Antigua Gaming License

Who regulates gambling in Antigua and Barbuda?

The Financial Services Regulatory Commission (FSRC) regulates gambling in Antigua and Barbuda. Its gaming arm carries two names: the Division of Gaming and the Directorate of Offshore Gaming. Both refer to one body, not two regulators. Licensed interactive gaming companies are classified as financial institutions for anti-money laundering purposes.

Financial-institution status places license holders under the Money Laundering Prevention Act and the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2001. Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) standards apply as well.

The practical effect: AML reporting duties sit at financial-institution level, not at ordinary company level. Budget for compliance staffing accordingly.

What types of gambling licence does Antigua offer?

Two license categories exist in Antigua and Barbuda, divided by activity rather than by business model. An Interactive Gaming license in Antigua covers casino games, slots, poker and other RNG products. An Interactive Wagering license covers sports betting and bookmaking. One company can hold both, once each platform passes testing.

There is no separate B2C or B2B license in Antigua and Barbuda. The split is by what you offer, not by whom you sell to. A supplier serving other operators works through the category matching its product, and through the licensed operator it supplies.

What laws govern gambling in Antigua and Barbuda?

Gambling in Antigua and Barbuda is governed by the International Business Corporations (IBC) Act together with the Interactive Gaming and Interactive Wagering Regulations (IGIWR). The Free Trade and Processing Zone Act 1994 created the original regime. The Financial Services Regulatory Commission Act establishes the supervisor, and the Money Laundering Prevention Act adds AML duties.

The governing instruments:

• International Business Corporations (IBC) Act, the corporate vehicle for license holders

• Interactive Gaming and Interactive Wagering Regulations (IGIWR), the licensing rules

• Free Trade and Processing Zone Act 1994, the origin of the regime

• Financial Services Regulatory Commission Act, which establishes the FSRC

• Money Laundering Prevention Act and Prevention of Terrorism Act 2001

The IGIWR was amended in May 2001 to add know-your-customer requirements.

What are the requirements for an Antigua gambling licence?

An Antigua gambling license requires a locally incorporated company with real substance on the island. That means an office, local presence at director level, and a primary server in Antigua. Directors, shareholders and software suppliers all pass due diligence. Games need independent RNG testing. Sublicensing is not permitted.

Company and local presence

• Incorporation in Antigua and Barbuda under the IBC Act

• A substantive office, not a virtual address

• Local presence at director level

• 100% foreign ownership is allowed

• Sublicensing your Antigua license to a third party is prohibited

Financial and technical standards

• Proof of financial standing, with bank statements and reporting

• A business plan with financial projections

• Certified gaming software, with the primary server located in Antigua

• Independent RNG and game fairness testing

• Secure payment systems and periodic technical audits

AML, KYC and player protection

• AML policies with trained staff, transaction monitoring and suspicious activity reporting

• Player identity and age verification, and customer due diligence

• Responsible gambling tools, including self-exclusion

• Player funds held in separate accounts

• Record keeping and retention policies

What you supply personally is short. Five documents come from you, and MGL prepares the rest, including the application forms, the KYC, AML and responsible gaming policies, and the organisational chart.

• Curriculum vitae

• Passport

• Utility bill

• Bank reference letter

• Reference letter from a lawyer or accountant

What taxes apply to Antigua gaming operators?

Antigua and Barbuda charges 3% on net win, not on turnover, and the monthly charge is capped at roughly $50,000. Operators may deduct software licensing and development costs up to 40% of net win, plus credit card chargebacks and bonuses paid to players. Confirm the current rate and cap with the FSRC.

The cap changes the maths at scale:

• 3% of net win, capped at about $50,000 per month

• That is a maximum of roughly $600,000 per year

• Above about $1.67 million of monthly net win, the effective rate falls below 3% and keeps falling

Deductible items reduce the base before the 3% applies. Software licensing and development costs are capped at 40% of net win.

Can an Antigua licence serve players in the UK, EU, or Antigua?

Three markets stay closed to an Antigua gambling license: the United Kingdom, the European Union, and Antigua and Barbuda itself. Residents of Antigua and Barbuda may not be accepted at all. UK players require a UK Gambling Commission license, because the Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Act 2014 moved Britain to point-of-consumption licensing and abolished the white list.

Antigua and Barbuda residents: not permitted. The license is offshore only.

United Kingdom: an Antigua license gives no right to UK players. Antigua and Barbuda was one of four white-list places whose operators could advertise into Britain without a local license. Section 3(1) of the Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Act 2014 repealed that route, and the point-of-consumption regime took effect on 1 November 2014. A UK Gambling Commission license is now required.

European Union: no automatic access. Regulated EU markets require their own national licenses.

Everywhere else: an Antigua license supports global distribution, subject to the rules of each target market and to your own restricted-territory list.

What are the advantages of an Antigua gambling licence?

An Antigua gambling license suits operators who want an established Caribbean regulator, a low effective tax rate and full foreign ownership. Antigua and Barbuda has licensed online gambling since 1994, longer than any other jurisdiction, and the FSRC applies a 3% net win charge with a monthly cap.

• An established regulator with experience dating to 1994

• 3% of net win, capped at roughly $50,000 per month

• Hosting flexibility: mirrors permitted in Tier-1 jurisdictions, primary server in Antigua

• 100% foreign ownership

• One company can hold both Interactive Gaming and Interactive Wagering

• Global distribution outside restricted markets

What are the disadvantages of an Antigua gambling licence?

Premium upfront fees and a real substance requirement are the two drawbacks that matter most on an Antigua gambling license, and they price out smaller operators. The license gives no access to the United Kingdom or the European Union without separate licenses, and the jurisdiction holds a smaller share of the market than at its peak.

• Premium upfront fees, a high barrier for early-stage operators

• Substantive local presence plus a primary server in Antigua, both ongoing costs

• No UK or EU market access without separate licenses

• Lower profile than Malta or Gibraltar, and a market share well below the jurisdiction's peak

• Banking and perceived-risk friction that comes with an offshore license

• Strict due diligence on directors, shareholders and suppliers

Why choose MGL for an Antigua gambling licence?

MGL scopes the license correctly before any money moves: which category fits your product, and which markets you can actually serve. That includes the honest answer on the United Kingdom, the European Union and Antigua residents, which is where operators most often get bad advice.

What MGL handles:

• Category selection between Interactive Gaming and Interactive Wagering

• Incorporation, local presence and the Antigua server setup

• AML and compliance policies, plus game and RNG testing coordination

• A timeline and budget you can plan against, with fees confirmed before filing