In short: To get an online gambling licence, you choose a regulator, set up a company that meets its rules, prepare corporate, personal and financial documents, write your compliance policies, submit the application with the fee, and pass the regulator’s due diligence on owners, directors and source of funds. Only then is the licence issued, with conditions.
Last reviewed: 30 October 2026. Regulator pages last checked: 30 October 2026.
The application is where most launch plans slow down. Regulators ask for the same kinds of evidence, but each has its own forms, order and fees. This guide walks through the process step by step, then shows how two regulators that publish their process, Anjouan and Malta, describe it. If you are still deciding which licence fits your markets, start with how to choose a casino licence. For the basics, read what a gaming licence is.
The application process, step by step
- Choose the regulator. Start from the markets you want to serve, not the cheapest fee. A licence only helps where it is accepted, and some regulators restrict which countries you may take players from. Check the law in each target market as well: some countries do not allow online casino at all, whatever licence you hold.
- Decide the licence type. Regulators split licences by product and business model: casino, betting, poker or skill games, and B2C (you serve players) or B2B (you supply other operators). Apply for what you will actually offer.
- Set up the company. Most regulators license a company, not a person. Check whether the regulator requires a local company, local directors or a local office, and set up the corporate structure before you apply.
- Prepare corporate documents. Certificates of incorporation, articles of association, shareholder registers and the full ownership chain to the ultimate beneficial owners.
- Prepare personal documents. ID, proof of address and declarations for every director, shareholder and key person. Expect questions on professional history.
- Prepare financial evidence. Financial statements, bank references and proof of where the money behind the business comes from.
- Write your compliance policies. Anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing, KYC, responsible gambling, complaints and data protection. Regulators want to see that the business has written rules and someone accountable for them.
- Document the platform. Many regulators review the gaming system: how games are certified, how player funds and data are protected, and how reporting works. Your platform provider supplies much of this.
- Submit and pay. Submit the forms and documents through the regulator’s process, with the application fee. Application fees are usually non-refundable.
- Due diligence and questions. The regulator checks the file for completeness, then reviews the corporate structure, key persons, source of funds and sanctions. Answer follow-up questions quickly; an incomplete file is the most common cause of delay.
- Licence issued, with conditions. The licence comes with conditions you must keep meeting, and in most cases an annual fee and renewal.
How Anjouan describes its process
The Anjouan Gaming licensing site sets out four stages and says each must be completed satisfactorily before the application moves to the next (source: anjouangaming.com, Application Process page, checked 30 October 2026):
| Stage | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1. Submission of application documentation | Forms and all mandatory supporting documents |
| 2. Review of applicant information | Check of completeness and accuracy; applicants may be contacted for clarification |
| 3. Regulatory due diligence | Corporate structure review, key person assessment, source of funds verification and sanctions screening |
| 4. Licence issuance | Licence issued subject to defined conditions and recorded in the public register |
Its Required Documents page lists certified corporate formation documents, shareholder registers and the ownership chain to the ultimate beneficial owner; ID, proof of address and personal declarations for directors, beneficial owners and key persons; and financial evidence such as audited statements, bank references and source of funds. The Fees page lists €17,828 for licence issuance and €17,828 for annual renewal, for B2C and B2B, plus €500 per additional domain for B2C, and states that application fees are non-refundable (checked 30 October 2026). The site gives no fixed processing time; it says processing depends on how complete the documents are and how complex the due diligence is. More detail is in our Anjouan licence guide.
How Malta describes its process
The Malta Gaming Authority’s page for remote B2C gaming licences advises applicants to read its System Documentation Checklist and the applicable enclosure lists before starting, then submit all documentation electronically through its Licensee Portal, choosing the B2C gaming licence and the channel (source: mga.org.mt, Remote Gaming Services page, checked 30 October 2026). Licences are split into gaming types: Type 1 casino-type games, Type 2 fixed-odds betting, Type 3 pool and peer-to-peer games, and Type 4 controlled skill games.
The same page lists a one-time, non-refundable application fee of €5,000, a fixed annual licence fee of €25,000 (€10,000 for operators offering Type 4 only) and gaming tax of 5% of gaming revenue, plus a compliance contribution set out in the MGA’s fees document. No processing time is stated on the page.
What about Curaçao?
Under Curaçao’s LOK regime, the Curaçao Gaming Authority’s fee announcement of 14 February 2025 lists a €4,592 application fee and a €47,450 annual fee for a B2C licence (checked 19 October 2026). The authority’s current application guidelines could not be reached when we checked on 30 October 2026, so we do not describe its steps here. Check the regulator’s own site before you apply. Fees across regulators are compared in our licence cost comparison.
Common reasons applications stall
- Gaps in the ownership chain. Every layer up to the ultimate beneficial owner has to be documented.
- Unclear source of funds. Regulators want to trace the money, not just see a bank balance.
- Generic policies. AML and responsible gambling policies copied from a template, with no named owner or process behind them.
- A platform that cannot evidence controls. Missing game certificates, reporting or player-fund handling. Our licensing tech checklist lists what your platform has to prove.
- Slow answers. Follow-up questions left open for weeks hold the whole file.
Licensing and your platform
Your platform is part of the application: regulators look at how games, payments, KYC and reporting work. On Spinlab, the casino runs on one back office with games, payments, bonuses and KYC built in, and the Launch plan includes licence recommendations. How licensing is handled for your brand is set out in the contract and discussed on the demo call.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get an online gambling licence?
Choose a regulator that fits your markets, set up a company that meets its rules, prepare corporate, personal and financial documents and compliance policies, submit the application with the fee, and pass due diligence. The licence is then issued with conditions.
How long does it take to get a gaming licence?
The regulators we checked do not publish a fixed time. Anjouan says processing depends on how complete the documents are and how complex the due diligence is. A complete file with clear ownership and source of funds moves fastest.
What documents do I need?
Typically company formation documents and shareholder registers, the ownership chain to the beneficial owners, ID and proof of address for directors and key persons, financial statements and source-of-funds evidence, plus your compliance policies and platform documentation.
How much does the application cost?
It depends on the regulator. Malta lists a €5,000 non-refundable application fee and a €25,000 annual licence fee; Anjouan lists €17,828 for issuance and €17,828 a year for renewal (both checked 30 October 2026). Professional fees for company set-up and advisers come on top.
Can a licence be refused?
Yes. Due diligence can fail on ownership, key persons, source of funds or sanctions, and application fees are usually non-refundable, so prepare the file fully before you submit.
Do I need a licence before choosing a platform?
No. Many operators choose the platform first, because the regulator reviews the system and your provider supplies much of the technical documentation.
Next step
Planning a licence and a launch together? Book a demo and we will walk through the platform side of your application, or read the Anjouan licence guide first.
