Gambling license Alderney | How to get a gambling license in Alderney

Posted on May 2, 2020February 21, 2021 by Symantha Administrator

Gambling license Alderney

Gambling license Alderney: Alderney is the most northerly of the Channel Islands. It is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a British Crown dependency. It is 3 miles long and 1.5 miles wide.

Corporate tax: 0%
Gambling tax: 0%

The British Channel Islands are often considered to be among the world’s leaders in off-shore finance. Although these islands are dependencies of the Crown, they are not subject to or part of UK or EU legislation. This has allowed the Channel Islands to act independently, and this prompted Alderney to set up the Alderney Gambling Control Commission in 2000.

Who manages E-Gambling in Alderney?

E-Gambling is managed by AGCC, a non-political, independent body regulating Electronic gambling on Alderney’s behalf.

Alderney Gambling Overview:

In 2005 the rules where changed allowing licensed gambling operators to accept bets from players all around the world, this included the US at the time.

buy roaccutane Minimum Share Capital for an iGaming Company: £2
gravitationally Security Requirements / Indemnity for Player Deposits: A variety of mechanisms are acceptable commensurate with the Business Plan and commercial performance of the operator.
Licence Fee: £70,000 per year in lieu of all taxes (currently under review with a view to reducing the cost for start-up/smaller operators).
Licence Length: The Alderney gambling license is a yearly license.
Software Testing Requirement: Software testing is a pre-requisite and technical standards are published by AGCC.
Reporting Requirements to Regulators: Periodic financial reports are required.
Anti-Money Laundering Policy: All operators must comply with AML legislation in force.
Country Restrictions: No restrictions.

Alderney Gambling Contact Details

Head of e-Commerce Development
Alderney Gambling
State of Alderney
PO Box 1, Island Hall,
Royal Connaught Square
Alderney
British Channel Islands
UK
GY9 3AA
Tel: +44 207 993 8564
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.alderneygambling.com
For more information:
As gambling is regulated by state and territory, you can review the links under the “Gambling and Licencing” heading.

Get in touch:

Gambling license Alderney

Isle of man Gambling License | How to get a gaming license in the IOM

Posted on April 27, 2020October 11, 2021 by Brendan John

Isle of Man Gambling License

An Isle of Man gambling license was first Formed in 1962, the Gambling Supervision Commission of the Isle of Man has led the way with big changes throughout the world, with player protection being one of the isle’s top priorities.

Unlike many other governments, the government of the Isle of Man actually encourage the develpment of online gambling business on the island. The Isle of Man was one of the first jurisdictions to introduce gaming legislation with the aim of benefiting gambling and various online firms, and have been at the middle of the internet gaming boom from the start.

Regulatory bodies ensure a gambling license is granted only if after a thorough vetting process, standards are met.

The Isle of Man are particulary aware and responsive to changes in the internet gaming market, and reguarly make changes to their policies and regulatory controls. Along with the private sector, the government works hard at creating a superior infrastructure, thus attracting more business and resulting in economic growth.

As of 2005, no income tax is taken out the the e-gaming sector, this has prompted more business and although there are less than 20 operators licenced with the island, the Isle of Man remains one of the most successful e-gaming jurisdictions around.

In order to apply for a licence, operators must pay a non-refundable fee of £1,000GBP, followed by a rigorous inspection to check the prospective operators for credibility. Applicants must also demonstrate fairness in their games, keep enough money reserved for payouts, and excel in the community as a reputable gaming provider.

Key figures

Annual License Fee: £35,000
Tax on Gross Gaming Yield: 1.5%
Corporation Tax: 0% (as long as the site does not accept bets from Isle of Man residents)
Duty payable on retained gross profits:
- 1.5% for gross gaming yield not exceeding £20million/year
- 0.5% for gross gaming yield from £20-40million/year
- 0.1% for gross gaming yield over £40million/year
Licence Fee: £1000 application fee, then £35,000/year
Licence Length: 5 years, after which renewal is required
Software Testing: Certificate from approved testing house required
Reporting Requirements to Regulators: Access to business, its systems and ausited accounts when requested by the Gambling Control Commissioners
Anti-Money Laundering Policy: Full AML due diligence. Indemnification procedures, record keeping, internal procedures, education and training, as well as adherence to the Isle of Man Gambling Control Commissioner’s Guidance Notes for the Prevention of Money Laundering.
Country Restrictions: It is the responsibility of the operator to decide, however the Gambling Control Commissioners may request independent advice be taken.

How to get in touch

Head of eGaming Development,
Department of Trade and Industry,
Hamilton House,
Peel Road,
Douglas,
Isle of Man
IM1 5EP

Tel: ++44 1624 682307
Website: https://www.gov.im
Email: egaming:@dti.gov.im

About the Isle of Man

The Isle of Man is an island located in the Irish Sea between Britain and Ireland. It is a British Crown Dependency, but it has their own government and is not considered part of the United Kingdom. The Isle of Man Government actively encourages the development of gambling and e-gaming business on the island. After the crash in the e-gaming market in the early 2000’s, when the Isle of Man was left with no gambling companies, the government has done everything possible to bring gambling operators back to the country. In 2001, the Isle of Man Government was one of the first jurisdictions in the world to introduce legislation specifically designed to benefit gambling and e-gaming firms and fully protect customers. Following further recent changes, the licensing and regulatory controls are now more responsive to the needs of the gambling and e-gaming industries. Today, the Isle of Man is considered a basic model for online gaming in countries that either seek their licensing or wish to implement their own infrastructure and promote e-gaming.

The Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission, which is part of the Treasury Department, was established in 1962 and is fully independent body, committed to player protection. It regulates all gambling on the island, dealing with licence applications from companies looking to move their business to the jurisdiction. The Commission also provides full assistance to licensees to help them conduct their online gaming activity within the regulations.

About the license

Since the downslide in 2002, the government has taken steps taken to attract new gambling operators. Now the Department of Trade and Industry oversees the licensing, and the previous $2 million USD security bond has been renegotiated, making licenses much more affordable for smaller operators. What is more, the Isle of Man improved their regulations and laws, and now no income tax is taken out of the e-gaming sector.

These changes have prompted even more business, and while there are a few operators licensed in the Isle of Man, they are among the most successful online gaming venues around.

In order to apply for a license, operators must first request an application from the Gambling Supervision Commission and pay a non-refundable fee of £1,000. Then a thorough inspection process takes place, wherein each prospective operator is rigorously checked for credibility. Applicants must prove fairness of their games, keep enough money reserved for payouts whenever requested, and be regarded as a reputable gaming provider. The operators licensed in the Isle of Man have to pay an annual license fee of £35,000, and a 1.5% tax on gross gaming yield up to the amount of £20,000,000. The corporation tax is 0% so long as the site does not accept bets from the Isle of Man residents.

Resolution of complaints

The Gambling Supervision Commission is statutorily charged to ensure that gambling is conducted honestly and fairly, remains free from criminal influence and exploitation and does not cause harm to the public interest, individuals and families. If a complaint arises with a Mann-licensed operator , players should, first of all, contact the licence holder about their grievance. If they are dissatisfied with the response and have exhausted all avenues with the casino operator, they can contact the Commission by email at [email protected]. To speed up the query, player are asked to fill in the Complaints Form and send it to the Commission.

In summary

After the e-gaming crash, the Isle of Man relaxed requirements in order to attract new business. However, the standards have gotten stricter in recent years, and the jurisdiction is proving they are serious about fair gaming. Due to the improvements and implementation of a Gambling Supervision Commission, you don’t have to worry about depositing at a casino licensed in this jurisdiction.

Casinos licensed out of the Isle of Man

• 188BET Casino
• Bella Jackpot Casino
• BetInternet Casino
• Camasino Casino
• Casino Magic
• Casinover Casino
• Dublinbet Casino
• Global Live Casino
• Lucky Live Casino
• Mamut Games Casino
• PokerStars Casino
• Rogers Casino
• SBOB Casino
• Scratch Games Casino
• Sunmaker Casino
• Trada Casino
• Winners Island Casino
• Wisniewski Casino

Where is the license valid?

The Isle of Man has become a model for online gaming countries due to the legislative framework set by the Electronic Transactions Act of 2000 and the Online Gambling Regulation Act 2001, which legalized online gaming operation in the country. Applications for online gaming licenses were initially accepted on the Isle of Man in June 2001. By 2002, licenses were distributed to five gaming operators from around the world. The rapid growth of the market, however, was followed by an even more rapid crash. By 2003, no gaming operators held a license from the island.

The island used to be “White Listed” by the UK and the OECD respectively for eGaming and tax cooperation purposes, which used to allow Isle of Man licensees to advertise to the UK market. Sadly this white list is long gone and to advertise in the UK you will need a UKGC license.

There are three options for eGaming Licenses:

Full OGRA License:

Requires an initial application fee of GBP 5,000 and an annual fee of GBP 35,000 for a five-year duration period. A full license does not cover gambling activities of a parent or holding company or the operations of sister companies. A full OGRA license is required if any of the following types of online gambling are offered: Sportsbooks; Betting Exchanges; Casino Games (roulette, blackjack, slots, etc); Live Dealing; Peer to Peer Games (poker, bingo, backgammon, etc); Mobile Phone Betting; Fantasy Football or similar; Financial Trading (but not spread betting); Pari-mutuel and Pool Betting; Network Gaming; Lotteries; certain Spot-the-Ball-style games; Network Services.

Sub-Licenses:

Require the submission of an application and are designed for operators who enter into a contract with a provider that holds a full OGRA license. The costs related to a Sub-License are less than those for a full license but require a nonrefundable GBP 5,000 application fee. Once approved, the license has a five-year term and is subject to an annual license fee of GBP 5,000 per annum.

Isle of Man Network License

Requires a GBP 5,000 application fee; GBP 50,000 annual fee; and GBP 5,000 per network partner. The license provides flexibility for future development and growth for every type of business model and new income streams: B2C; Affiliate 3rd Party; White Label; Sub-License; B2B Services. This solution offers low-cost duty starting at 1.5% on Gross Gaming Yield (GGY) and not turnover. The duty is only paid on the retained element of GGY in the Isle of Man, not from licensed operators in other countries. The current corporate tax on gaming companies is 0%. The Isle of Man’s arrangement with the EU ensures services provided to UK/EU individuals are VAT exempt, and in most cases customers from outside the EU and B2B partners are 0% rated.

Changes to regulations in 2010

In February 2010, the Isle of Man announced changes to its gambling regulations, now making it legal for iGaming firms to host or carry out their non-gambling-related activities such as marketing; software, skill games and disaster recovery without an Online Gambling Regulation Act 2001 license. Disaster Recovery permits immediate switchover for up to 90 days without a license.

Since April 1, 2010, licensing is overseen by the Department of Economic Development, formerly known as the Department of Trade and Industry.

The Isle of Man’s Department of Economic Development in conjunction with the Isle of Man College of Further and Higher Education will be offering and launching in January 2013 the world’s first accredited qualification in eGaming. It is to be delivered through a work-based, higher-education framework (WBIS) validated through the University of Chester as a postgraduate-level qualification. There are plans to offer it at an undergraduate level in due course. Currently eGaming is an important sector on the island, employing approximately 688 people.

For more information:
As gambling is regulated by state and territory, you can review the links under the “Gambling and Licencing” heading.

Get in touch:

FURTHER INFORMATION ON CURACAO GAMBLING LICENSES

We wrote an article on Curacao Gambling License which may be of interest to you should you be looking for alternative casino licensing information.

Gambling license Germany | How to get a gaming license in Germany

Posted on April 23, 2020April 14, 2021 by Symantha Administrator

Gambling license Germany

The Federal Republic of Germany lies in the heart of Europe and is a cosmopolitan, democratic. Germany has one of the world’s strongest economies and offers an innovative research and education landscape. At the same time it has a strong creative economy and a dynamic cultural scene. Germany is the European Union’s most populous nation with 82 million inhabitants.

Corporate tax: 15%
Gambling tax: TBA%

Who manages E-Gambling in Germany?

The Interstate Treaty on Gambling (ISTG) does not permit online casino games whatsoever and there is a maximum of 20 licences that can be granted to sports betting operators at any one time.

Though in 2012 the state of Schleswig-Holstein granted approximately 50 licenses for online sports bets and online casino games.

Gambling license overview

In 2013, Schleswig Holstein’s gambling law (in force for about a year) was ended by Germany’s newly elected state government. The reversal of the act was criticised by the EU Commission as it was done without sufficient justification. As of February 2013, all German federal states have adopted the ISTG (the Interstate Treaty in Gambling). While administrative courts generally tended to agree to the prohibition orders issued against private providers of online gambling services in the past, 2014 saw quite a number of court decisions which favoured private provider. The small Federal State of Schleswig Holstein, under which more than 50 licenses for online gambling and sports betting had been granted though the act was withdrawn in 2013, the licenses granted are valid until 2018 (six years).

The Schleswig-Holstein gambling act read as follows “Under Paragraph 19, section one, foreign operators will be allowed to apply for a licence if they are based in the EU or the EEA. The original wording of the law, according to which operators were required to have their “registered office, central administration or principal place of business” in one of the EU/EEA states has been changed to registered office, central administration or place of business”, which means that to have a place of business in the above mentioned areas will be all that is sufficient. Allowed to authorise one casino to move its products online. As the European Commission indicated in its detailed opinion according to the ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union, to require operators of online casino games to have a permanent seat in Germany is a restriction on the freedom of services and as such it has to be indispensable to achieve the goals of the regulation.”

Anti-Money Laundering Policy:

The country’s legislation is fully incorporated with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Forty Recommendations on Money Laundering.

Country Restrictions:

Sports betting are allowed but not online games of chance.

Online casinos licensed in Schleswig Holstein:

onlinecasino.de
casino-spiele

For more information:
As gambling is regulated by state and territory, you can review the links under the “Gambling and Licencing” heading.

Get in touch:

FURTHER INFORMATION ON CURACAO GAMBLING LICENSES

We wrote an article on Curacao Gambling License which may be of interest to you should you be looking for alternative casino licensing information.

Gambling license Costa Rica

Posted on March 8, 2020June 24, 2022 by Brendan John

Gambling license Costa Rica

Costa Rica is a rugged, rainforested Central American country with coastlines on the Caribbean and Pacific. Though its capital, San Jose, is home to cultural institutions like the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum, Costa Rica is known for its beaches, volcanoes and immense biodiversity. Roughly a quarter of its area is made up of protected jungle, rich with wildlife including spider monkeys and quetzal birds.

Taxes

Corporate Tax: N/A
Gambling Tax: N/A

Who manages E-Gambling in Costa Rica?

Online Gambling Companies are self-regulated. Because there is no official organization to recognize license holders, there is no betting or gaming tax.

Overview

Due to the lack of legislation and oversight for online gambling, companies based in or registered through Costa Rica are not subject to monitoring or other regulations that many offshore companies are. This also means that since there isn’t a body to govern gambling, companies are self-regulated and aren’t required to pay betting or gaming tax.

Costa Rica is a popular place to establish online gaming business. Although there is no specific gambling license for gaming activities, corporation may be setup as a gambling company and may hold a “data processing license”. To obtain this license the corporation must have a physical location in Costa Rica.

The license indicates only that the company is able to process data. This is so because there is no specific gambling license in Costa Rica, so all corporations that conduct gambling activities use this “data processing license” or most recently some of them operate using a “marketing license”.

Is this data processing license necessary? The short answer is no. In reality you are setting up a company that is a Gambling Company by virtue of its Memorandum of Association which is perfectly legal in Costa Rica. You do not need to obtain a “processing license” and no one has the authority to require you to do so.

The data processing license is basically an excuse for local management companies to charge you an extra fee…

There are two gambling license options:

1. Permanent: This option is used when you need to keep the license permanently up to date. In this case the leasing of the office should be paid annually to keep the office space.
2. Temporary: The same license as in the permanent case, but once the license is issued the client does not rent the office space anymore thus saving the expenses. The office is leased for six months only in order to obtain the license.

Minimum Share Capital for an iGaming Company:

A minimum of 25% of the issued capital must be paid up on incorporation

Licence Fee:

Licenses are only required for land-based operations; i.e. if the corporation has an office within the country.

In order to acquire a license, power of attorney authorizing Costa Rican staff to do the processing is needed. The price of a permanent license is $5,000 USD in legal fees, $500 for administrative and legal costs, $3,600 for yearly lease, and $5,000 for renewal at the end of the year. Temporary licenses are also available, costing similar amounts. Administrative and legal costs are $500, legal fees $5,000, yearly lease $1,200, and a $2,000 renewal fee at the end of the year.

Licence Length:

One year

Reporting Requirements to Regulators:

Costa Rica does not employ a body which oversees the online gambling operations in business there. As a result, there is no regulatory authority, neither is there any third party for players to turn to, should they encounter a problem with one of the casinos based there

Anti-Money Laundering Policy:

All operators must comply with AML legislation in force

Contact Details:

Costa Rica Commerce

What does it cost?

We can offer two types of opportunities to our clients:

Costa Rica gambling company incorporation
A game control panel to run your casino

Be aware that no all game companies will offer services to Costa Rica gambling companies.

Industry and Economy Ministry
Edificio del IFAM
San Jose
Costa Rica 10216-1000
Telephone: +506 235 2700
Website: www.meic.go.cr
Email: uie AT meic.go.cr

Online casinos licensed in Costa Rica

10xaction.com
123 Vegas Win
123Bingo Online
1S Poker
1Spin.com
21 Dukes
3PigsCasino
5Dimes Casino and Sportsbook
724Sports.com
777 Kazino
7Reels Casino
7Spins
95fun.com
ABC Islands Casino and Sportsbook
Ace Live Casino

For more information:

Get in touch:

FURTHER INFORMATION ON CURACAO GAMBLING LICENSES

We wrote an article on Curacao Gambling License which may be of interest to you should you be looking for alternative casino licensing information.

Gambling license Czech Republic

Posted on March 2, 2020February 21, 2021 by Brendan John

Gambling license Czech Republic

The Czech republic is not a popular destination to apply for a Gambling license and there are certainly better destination to consider.

The Czech Republic, in Central Europe, is known for its ornate castles, native beers and long history – from the Celtic and Germanic tribes of its founding to the Protestant Reformation and Communism. Prague, the capital, is home to a 9th-century castle, preserved medieval Old Town and statue-lined Charles Bridge. Český Krumlov is a living gallery of Renaissance-era buildings housing restaurants and shops.

If you want to incorporate and apply for a Gambling license in the Czech Republic you could not choose a more beautiful location to do so. But working in the Czech Republic is not cheap and you will need to be aware of the following taxes and costs:

Corporate tax: 19%
Gambling tax: 40%

Before setting your sites on starting your new casino in Czech, you would be wise to look into the cost of employment as well as office space etc.

Who manages E-Gambling in Czech Republic?

The Ministry of Finance

Overview

The high taxation rates for online gambling makes it difficult for national operators though the tax rate is lower for foreign operators. Though you have to have an office in the Czech Republic to qualify for a license. Previous legislation does allow for the licensing of online sportsbooks.

There are five existing bookmakers in the Czech Republic they are listed below for reference:

Sazka, Synottip, Chance, ifortuna and Tipsport

Anti-Money Laundering Policy:

All operators must comply with AML legislation.

Contact Details:

Address:
Czech Republic Ministry of Finance
Gaming Department
Letenská 15
Prague, Praha, hlavní mĕsto
Czech Republic 118 10
Website: www.mfcr.cz
Email: [email protected]
Fax: +420 257 042 788
General Information: +420 257 041 111

Online casinos licensed in Czech Republic:

Fortuna vsad’te se
Sazka Tip

For more information:

Get in touch:

FURTHER INFORMATION ON CURACAO GAMBLING LICENSES

We wrote an article on Curacao Gambling License which may be of interest to you should you be looking for alternative casino licensing information.

Gambling license USA

Posted on December 6, 2019November 10, 2021 by Brendan John

Gambling license USA

We summarize the most important online gambling laws pertaining to gambling operators and users of gaming services. Specifically within the countries where online gambling is legal to some degree or other.

If after reading this document you are still unsure of what to do, we assist you with a USA legal opinion for your casino, game or sportsbook.

The real way to license in America

Having worked with a number of companies looking to license in the United States I thought I would add a paragraph to outline how it really works as apposed to what legislation would otherwise have you believe.

If you are a company looking to operate legally in the US then brace yourself, its expensive. If you were going to go the traditional route of applying with each state, expect to spend at least $750K in filing fees and anything north of $100K on legal fees.

And this does not guarantee you will get your license.

The above is to be expected of a nation finding its feet in terms of how to manage its gaming activities and in time sanity will prevail.

So how are companies going about getting their gambling licensing in America? Well, what they are doing is partnering with existing land based casinos in order to piggy back off their license. This comes with a fee (anything from $1 – 5M +) and a revenue share deal (8 – 15%) which is eye watering when compared to how the rest of the world works. The advantage though is that you will get a deal and will be able to operate.

At the moment we are working on a number of solutions to assist companies with US related licensing – get in touch if you need some help.

Gambling license USA

The USA is a very lucrative market for online gambling companies. Although, there are many legal risks involved. Since 24% of all online gamblers in the world reside in North America, and the majority of gambling companies doing their hosting in Curacao (where we have our operations – to find out more Click here), we go into detail about the legal situation in this country.

The individual States in the USA have the power to make laws pertaining to their state only. But on the other hand, there are Federal Laws that are applicable to the whole country, while protecting State rights. This makes the online gambling legal situation in the country very complex.

We start by giving an overview of the main Federal laws that address the legality of online betting, wagering and gambling in the USA. We will then have a look at the situation in the individual States.

USA Federal gambling laws:

1. The Interstate Wire Act of 1961 (commonly referred to as the Federal Wire Act).
This law addresses only the issue of online sports betting and wagering. It does not address the legality of online gambling as such.

Here is paragraph (a) from that law:
“Whoever being engaged in the business of betting or wagering knowingly uses a wire communication facility for the transmission in interstate or foreign commerce of bets or wagers or information assisting in the placing of bets or wagers on any sporting event or contest, or for the transmission of a wire communication which entitles the recipient to receive money or credit as a result of bets or wagers, or for information assisting in the placing of bets or wagers, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.”

Source: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1084

2. Illegal Gambling Business Act of 1970

The Illegal Gambling Business Act was enacted as part of the Organized Crime Control Act of 1970. This Act was designed to be a companion to other laws, such as the Federal Wire Act, in targeting a source of income for organized crime. Unlike the Federal Wire Act, the Illegal Gambling Business Act is designed to assist states in enforcing their laws with regard to interstate gambling activities and is dependent on a predicate state offense.

Here are some extracts from that law:

18 U.S.C. 1955 the Statute
Prohibition of illegal gambling businesses
(a) Whoever conducts, finances, manages, supervises, directs, or owns all or part of an illegal gambling business shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

(b) As used in this section-
(1) “illegal gambling business” means a gambling business which-
(i) is a violation of the law of a State or political subdivision in which it is conducted;
(ii) involves five or more persons who conduct, finance, manage, supervise, direct, or own all or part of such business; and
(iii) has been or remains in substantially continuous operation for a period in excess of thirty days or has a gross revenue of $2,000 in any single day.

And:

(e) This section shall not apply to any bingo game, lottery, or similar game of chance conducted by an organization exempt from tax under paragraph (3) of subsection (c) of section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, any private shareholder, member, or employee of such organization except as compensation for actual expenses incurred by him in the conduct of such activity.

3. Interstate Wagering Amendment of 1994

This Act relates mostly to lotteries:

“Whoever brings into the United States for the purpose of disposing of the same, or knowingly deposits with any express company or other common carrier for carriage, or carries in interstate or foreign commerce any paper, certificate, or instrument purporting to be or to represent a ticket, chance, share, or interest in or dependent upon the event of a lottery, gift enterprise, or similar scheme, offering prizes dependent in whole or in part upon lot or chance, or any advertisement of, or list of prizes drawn or awarded by means of, any such lottery, gift enterprise, or similar scheme; or, being engaged in the business of procuring for a person in 1 State such a ticket, chance, share, or interest in a lottery, gift, enterprise or similar scheme conducted by another State (unless that business is permitted under an agreement between the States in question or appropriate authorities of those States), knowingly transmits in interstate or foreign commerce information to be used for the purpose of procuring such a ticket, chance, share, or interest; or knowingly takes or receives any such paper, certificate, instrument, advertisement, or list so brought, deposited, or transported, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.”

4. Unlawful Internet Gambling and Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA)

Any online gambling operator will have to take this law into consideration. It targets large online gambling operations, and does not criminalize the consumers who participate in online gambling.

The Act prohibits gambling businesses from knowingly accepting payments in connection with the participation of another person in a bet or wager that involves the use of the Internet and that is unlawful under any federal or state law (termed “restricted transactions” in the Act). The Act also requires Treasury and the Federal Reserve Board (in consultation with the U.S. Attorney General) to promulgate regulations requiring certain participants in payment systems that could be used for unlawful Internet gambling to have policies and procedures reasonably designed to identify and block or otherwise prevent or prohibit the processing of restricted transactions.

The Treasury and the Federal Reserve Board have issued a joint rule that designates five payment systems which are covered by the Act. These systems are:
(i) automated clearing house (ACH) systems,
(ii) card systems,
(iii) check collection systems,
(iv) money transmitting businesses, and
(v) wire transfer systems.

The Act starts with the following paragraphs:

“(a) Findings.- Congress finds the following:
(1) Internet gambling is primarily funded through personal use of payment system instruments, credit cards, and wire transfers.
(2) The National Gambling Impact Study Commission in 1999 recommended the passage of legislation to prohibit wire transfers to Internet gambling sites or the banks which represent such sites.
(3) Internet gambling is a growing cause of debt collection problems for insured depository institutions and the consumer credit industry.
(4) New mechanisms for enforcing gambling laws on the Internet are necessary because traditional law enforcement mechanisms are often inadequate for enforcing gambling prohibitions or regulations on the Internet, especially where such gambling crosses State or national borders.”

Notwithstanding section 5362 (2), a financial transaction provider, or any interactive computer service or telecommunications service, may be liable under this subchapter if such person has actual knowledge and control of bets and wagers, and-
(1) operates, manages, supervises, or directs an Internet website at which unlawful bets or wagers may be placed, received, or otherwise made, or at which unlawful bets or wagers are offered to be placed, received, or otherwise made; or
(2) owns or controls, or is owned or controlled by, any person who operates, manages, supervises, or directs an Internet website at which unlawful bets or wagers may be placed, received, or otherwise made, or at which unlawful bets or wagers are offered to be placed, received, or otherwise made.”

More information can be found at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unlawful_Internet_Gambling_Enforcement_Act_of_2006

Because of these Federal gambling laws, online gambling companies are hosting their operations in off-shore countries that supply legal gambling licenses and also using off-shore money transfer services. But even doing so has its risks as can be seen from the recent arrests of the founders of companies like PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker, and Absolute Poker.

The United States judiciary system seems to target only the largest online gambling operators (many of them quoted on the Stock Exchanges), which leaves the market open for the smaller companies. Indeed, we see a spike in these smaller companies’ business turnover as gambling enthusiasts moved over to them after their main resources were cut off.

According to Department of Justice the companies allegedly tried to circumvent UIGEA rules with the help of others who acted as “payment processors” by helping to disguise gambling revenue as payments for non-existent goods such as jewelry or golf balls. A bank in Utah was charged as an accomplice.

State Laws:
The legality of online gambling varies across among each individual state. As of late, many states have taken significant strides in the online gambling industry. New Jersey has been at the forefront of legalizing online gambling. In fact online gambling has been legal for quite some time there. In total, the online casinos have generated a staggering 1.4 billion dollars in revenue. And since legalization, annual growth has skyrocketed.

In order to obtain an online gambling license within New Jersey, one will have to partner with a local land-based casino. If the commercial agreement is successful, financial disclosures as well as game testing will follow. As of mid 2020, Pennsylvania and West Virginia have both adopted the same process.

States Where Sports Betting is Legal:

States such as Illinois have renewed their Gambling Acts to allow for online sports betting. However, like many other states with similar laws, the new Illinois Gambling Act does not permit any other form of online casinos. Many states that have opted for legalizing online sports betting but have yet to even review the ban on online casino gambling. These are the following states that have legalized some form of sports betting:

Washington
Oregon
Montanan
Colorado
New Mexico
Arkansas
Mississippi
Tennessee
North Carolina
Delaware
Mariland
Virginia

States Where No Specific Legislation Exists:

The question of the legality of online gambling is a complex one. As it stands many States do not have explicit laws on this question. Even so, the following States have instituted specific laws that prohibit internet gambling. That which would make it illegal for their citizens to take part in online gambling activities:
Louisiana
Montana
Minnesota
South Dakota
North Dakota
Wisconsin

That does not mean that States not on the list allow online gambling – there may just not be a specific current law dealing with that issue.

We are indebted to http://www.gambling-law-us.com for the following information on the different gambling laws of the individual States:

(Follow the links attached to each State to get the details of the specific legal situation)

For more information:
As gambling is regulated by state and territory, you can review the links under the “Gambling and Licencing” heading.

Get in touch:

FURTHER INFORMATION ON CURACAO GAMBLING LICENSES

We wrote an article on Curacao Gambling License which may be of interest to you should you be looking for alternative casino licensing information.

Gambling license belarus, how to license a casino in Belarus

Posted on December 6, 2019February 21, 2021 by Brendan John

Gambling license belarus

Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe bordered by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Hrodna (Grodno), Homiel (Gomel), Mahilyow (Mogilev) and Vitsebsk (Vitebsk). Over 40% of its 207,600 square kilometres (80,200 sq mi) is forested. Its strongest economic sectors are service industries and manufacturing.

Corporate tax: 24%
Gambling tax: TBA%

Who manages E-Gambling in Belarus?

Gambling activities in Belarus are licensed by the Ministry of Sport and Tourism under the presidential decree on gambling issued on January 10, 2005.

Gambling license Belarus – Overview:

On January 6, 2012 a law went into effect making it illegal for the citizens of Belarus to access any foreign websites or any site not hosted on a .by domain. Businesses and individuals cannot provide services through domains not registered in Belarus and owners of Internet cafes or similar facilities can face charges if Internet access is not monitored and reported for violations of the law.

Users of Internet cafes are required to identify themselves, and records of their computer usage are kept for one year. The law goes as far as to monitor individuals with guests in their homes who may visit a foreign website while visiting – the owner is bound by law to report it or face charges. Internet Service Providers are required to register with the Ministry of Communications and Information. ISPs are to provide details of their network, systems, and information resources and disclose all devices connected to the network such as computers and mobile phones. The charges against individuals are a misdemeanor and they can be fined up to $125 USD. The Belarus tax authorities, police, and secret police will be responsible for investigating and prosecuting offenders of the new law.

Who to contact for a Belarus gambling license:

Address:
Ministry of Sports and Tourism
8 Kirov Street
Minsk
Belarus 220050
Website: www.mst.by
Fax: +375 22 776 22

Online casinos licensed in Belarus:

SuperLoto

For more information:
As gambling is regulated by state and territory, you can review the links under the “Gambling and Licencing” heading.

Get in touch:

FURTHER INFORMATION ON CURACAO GAMBLING LICENSES

We wrote an article on Curacao Gambling License which may be of interest to you should you be looking for alternative casino licensing information.

Gambling License France

Posted on December 5, 2019April 14, 2021 by Brendan John

Gambling license France

Despite its rich gambling history, the practice itself has become heavily regulated in France. Even Roulette, a game rooted in French history is now unavailable for citizens to play online. Presently, Sports-betting, Horseracing and poker are the only forms of online gambling that have been deemed acceptable in France. Consequently, all other forms of online casino games are now illegal.

Corporate tax: 33%
Gambling tax: Sports betting 8,5%, Poker 2%

Who manages E-Gambling in France?

Autorité de régulation des jeux en ligne (ARJEL)

Gambling license France – Overview:

France came under a lot of pressure from the EC to adjust their online gambling restrictions, which forced them to amend and legalize online gambling in a bid to better regulate it.

Even though the new law opened up France’s online gaming market to foreign operators, it came with restrictions. Only limited types of online gaming would be available to the operators, and the established French operators were to get preferential treatment.

French players are cut off from the international poker scene, which means when you play on a licensed French poker site, you only play with people who are located in France. This has caused liquidity problems for licensed sites as they find it difficult to keep the games running with a limited player pool.

Security Requirements / Indemnity for Player Deposits:
All licensees must adopt an IT system known as “Frontal.” All customers’ data and information runs through here and is stored in an access-safe box that only ARJEL can access.

French Gambling Licence Cost:

One type of license with the annual fee based on the amount of licenses issued.
€20,000 for one license
€30,000 for two
€40,000 for three.

Gambling Licence Length:

5 years

Reporting Requirements to Regulators:

All licensees are required to submit a certification issued by a third party, accredited by ARJEL, once a year.

Anti-Money Laundering Policy:

All operators must comply with AML legislation in force.

Country Restrictions:

Players must have the option to self-exclude from play and to limit how much they can gamble, and links to problem-gambling resources must be displayed on the site in a prominent position.

Contact Details:

Address:
Autorité de Régulation des Jeux En Ligne
99-101 rue Leblanc
Paris
France 75015

Website: www.arjel.fr
Email: [email protected]
General Information: +33 1 57 13 13 00

Online casinos licensed in France:

bwin France
2 Party Poker.fr
3 Winamax
4 ZEturf.fr

For more information:
As gambling is regulated by state and territory, you can review the links under the “Gambling and Licencing” heading.

Get in touch:

FURTHER INFORMATION ON CURACAO GAMBLING LICENSES

We wrote an article on Curacao Gambling License which may be of interest to you should you be looking for alternative casino licensing information.

Gambling License Australia

Posted on November 20, 2019August 12, 2020 by Writer Liz

Gambling License Australia

Gambling Laws Australia

Australia has been enjoying legalized gambling since its first casino, The Wrest Point Hotel Casino, opened in February 1973. Since then it’s become a well-known fact that Australians are among the world’s biggest gamblers with roughly 80% of Australia’s residents engaged in gaming activities of some kind. There is at least one casino in each region offering a wide range of gambling products. Overall, Australia enjoys an active and legal gambling system which is quite liberal.

Gambling and Licensing

There is no single gambling authority which regulates gambling throughout the whole of Australia. Instead, each of the eight mainland States and Territories individually regulate gambling activities within their respective jurisdictions. There is also a series of Federal statutes which cover aspects of gambling activity throughout Australia.

Each State and Territory has a relevant Casino Control Act (or similar legislation) under which casino licences have been issued. Throughout Australia, the ACMA is the body responsible for media and communications regulatio, including monitoring and enforcing the regulation of gambling online and over the telephone.

Below is a list of the organisations which regulate gambling in each area:

Australian Capital Territory – ACT Gambling and Racing Commission
New South Wales – Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing
Northern Territory – Licensing Commission
Queensland – Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation
South Australia – Independent Gambling Authority
Tasmania – Tasmanian Gaming Commission
Victoria – Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation
Western Australia – Department of Racing, Gaming and Liquor

On the other hand, online gambling in Australia is handled by the Commonwealth. The Interactive Gambling Act was passed in 2001 and made it illegal to offer games such as poker and online casino games to Australian players. With this being said, Australian-based companies are allowed to offer these online games to players outside of Australia.
The only form of online gambling which is completely legal is betting on auto racing, sports betting, and online lotteries. However even sports and auto racing betting may only take place before the game and not during the actual event.

The following licences generally apply:

Operator licences are required for casinos, retail wagering, lotteries, keno, and instant lotteries.

A bookmakers licence is required for sports and racing bookmaking and typically includes fantasy sports betting.

A gaming venue licence and a permit/license for each gaming machine is required in order to operate gaming machines within Australia. The number of gaming machines in each state and territory is strictly regulated and the number of machines one venue is allowed to operate is limited based on the type of licence. For more information visit https://www.sa.gov.au/topics/business-and-trade/gambling/gaming-licences/gaming-machine-licence

Poker which takes place outside of a casino is permitted, provided that no person gains a percentage or share of the amounts wagered.

Bingo laws and licences differ between states and territories.

Maintaining Your Licence

Operator licences are typically long-dated but the duration of a major operator licence depends on the legislation within each state and territory. Gaming machine licences generally don’t expire except in Victoria where they are valid for 10 years. Casinos must go through a periodic licence review, generally every five years. Overall, fees and licence renewal really depends on the state or territory.

Whilst revoking and suspension of licences is generally quite low, all gambling related licences carry strict requirements relating to responsible gaming, including very strict advertising laws. For example, a large Australian gambling company had to pay a civil penalty of AUS $45 million to Austrac for admitted breaches of the AML/CTF Act. Failure to comply with Austrac can result in civil penalties and possible criminal exposure.

In order to make sure your gambling business complies, you’ll need to have certain systems and controls in place:

Customer identification
Proper record keeping
Providing Austrac with information about financial transactions
Reporting any suspicious customers or activities
Assessment of money laundering and terrorism financing risks
Having a AML/CTF program in place

Australia is working on tighter regulations in relevant gambling and related laws, including unlawful gambling events.

Reporting Requirements

The main body involved in investigating prohibited gambling activity is the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). They manage a formal complaints process where you can report any suspicious activity or complaints via their online complaint form. Many of the individual state and territory authorities also offer online forms.

Anti-money Laundering

The money laundering and terrorism financing regulator in Australia is Austrac. Austrac is an Australian Government agency which forms part of the Home Affairs portfolio and reports to the Minister of Home Affairs. All suspicions of money laundering and/or terrorist financing must be directed to Austrac. Money laundering and terrorism financing can result in civil penalties and possible criminal exposure.

Corporate Tax

All companies are subject to a federal tax rate of 30% on their taxable income. This excludes small businesses which are subject to a rate of 27.5%.

Gambling Tax

Gambling taxes in Australia depend on the relevant licence, product and state/territory. Casino taxation is determined on a case-by-case basis. At the Australian Government level, the gambling tax is payable at a rate of one eleventh on the player loss of a gambling business – this applies across all forms of gambling. However, the four main types of gambling (wagering, gaming machines, casinos, and lotteries) are taxed differently by each state/territory government.

Casinos, wagering and gaming machines are taxed based on player loss (a measure of revenue) at a rate of 20% – 35%. Lotteries however are taxed far more heavily than any of the other forms of gambling, with tax rates on player loss ranging from 45% – 90%.

Winnings are not taxed in Australia as they are not seen as a form of income.

Australian licensed online casinos

Online casinos are banned in Australia and for this reason, no legal list of casinos exist.

Australian licensed land based casinos

Northern Territories
Mindil Beach Casino and Resort: Darwin
Lasseters Hotel Casino: Alice Springs

For more information:
As gambling is regulated by state and territory, you can review the links under the “Gambling and Licencing” heading.

Get in touch:

FURTHER INFORMATION ON CURACAO GAMBLING LICENSES

We wrote an article on Curacao Gambling License which may be of interest to you should you be looking for alternative casino licensing information.

Gambling License UK

Posted on November 11, 2019August 12, 2020 by Writer Liz

Gambling License UK

The UK has one of the safest gambling and betting jurisdictions in the world. Gambling is completely legal and governed by strict laws which are regularly checked and updated. Hearing this, it might surprise you to hear that the UK online gambling industry was unregulated up until 2005. In most countries, this is still true. However, the UK put in place new licensing laws and now runs a fully legal and secure online gambling and betting platform alongside its land operations. Everyone who wishes to provide a gambling service must adhere to the laws in place and must carry a license. In order to apply for the license, companies are required to demonstrate that they have several protections in place in order to prevent crime and protect its customers.

Gambling and Licensing

Gambling in the United Kingdom is regulated by the Gambling Commission. This is done on behalf of the government’s department of Culture, Media and Sport under the Gambling act of 2005. They cover most gambling except spread betting and other forms of index betting – which falls under the financial conduct authority.

In order to open and run gambling services in the UK, one must apply for a license through the Gambling Commission and pay a registration fee. The commission has an online application process available in order to streamline the process. You can expect an operating license application to take around 16 weeks to process, assuming you have supplied all the correct information and documents. If the application is rejected due to incomplete information, your registration fee will be refunded and you will receive a letter explaining which documentation was missing. You will then have to re-register and include the missing documents.

What are the UK Gambling license types?

There are essentially three types of licenses issued in the UK, your proposed business activity will determine which license you will need to apply for, if not all them. The license are, an operating licence (from UKGC), a personal management licence (from UKGC), a personal functional licence (from UKGC) and you may require a premises licence (which would be issued by your local licensing authority).

NOTE: Local licensing authorities also provide gambling permits for pubs, clubs and other establishments for low-level gambling.

The following activities are covered by the licenses:

Arcades
Betting
Bingo
Casino
Gambling software
Gaming machines
Lotteries

If you provide facilities for remote gambling (online or through other means), and advertise to consumers in Britain, you will need a licence from the Gambling Commission. It is important to note, that if you do not advertise to consumers in Britain, you do not need a UKGC license should someone from the UK choose to use your service, unsolicited.

Arcades

Arcades also known as Fmaily Entertainment Centers (FEC) and Aduly Gaming Centers (AGC) require a FEC/AGC operating license.

The FEC license allows you to offer an unlimited number of category C and D gaming machines in a premises which is open to all ages.

The AGC license limits your customers to 18 years and older and allows you to offer an unlimited number of category C and D gaming machines and up to 20% of your total number of machines, can be of category B3 or B4.

Betting

In terms of betting, there are a number of license categories which are offered.

The Remote general betting (standard) (real events) operating licences The licence allows you to provide facilities for remote (online) gambling to consumers in Britain. It allows the provision of facilities for betting on real events (but not virtual events) by means of remote communication.

The Remote general betting (standard) (virtual events) operating licences allows the provision of facilities for betting on virtual races, competitions or other events or processes, other than a game of chance, by means of remote communication.

The Remote betting host real events licence. If you are a gambling software business that provides facilities for remote betting on real events but only in circumstances in which you host those facilities through other operators’ platforms, then you may be eligible to hold a remote betting host (real events) operating licence.

The Remote betting host virtual events licence. If you are a gambling software business that provides facilities for remote betting on virtual events but only in circumstances in which you host those facilities through other operators’ platforms, then you may be eligible to hold a remote betting host (virtual events) operating licence.

The Remote betting intermediary operating licence. This licence allows you to provide facilities for betting only over the telephone or by email (in circumstances where you are manually processing the bets).

The Remote betting intermediary (trading rooms) operating licence. This licence allows you to run a trading room from a premises licensed by your local licensing authority (betting premises or track premises licence).

The Remote pool betting operating licence. This licence allows you to run a pool betting business online (or through other means of remote communication).

Bingo

The Remote bingo operating licence allows you to provide bingo games to customers via a website, through mobile technology, interactive TV services or radio technology. If you contract with any of the participants who use your gambling facilities (ie if any of those participants are your own customers) then you will need this licence instead of the bingo (game host) operating licence.

The Remote bingo game host operating licence. If you are a gambling software business that provides facilities for playing bingo but only in circumstances in which you host those facilities through other operators’ platforms, then you may be eligible to hold a remote bingo (game host) operating licence.

Casinos

The Remote casino operating licence. The remote casino operating licence allows you to offer casino games to customers via a website, mobile phone, TV or other online service. This includes poker, roulette, blackjack and other casino games, as well as online slot games. If you contract with any of the participants who use your gambling facilities (ie if any of those participants are your own customers) then you will need this licence instead of the casino (game host) operating licence.

The Remote casino game host operating licence. Some gambling software businesses provide facilities for remote gambling by making their games available to customers of other operators. For example, rather than supplying its game software directly to remote gambling operators, the gambling software business hosts its own casino games on its own server, and those games can be accessed by customers of other operators through those other operators’ websites.

Gambling software

If you provide facilities for gambling to consumers in Great Britain you must get your gambling software from suppliers that have a licence from the Gambling Commission.

You will need a gambling software operating licence if you manufacture, supply, adapt or install gambling software which is used by operators licensed by the UKGC, regardless of where you are based. You will require the license if you are based in Great Britain and manufacture, supply, adapt or install gambling software used by operators that do not have a UKGC licence and are based abroad.

Remote gambling and software technical standards do not apply to the software you provide for overseas operators who are not licensed by the Gambling Commission.

Gaming machines

If you manufacture, supply, install, adapt, maintain and repair all categories of gaming machine or parts of a gaming machine (which includes gaming machine software) using remote communication (eg supplying gaming machine software via secure file transmission or uploading new content to machines remotely) you will likely need a license to cover this activity. We suggest you get in touch with the UKGC to better understand what license you will need.

Gambling License UK Costs

Setting up a licensed casino is an involved process and the cost depends on how much work you are prepared to do yourself. If you were to use a consultant to go through the process for you, expect to pay around €25,000.

So what will a consultant assist you with?

Complete Process – Administration and Application (excluding UKGC fees)
Drafting a business plan
Financial prognosis
System documentation

Once the UKGC license has been issued a number of ongoing compliance requirements need to be met to ensure that the license is maintained without encountering any issues with the UKGC. Expect to pay €1200 per month to a good management company to maintain this for you. Services would include:

Submission of quarterly custom funds report
Calculation of submission of gaming tax
Submission of ad hoc forms and notifications to the UKGC in case of any information security bnreaches or other key events.
Liaising with the UKGC as required and informing the client accordingly of any new changes/devel-
opments;
Notification of any changes in corporate control.
Submission of any ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution) cases;
Attending UKGC meetings as required;
Updating / Changing of company Policies and Procedures as may be required by UKGC regulations
or internally;
Ongoing review of changes made to website text and adverts, to ensure they are compliant with UKGC requirements
Submission of any suspicious betting activity.

Note other fees may apply such as VAT and office expenses.

Maintaining your UK License

In order to maintain your license, you will have to pay a yearly fee. This licensing fee varies depending on factors such as your annual gross receipts, the type of establishment, the number of establishments, and so on.
For example: A remote gambling site who allows patrons to bet on horse races and earns more than £500 000 but less than £5 million would pay around £7169 per year.
If you’d like to know more regarding the specific fees for your services you can contact the Gambling Commission via their website.

All annual fees are due within 30 days after your license has been issued, and then every year following. You can even pay your fee online via the commission’s eService. If your license fee is not paid on time, your license will be revoked following which you will have to reapply.

Once you have applied for and received your license it will last indefinitely unless it is:

Revoked
Suspended
Lapses, due to bankruptcy or death for example
Forfeit for example in the case of a court order following conviction of a relevant offence
Surrendered by choice

Reporting Requirements

Gambling and betting services are required to report to the Gambling Commission in certain areas. These include:

Alternative dispute resolution – licensed gambling operators are required to meet certain standards when handling complaints.
Anti-money laundering
Change of corporate control
Information on security breaches
Protection of customer funds
Suspicious betting activity (betting license holders only)

This list is not exhaustive and for more information one can visit the commission’s website. The website contains a full list with links to information on how each one works.

UK Gambling anti-money laundering

This is one area where the commission is strict on reporting. They require that any gambling operation keep up to date with assessments of money-laundering risks and management. This includes making sure the appropriate policies, procedures, and controls are in place. As an operator, it is your responsibility to keep financial crime at bay. This is particularly pertinent for remote and non-remote casinos that have additional responsibilities under the Money Laundering Regulations 2007. A key requirement is for these casinos is to make checks on customers.

UK Gambling Tax on casinos

Corporate tax, as of the 2015 budget, sits at 18% for 2017, 2018, and 2019. This tax is due to drop to 17% as of 1 April 2020.

Gambling operations are subject to different duties which fall under seven categories. All these duties have the same general structure in that the operator is taxed on the net profits. This means that the tax is levied as a percentage of the net amount received by the operator, less the amount which has been paid out to players in the form of prizes or winnings. Gambling sites are required to pay a 15% levy on their earnings.

UK Gambling Software Testing

All gambling software and remote operating license holders in the UK must comply with the commission’s technical standards and requirements. These include pre-release testing of games and RNG’s, post-release performance monitoring, annual information security audit and annual games testing audit. The Gambling Commission’s website contains all the information in a pdf format. This also includes testing fame fairness, field product certification and information security.

UK Licensed Casinos

The UK offers a wide range of popular online casinos.

Genesis Casino
LeoVegas
Play Ojo
FansBet
Grosvenor Casinos

Non UK Licensed Casinos

Many casinos are licensed outside of the UK. Popular licensing jurisdictions include Curacao, Malta, Kahnawake which are essentially grey markets.

Alternatives to a UK Gambling License

The UK is known for its beaurocracy and this is a downfall for UK licensed casino operators who can become overwealemed by the seemingly endless beaurocracy that a UK Licensed casino will demand. As a result of this many operators have been looking abroad to license in less beaurocratic jurisdictions. A Popular choice is to obtain a Curacao license or white label.