Offshore Gaming

We have Offshore Gaming Licenses in many jurisdictions like Comoros, Curacao and Costa Rica. Online gaming is a legitimate and tax-free offshore financial activity in the three C’s of online gambling: Comoros, Costa Rica and Curacao, with the contracting company in Cyprus.

Provided of course the e-gaming company has a currently valid offshore gambling or gaming license. Online betting and gaming licenses for offshore casinos, sportsbooks and online wagers can be set up within a few weeks here at Offshore Pro Group.

Fortunes are being made in Offshore Gaming and Gambling. If you are interested in setting up an online casino, sportsbook, multi-player online games platform or any new innovative gaming platform such as crypto currency gambling, Offshore Pro group can help you.

Before you can launch any gaming business online, you need to acquire a suitable gaming licence.  Such  gambling licence is required for any gambling activity, including games with bets or luck: casino, slots, poker, roulette, lottery and sports betting to name a few.

Obtaining an offshore gaming licence is beneficial to your business since it demonstrates to the world your:

  1. Financial stability
  2. Security
  3. Allows cooperation with the best providers of software, banking, card processing etc worldwide.
  4. Players’ trust

 

Comoros Islands Offshore Gaming Licenses

Online gaming is a legitimate and tax-free offshore financial activity in the Comoros Islands, provided the e-gaming company has a currently valid gambing license. Online betting and gaming licenses for offshore casinos, sportsbooks and online wagers are issued in the Union of the Comoros by both the Moheli and Anjouan jurisdictions.

Comoros, located in the Indian Ocean, is one of the lesser-known jurisdictions for Offshore Gaming Licenses but offers more flexibility than better-known Curacao or Malta in many respects, with less bureaucracy and faster launch time. They have been involved in this business since 2005 but have become more popular in recent years as Curacao, the main competitor, has become stricter  (for example, Curacao requires you to have servers in their jurisdiction, whereas with Comoros your servers may be located anywhere).

Obtaining a Comoros gaming license is a quick and easy process, due to the direct access the decision-making channels that is enjoyed by the exclusive Registered Agents in the Comoros. Approval can be granted swiftly if the necessary requirements are met.

Main Restriction:  Gaming licenses are issued only to locally-registered companies. The first step in the process is to form a local IBC. This typically takes only 1-2 days, therefore the license application is usually filed at the same time as requesting the IBC.

Main advantages of the Comoros offshore e-gaming or casino license:

  • Complete, permanent, unrestricted Tax Exempt status, with no requirement to file financial statements with the Regulator, no corporation tax, and no withholding tax on winnings.
  • Online Gaming License is unrestricted and allows a company to engage in as many different types of online gambling promotions and under as many different brand names or web addresses as desired, provided that the full company name is shown in the Legal Imprint or Terms and Conditions.
  • No requirement for local directors nor local AML officer.

Basic legal documentation requirements are:

  • CV / Resume of Directors and Shareholders
  • Due diligence background check by external agency (takes 2-3 weeks on average)
  • Certified Copies of Passport
  • Original or certified copy of a Utility Bill or other proof of address for each individual
  • Bank Reference
  • Professional Reference (Accountant or Lawyer)
  • Business Plan to include details of software including copy of software agreements if applicable, and/or 3rd party certification of the RNG application and its fairness (if applicable)
  • Proof of domain ownership (screenshot or WHOIS info)
  • Copies of Terms & Conditions which must include underage gaming policy, responsible gaming policies, and AML policies.
 
Our Turnkey package for E-Gaming business and Online Casino operators with License from Comoros includes everything you need to get your Offshore Licensed Gaming business launched online fast:
  • Incorporating the Offshore Gaming License Holding Company

  • Incorporating the EU Contracting Company in Cyprus

  • Establishing the Corporate Structure so as to be tax efficient, with Agreement between the Cyprus and Comoros companies

  • Obtaining the Comoros Online Gaming License

  • Provision of policies tailored by our lawyer for 1 website (underage gaming policy, responsible gaming policy, privacy policy, AML/CFT policies.)

  • Establishing a Corporate Settlement Account for the business in EU with direct IBAN number

  • Establishing a Corporate Merchant Account for the business to accept payments directly via Visa & MasterCard (optional extra)

    Note: the fee does not include business plan preparation, but our expert gaming lawyers can offer this service if needed for an additional fee.

The Cyprus Contracting Company for Online Gaming in particular can be used to:

  • Offer any online gaming and betting product world wide with very few restrictions on target markets such as the USA, Comoros, France, Netherlands and a few others.
  • Enter into agreements with multiple merchant services providers, software providers etc. which we will gladly assist you with.
  • Open and operate bank accounts anywhere in the world with any banks where gaming businesses are accepted.
  • Own any intellectual property rights such as domain names, software, URLs etc if required.
  • Engage in marketing activities for its own business and the business of other Operators (in VAT countries for example to mitigate VAT)

We have Online Offshore Gaming Licenses available for virtually any budget. The basic fee for the Turnkey Package above is as little as EUR 17,995, plus government due diligence fees.

Customized packages are also available for larger businesses: contact us to discuss your specific needs.

 

Costa Rica Companies for Offshore Online Gaming Licenses

The easiest and most cost-effective jurisdiction from which to run a gaming platform or licensed online gaming company  is Costa Rica. Examples of existing companies can be found here:  Gambling companies in Costa Rica.

Costa Rica’s success in this field is based on a long track record in Costa Rica of providing services to online gaming companies. This small, peaceful and friendly Central American country has placed online gambling alongside tourism as its main generator of foreign income. There is a large contingent of experienced lawyers and staff and the Costa Rican government has a long history of welcoming offshore gaming companies, that bring valuable employment and help with development of the already excellent telecommunications infrastructure. Costa Rica is specially known for Online Sportsbooks and Online Casinos.

Provided you block access from Costa Rica itself, a “data processing” license from Costa Rica, together with specific company statutes, will be enough to get you started. For legal reasons we recommend you install your physical servers in Costa Rica. In order to obtain and retain the license you will need a local presence in the form of an office and employee. We provide this under an outsourcing agreement.

Offshore Pro Group can provide a turnkey service including gambling company formation and licensing, as well as setting up the necessary local infrastructure. Our Panama-based staff frequently travel to Costa Rica, which is a short flight away, to deal with lawyers and banks.

Ready-Made Costa Rica Gambling Companies

Government services in Costa Rica are relatively slow and it can take 1-2 months to form a new company, and up to 6 months to receive the license approval. However, subject to appropriate due diligence checks and business plan, we usually have ready-made licensed companies available.

 

Curacao Offshore Gaming Licenses

Curaçao legislation allows for two types of gambling licenses: a Master license and a Sub-license and while both cover gaming operators and allow the same essential rights for e-gaming businesses, there is a distinction between the two;  by obtaining a Master license, an operator is able to offer sublicenses, however a sub-license holder is unable to offer sub-licenses.

The regulatory body in charge of handling the Curacao Gaming Commission is known as the Curacao Internet Gaming Association (CIGA). Established in 2001, CIGA controls approximately 30 online gaming operators and as a member of the Interactive Gaming Council (IGC) it is bound by its code of conduct.

The Curacao e-Gaming Licensing Authority regulates Offshore Gaming Licenses and strives to ensure that its licensees operate within the guidelines established by law, and that certain minimum standards of customer service are followed.

There is strong anti-money laundering legislation in force in Curacao and Online Casinos are expected to have similarly stringent AML policies and to make regular reports to the regulators, including filing Suspicious Activity Reports. This underpins the excellent reputation of the jurisdiction.

Main advantages of Curacao over other jurisdictions are:

  • no VAT
  • Low corporate income tax of only 2% (tax returns must be filed annually)
  • no tax on bets
  • Progressive legislative system
  • Political stability
  • World class hosting and internet facilities
  • Well established offshore financial services industry

In order to qualify for a Sub-license, online betting and casino operators must meet certain basic criteria as follows:

  • Compliance with Due Diligence and KYC policies
  • Full identification of Ultimate Beneficial Owner (UBOs)
  • Satisfactory bankers and professional references on UBOs
  • Detailed and transparent business plan identifying of the games to be offered.

There are licensing fees per month during the first two years. After the first two years, a new license fee can be determined. These fees are at the discretion of the Master License holder. Offshore Pro Group can assist you with introduction to a suitable License Holder.

Since it started offering an e-gaming license in 1996 and for the past few decades, Curaçao has established itself as one of the most respectable jurisdictions in which to obtain a gaming license.

Provided that a gaming company obtains the proper licensing, gaming is a legitimate activity in Curaçao and Offshore Pro Group’s lawyers can give you all the support necessary to obtain Offshore Gaming Licenses, Curacao company formation, European Union contracting company, establishing bank accounts with direct IBANs, online gaming credit card payment solutions and more!

Gaming in Curacao is regulated by the Curacao Gaming Commission, which is associated with the government of Netherlands Antilles. The jurisdiction is known to be one of the oldest, most reputable and highly respected in the online casino services industry.

Ready to take the next step? Please contact us immediately – our Professional Consultants are standing by to help you obtain the most appropriate license for your e-gaming business!