What Is a Gibraltar Gambling Licence?
A Gibraltar licence is issued under the Gambling Act 2005 by the Gibraltar Licensing Authority (the Minister for Gaming) and supervised day-to-day by the Gambling Commissioner. It is mandatory for any company that wants to offer gambling services – casino, sports betting, bingo, poker, lotteries or betting exchanges – to customers outside the Rock via the internet or telephone. Remote operators pay 0.15 % of gross gaming yield (GGY) in duty and must follow the local AML Code, the Proceeds of Crime Act and GDPR-style data protection rules.
The Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner, appointed under the provisions of the Gambling Act 2005, is granted powers to ensure that licensees conduct their operations in accordance with their licenses and maintain the good reputation of Gibraltar. This dual regulatory structure involves the Minister responsible for gambling as the licence-issuing authority, while the Gambling Commissioner performs ongoing regulatory oversight.
The licensing authority has traditionally only considered licensing blue chip companies with a proven track record in gambling in other jurisdictions. Nevertheless, the jurisdiction will also consider the licensing of appropriately funded start-ups and expanding operations proposing to relocate wholly or partly from other jurisdictions.
Types of Gambling Licenses in Gibraltar
Gibraltar offers a comprehensive range of gambling licenses designed to accommodate different business models and operational requirements.
| Licence | Main use-case | Typical holder |
|---|---|---|
| Remote Gaming B2C | Online casinos, bingo, live dealer, RNG games | Tier-1 brands with UK focus |
| Remote Betting B2C | Sports, esports, pool, fixed-odds | Large sportsbooks |
| Remote B2B Support Services | Software, hosting, payment processing | Platform vendors |
| Land-Based Casino / Betting | On-shore tables or shops | Local operators |
Each permit lasts five years and can be renewed after a compliance review.
Gibraltar Gaming Licence vs Gambling Licence
Gibraltar uses “gaming licence” for casino style RNG/slot operations and “gambling licence” as the umbrella term in the Act. Both remote and land-based licences sit in the same statute but have different audit scopes. Remote permit-holders must locate core decision-makers on the Rock and submit quarterly GGY duty returns; land-based venues file weekly duty returns and onsite security logs.
Requirements for Gibraltar License Applicants
Gibraltar maintains some of the most strict licensing requirements in the gambling industry, reflecting its commitment to maintaining the highest regulatory standards:
- Company – A Gibraltar company incorporated under the Companies Act and controlled and managed from Gibraltar.
- Substance – Key staff and servers in the territory, plus an “economic contribution” (jobs or contracted spend).
- Suitability – Owners and executive managers pass fit-and-proper tests, showing a clean record and a realistic business plan.
- Policies and procedures – Documented responsible gambling, anti-money laundering, customer complaints, and IT security controls.
- Financials – Evidence of capital to run the operation and cover player balances, kept in approved banks or financial institutions.
Gambling License Application Process Step-by-Step
The application process for obtaining a gambling license in Gibraltar involves several stages designed to ensure thorough evaluation of prospective operators. The process typically takes 2-6 months depending on application quality and complexity.
| Stage | Key actions | Lead time* |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Pre-screen | Submit outline to the Gibraltar Gambling Division; agree scope | 2 weeks |
| 2. Full application | File the application form, due-diligence pack, and pay £30 000 base fee | Day 0 |
| 3. Regulatory due diligence | Ownership, control, AML, tech architecture checks | 8-12 weeks |
| 4. Interview | Present business plan and policies to the Licensing Authority | Week 14 |
| 5. Decision | Licence issued or queries raised | Week 16–24 |
| 6. Launch audit | Systems tested and certified before go-live | Week 24–26 |
*Average timeline, assuming no red flags.
Cost of Gibraltar Gambling License
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application review | £30 000 one-off |
| Five-year B2C licence | £100 000 |
| Five-year B2B licence | £85 000 |
| Change-of-control filing | £7 500 + scaled fee |
| Duty on GGY | 0.15 % (min £85 000, max £425 000) |
| Corporate tax | 10 % on profits |
Approval Timeline & Common Challenges
The licensing process can take five to six months from application submission to final approval. And the strict requirements make Gibraltar licenses difficult to obtain.
- Length – Three to six months is normal; complex shareholding may extend this.
- Economic contribution – Applicants must “make an economic contribution to the jurisdiction”; wholly outsourced models get extra scrutiny.
- AML controls – Weak anti-money laundering systems trigger delays or licence conditions.
- Founders and beneficiaries – Hidden owners or prior sanctions history can block approval.
- Complaint handling – The Commissioner checks that the operator’s helpdesk and ADR links work before launch.