gambling industry. The first licenses were issued there over 20 years ago. Curaçao had an attractive jurisdiction for gambling businesses for many years due to light regulations. However, in recent years, the Curaçao government has significantly tightened the requirements for obtaining licenses for online gambling.
The new restrictions require disclosing the entire ownership chain, including ultimate beneficiaries; increased capital requirements for licensee companies (minimum $200,000); mandatory player identification and verification according to KYC standards; and higher penalties for license condition violations. As a result, gambling operators have started looking for alternative jurisdictions to conduct their business.
Therefore, many companies in the online gambling sector have turned their attention to licenses from Anjouan and Kahnawake (Canada). These relatively new but rapidly developing jurisdictions offer more favorable gambling licensing conditions.
One of the alternatives to Curaçao is the license from the island of Anjouan, part of the Comoros Islands. Anjouan began issuing licenses for online gambling not so long ago, in 2014. But is already considered one of the most convenient jurisdictions for small gambling projects due to a simple and cost-effective licensing process. This country’s jurisdiction offers:
- Quick and simplified licensing – obtaining a license is possible within 1 month;
- Comparatively low license cost – from €30,000;
- Ability to operate in African, Asian, and Latin American countries;
- Simple equipment and personnel requirements;
- No need for an office or servers in Anjouan;
- Swift integration with payment systems and providers;
- Favorable regulatory attitude;
- The Anjouan license also covers all popular types of gambling: online casinos, sports betting (online sports betting via a website or mobile app), bookmaking, online poker, online bingo, financial betting, and event-based games.
Kahnawake Gambling License (Canada)
Kahnawake is an Indian reservation in the Canadian province of Quebec. Like Anjouan, Kahnawake licenses also stand out for their streamlined application process. These licenses are issued by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission. The main advantages of obtaining an online gambling license in the Kahnawake jurisdiction include:
- Speed of processing – licenses can be obtained within 2 or 3 months;
- Relatively low license cost – from €50,000;
- Simple application process with minimal required documents;
- No need to host infrastructure in Kahnawake;
- The favorable regulatory attitude from the Kahnawake regulator;
- Good reputation for the license – buyers and players may have more trust in an online casino or gambling platform with a license from a well-known regulator;
- The license obtained from Kahnawake covers all types of gambling (just like in the case of Anjouan licenses).
The main advantages of licenses from Anjouan and Kahnawake are low costs, fast processing, and simple operator requirements. The licensing process in Curaçao takes 2-6 months, unlike the two other considered jurisdictions, where the process does not exceed two months. The initial license costs in Curaçao start from €90,000, whereas in Kahnawake and Anjouan, they generally do not exceed €70,000. Additionally, unlike Curaçao, obtaining a license in Anjouan or Kahnawake ensures a favorable regulatory attitude and minimal post-license monitoring.
Today, licenses from Anjouan and Kahnawake are an excellent option for starting a gambling project, allowing for minimizing license acquisition costs and quickly commencing legal operations.
It’s important to remember that the choice of jurisdiction should be well-founded and based on your business strategy and ultimate goal. Therefore, when considering ways to obtain a gambling license, consulting experts with experience in this field is recommended. The IT-OFFSHORE team has been providing gambling license acquisition services in various countries for over 10 years. It can help you choose the best option for your project, providing support throughout the licensing process.
Contact IT-Offshore team: [email protected]
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