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The Remote Gaming Regulations were revamped in April of 2004 and now offer four classes of remote gaming licenses. Class 1 is for operators providing online casino games, games of chance, and games that use a random number generator. Class 2 gaming license is for online sports and betting operations. Class 3 license is for advertisers and promotion companies that operate from Malta. Class 4 licenses are for companies that host and manage remote gaming operators but are not themselves operators. Each license type has a five-year duration.
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Gibraltar began offering licenses to online gaming sites in 1998. Currently the country licenses sportsbooks, online casinos, and betting exchanges. Gibraltar primarily licenses operators with a proven track record and requires software testing as part of the process. There are no start-up licensing fees, but there is an annual fee of £2,000. The tax rate is 1% of turnover for sportsbooks and 1% of gross profit for online casinos.
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Casino-style online games are not permitted in the United Kingdom. Lotteries may not be conducted online, but the purchase of traditional lottery tickets may be aided by internet and email technologies provided there remains some action by a human operator. The United Kingdom does allow land-based sportsbook and racebook operators to accept wagers online. With the passing of the gambling bill in April of 2005, online gambling may see some reforms in the near future. The Gambling Commission may soon begin regulating and licensing online casinos, sportsbooks, betting exchanges, and poker sites.
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Antigua licenses online gambling operations. Applicants must provide a non-refundable deposit of USD $10,000 plus USD $1,000 per key person with their application. If investigation expenses exceed the deposit amount, the applicant must provide an additional deposit as required by the Directorate of Offshore Gaming. The annual license fee for online gaming is USD $75,000 and the annual license fee for sports betting is USD $50,000. Key person licenses are USD $1,000 the first year, and USD $250 in renewal years. There is an annual USD $5,000 renewal application fee for online gaming and sports betting licenses, with additional charges if investigation fees exceed that amount.
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Online gambling in the United States is regulated by both federal law and state laws. The federal Wire Act of 1961 prohibits sports betting under certain conditions. In the case United States v. Cohen, criminal charges under the Wire Act were filed and upheld against the operator of an online sports betting site. While prosecution of betting operators has occurred, as in the Cohen case, there has been no known prosecution of a customer. There have been several federal laws proposed in the legislature that would have prohibited additional forms of online gambling beyond sports betting. However, none of these proposed laws have been enacted. Betting on horse racing and dog racing are specifically authorized under federal law if certain criteria are met. Federal gambling law does not address games of skill, and there are many skill gaming sites that operate within the United States.
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Within the Netherlands Antilles, Curacao offers licenses for online casinos and sportsbooks. Licenses are available through the Department of Justice or through sub-licensing from an existing license holder. Licenses from the Department of Justice last for two years.
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Kahnawake licenses online casinos for a fee of USD $10,000 per year. The consultancy firm Gaming Associates monitors Kahnawake licensees. Licenses and license renewals are for two years. All costs associated with processing license and license renewal applications are payable by the applicant, and a non-refundable deposit of USD $15,000 for probity and control system testing is required at the time of application.
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Costa Rica recognizes gambling as occurring within its jurisdiction only when people within the physical borders of the country place wagers, or if money is exchanged within the area. Consequently, a large number of online gambling operations operate out of Costa Rica without any specific regulatory approval by refusing Costa Rican customers and maintaining bank accounts for the operation overseas. Because the law is formally silent on the legality of online gaming in the country, there is minimal consumer protection for those using services operating from Costa Rica. Legislative proposals to regulate and tax online gaming have been under discussion over the past several years, but no such proposals had been approved as of this writing.
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The Northern Territory licenses online casinos, sportsbooks and racebooks. Licenses are issued for five-year periods. Initial and ongoing audits are required. Racing bets are taxed at 1.55% when they are from Australia, and 0.5% otherwise. Sportsbook bets are taxed at 0.5% when they are from Australia or New Zealand, and 0.25% otherwise. Online gaming is taxed at 4%, and there is no licensing fee beyond this tax. Betting exchanges can legally operate in the Northern Territory.
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Applications for online gaming licenses were initially accepted on the Isle of Man in June of 2001. By 2002, licenses were distributed to five gaming operators from around the world. The rapid growth of the market, however, was followed by an even more rapid crash. By 2003, no gaming operators held a license from the island. The Isle of Man has restructured its regulations and infrastructure to rebuild the market. Licensing is now overseen by the Department of Trade and Industry, and there is no longer a USD $2 million surety bond requirement. Instead, an insurance bond is required and its price is negotiable, making licenses more available to smaller operators. In January 2005, a policy change approved by the Island's Council of Ministers enabled operators based in the Isle of Man to accept bets from the United States. In April of 2005, the island announced a zero rate of income tax for the e-gaming sector. The licensing application fee is £1,000. The annual license fee for a betting site is £35,000. There is a 2.5% tax on net profit from bets up to £1,000,000. Net profits over that amount are taxed at a reduced rate. The corporation tax is 0%, provided the site does not accept bets from Isle of Man residents.
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Online lotteries may be run in Sweden by not-for-profit social organizations. Two for-profit online gaming sites, Svenska Spel and ATG, have also been granted permission to operate.
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Online gaming licenses may be issued to businesses incorporated in Belize by the Online Gaming Licensing Committee, operating under the authority of the "Gaming Control (Online Gaming) Regulations of 2004." Licenses are valid for 12 months, and require a USD $10,000 initial payment and USD $10,000 annual renewal fee. Online gaming sites licensed in Belize may not accept wagers from residents of Belize.
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The Six Nations Council and Six Nations Gaming Commission allege that online gaming is not permitted in the jurisdiction and that all gaming within the region is under the sole authority of the Six Nations Gaming Commission. This position is based on two factors. First, the commission's view is that Canadian law prohibits online gaming and that this law applies in the Six Nations territory. Second, the tribal Council has not specifically authorized online gaming licensure. However, two organizations, the Haldimand Mohocks and Allies Gaming Commission (HMAGC) and the Six Nations Internet Gaming Regulatory Body (SNIGRB), have claimed authority to license online gaming within the Grand River Mohock Lands. This claim is based on an understanding that any Canadian laws preventing licensure would not apply in sovereign tribal territory, and that the Council has not passed a law specifically prohibiting online gaming. While separate in name, MHAGC and the SNIGRB appear to have close connections and may operate as a single entity. Both the HMAGC and the SNIGRB require use of the hosting service Six Net. The Six Nations Internet Gaming Regulatory Body has one licensee. Due to the ongoing dispute in the licensing authority of the SNIGRB, the hosting service Six Net is seeking an additional license agreement from an unnamed jurisdiction.
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Alderney offers both Electronic Betting Centre licenses for the operation of online sports books and Interactive Gaming licenses for the operation of all other forms of online gaming. The annual fee for a license is GBP £70,000. Licenses are renewable annually. The applicant must pay the cost of all investigations required for the issuance of a license, and a deposit of GBP £15,000 is required at the time of application. Compliance testing is also required for all gaming systems and is the responsibility of the licensee. Alderney does not levy any sales taxes or gambling taxes and most licensees will be able to negotiate tax exempt status by paying a flat annual fee of £600. As of September 2005, the Alderney Gambling Control Commission had issued 20 interactive gaming licenses. The Alderney Gambling Commission voted on February 28, 2005 to allow a "free market approach towards e-gambling." This decision allows the jurisdiction¡¯s licensees to accept bets from players in all other countries, including the United States.
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Applicants for online gaming licenses do not need to have operations in Kalmykia. John Tiner and Partners, the law firm that wrote the Kalmykian law, can help in processing license applications and acts as the legal counsel for the government. Contact information for the firm is available on its website at www.RussianLaw.com.
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Online gambling is regulated at the federal level by the Interactive Gambling Act of 2001. The act creates three primary categories of permitted online gambling; wagering, gaming, and lotteries. Wagering includes betting on sports, races, or other events, provided that the event has not yet begun at the time the bet is placed. Gaming includes any game played for money in a public place. Online lotteries are permitted except for keno-style games, scratch tickets, or instant lotteries. The act also prohibits the advertising of online gambling sites. Online gambling sites licensed in Australia may not accept bets from people who are located in Australia, and additional countries may petition the Australian government to add their residents to the list of excluded customers. While licensing occurs on the state or territory level, complaints about prohibited internet content may be directed to the Australian Broadcasting Authority.
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As in the United Kingdom, Ireland's bookmakers operate internet-based services under the terms of their bookmaking licenses. The National Lottery may be played via digital TV.
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Vanuatu offers online gaming licenses for casinos, lotteries and sports betting. Background checks and gaming system audits are required. For online casinos there is a USD $75,000 application fee, an annual license fee of USD $50,000, and a tax of 2.5% of the win. The government has subcontracted regulatory work to Interactive Gaming Consultants Ltd.
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The New Zealand government has granted exclusive operating rights for online racebooks and sportsbooks to the Racing Board, formerly known as the Totalisator Agency Board (TAB). Online Lotteries may be run by the the Lotteries Commission. It is illegal to organize, manage, or promote any other source of online gaming in New Zealand.
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The Philippines' Cagayan Special Economic Zone grants online gambling licenses through the company First Cagayan Leisure. First Cagayan Leisure operates a master license and is authorized to screen additional licensees. Online gambling licenses from the company last for seven years. Licenses require a USD $40,000 application fee and an annual fee of USD $40,000. Up to USD $25,000 of the application fee is refunded should the application be granted. The zone also offers a restrictive license option for sportsbooks. This type of license permits bookmaking on basketball and soccer, plus up to two additional sports. The annual fee for a restrictive license is USD $26,000. As a means to generate revenue, the Philippine government operates an online casino under the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).
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The Austrian lottery, Österreichische Lotterien and Casinos Austria, offers lottery and casino games online. State-based licensure of land-based bookmakers grants authorization for the license holder to conduct online bookmaking operations
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To obtain a gambling license in Anjouan, one must first create an international company. There is an annual fee of USD $1,400 for the incorporation (first year) and maintenance (each year thereafter) of the company. Following the legislative elections in April 2004, activities were suspended until the new Institutions of the Union of Comoros were installed. A gambling license costs USD $20,000 per year. Once a company obtains a license, it can operate an unlimited number of gambling sites under an unlimited number of brand names. Companies are not required to have operations in Anjouan, but must be locally registered and represented.
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Online gaming in the jurisdiction is licensed exclusively to the Ålands Penningautomatforening, the Åland Islands' Slot Machine Association, also known as PAF. PAF operates under the supervision of the government of Åland Island and all revenue is used for charitable causes on the island.
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Pacapio, the Chinese lottery, has permission from the Macau Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau to accept online purchases, but the lottery has not made this service operational. Macau also permits online wagering on horse races.
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A new federal law proposes to establish a framework for the operation of online casinos. The proposal, in its current form, requires that each gaming site provide contact information (address and phone number) through which players may contact the operator.
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Mauritius requires government licensure of online gaming operators based in the country, and has offered such licenses since 1996. The country's first license was granted to Bowmans Sportsbook.
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Swaziland grants online gaming licenses under the authority of the Ministry of Tourism, Environment, and Communications.
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Panama adopted regulations governing the licensing of electronic games of chance and wagering activities in late 2002. The regulations allow master licenses to be granted that are valid for up to seven years upon payment of a license fee of USD $40,000. There is also an annual license fee of USD $20,000. Master license holders may grant sub-licenses, which are subject to the annual fee. Applicants must pay all investigation costs incurred in the processing of the application.
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While Cyprus does not presently have a system for licensing online gambling firms, the UK-based law firm Poppleston Allen is consulting with the government to establish a licensing system. The firm has completed recommendations, and the national legislature is currently undergoing review and discussion of the proposal.
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To obtain an online gaming license, a company must be locally registered with the financial services department. The license application must include a proposal outlining the business operation, information on the shareholders and directors, and an application processing fee of USD $2,000 per individual. Upon approval, an initial license registration fee of USD $80,000 and an annual license fee of USD $40,000 must be paid.
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Online Gaming Jurisdictions - Ranked by Popularity
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