To obtain a license for gambling activities in Antigua and Barbuda, the future owners of the online casino have to:
- establish and register a company on one of these Islands;
- collect a package of documents for submission of applications to the Gambling Department;
- pass the licensing procedure;
- make a starting contribution;
- organize the work of an online casino in conformance with the current technical compulsions.
The Caribbean Islands of Antigua and Barbuda are among the top ten most famous jurisdictions for online casino licensing. Despite all the captiousness of the regulator in relation to the organizers of gambling, the permission to conduct activities in this country discovers great opportunities for business, which are not provided by other states.
Pros of the Gambling License Issued in Antigua and Barbuda
- In the first year of operation operators do not pay any taxes.
- There is no need to have registered capital to apply for licensing.
- Operator companies get access to the UK business market.
- Online casino servers can be placed anywhere in the world provided that a transit server would be installed in the jurisdiction of Antigua and Barbuda.
As for the application requirements, this issue can be called very loyal. The basic conditions of Antigua and Barbuda relate to the technical side of the process organization of software, data transmission systems, soft origin etc. We will highlight this issue below.
According to the laws of Antigua and Barbuda, the establishment of a gambling company is possible under only three conditions:
- it is necessary to open an office within the territory of Islands, it means to obtain a legal address;
- the company must have one director (natural or legal person);
- it is necessary to register at least one stockowner (individual or legal entity).
And as for the application package for licensing you need to submit comprehensive intelligence about the people in the Directorate: their credit histories, biographies, statements of good conduct, as well as investment data for the last 36 months.
In addition to the application to the Department of Gambling to get a permit for gambling activity, the applicant must pay two settled contributions:
- $ 15,000 for consideration of the application;
- $ 100,000 — the state fee for the gambling industry development, which is paid once a year, regardless of the level of the operator’s income.
Besides, the license is paid in the amount of $ 100,000 (for online casino operators). For comparison, the organizers of the sweepstakes pay $ 75,000.
It is much more difficult to correctly organize the technical side of the case because the Gambling Department of Antigua and Barbuda has set a fairly high bar for candidates for a license.
First of all, all the gaming software must be certified. This applies to game systems, analytics and security programs, payment modules and other products used in the work. Software must undergo mandatory examination and audit. However, this is true only for software that you order from the developers individually or for customizable soft.
As for software from major producers, in most cases, providers are engaged in certification of their products. They receive the eCOGRA certificate, which confirms the standardization of the software, its compliance with the highest world canons of transparent business.
The regulatory authority of Antigua and Barbuda also ensures that operators provide an excellent service to customers. Thus, if the gambler wins more than $ 25,000, the operator is obliged to transfer the transaction data to the Department in a period of two days. This rule is strictly observed. This approach allows not only to make the customer service accurate and really good, but also to effectively combat money-laundering through gambling.
Another requirement that shows a responsible attitude of jurisdiction towards players obliges operators to limit the availability of gambling entertainment content for users under the age of 18 years. On the main page of the portal, you need to place a warning that gambling can lead to ludomania, and point the contacts of institutions that provide urgent psychological assistance.
Obtaining a license from Antigua and Barbuda has its own difficulties, instead, it gives certain advantages, so before you start this process, it is necessary to evaluate the priorities. If this jurisdiction will help to achieve the business goals to which you aspire, then you can start the licensing procedure without any doubt.
Nevertheless, we recommend considering alternatives: Curacao, Gibraltar and Malta. Each of these jurisdictions opens up a window to online gambling: somewhere there are fewer taxes, and somewhere there is access to closed markets, etc. To make the right decision, you will be assisted by experienced professionals who understand the difference between the gambling laws of different countries, follow the trends and see the pitfalls of the market.
Open an Online Casino in Antigua and Barbuda with Casino Market
You can find reliable support in the Casino Market studio. The experts of the gambling market, that specialize in launching new online projects, work here. They will help you to choose a jurisdiction, select a good certified software and, if it is necessary, prepare documents for the application.
We recommend getting a license only with the assistance of experienced lawyers because each application is accompanied by significant expenses. Enlist reliable support, and everything will bound to work!
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