Gambling licensing
and structuring

Company formation for gambling licenses

The license sits on a company. Choose the entity the regulator, the bank and the tax authority will all accept, then incorporate it in the right order. Entity types, capital, local requirements, tax and timelines for each jurisdiction we license in.

Side by side

Formation requirements compared

Usual vehicle, minimum capital, local requirement, corporate tax and time to incorporate. Indicative; each page has the detail and sources.

Reviewed 10 October 2026

JurisdictionUsual vehicleMinimum capitalLocal requirementCorporate taxTime
Romania (Class 1)SRL or SA (Law 31/1990); EU PERON 1,000,000 paid-up (remote gambling)RO office; registered RO PE for EU/EEA/Swiss entity16% CIT; 16% dividends2–4 weeks
Romania (Class 2)SRL (Law 31/1990) or EU/EEA/Swiss companyRON 500 (RON 5,000 above RON 400k turnover)SRL: RO registered office; EU/EEA/Swiss licensee: authorized representative in Romania16% CIT; 16% dividends1–3 weeks
BulgariaEOOD/OOD or AD (Commerce Act)€766,938 paid-up (online licensee)No resident manager; BG seat; rep. for EU applicants10% CIT · 20% betting fee1–2 weeks
HungaryKft / Zrt (Civil Code)HUF 3m Kft / HUF 5m ZrtHU seat; process agent for non-residents9% CIT + up to 2% LBT1–15 working days
CyprusPrivate Ltd (Cap. 113)€500,000 paid-up (licensee)No resident director; CY office15% CIT1–4 weeks
AnjouanIBCNone publishedAgent only0% (IBC)≈ 1 week
NevisCorporation or LLCNoneAgent + Reporting Officer0% if non-residentA few days
TuvaluForeign company (TV IBC is shipping-only)Per vehicle; no TGA minimumNone for license0% GGR; vehicle's own tax2–4 weeks (vehicle)
British Virgin IslandsBusiness companyNoneAgent only0%≈ 1–2 weeks
Marshall IslandsNRDE corporation / LLCNoneTCMI agent only0% (NRDE)1–5 days
Costa RicaS.A. or S.R.L.NoneResident agent, office30% local; Law 90501–2 weeks + permit
CanadaCorporation (CBCA, OBCA, BCA)NoneCBCA 25% resident directors; ON/BC none26.5% (ON) · 27% (BC)Days (online)
BrazilLtda or S.A.None; R$30m for betting (suspended)Resident attorney/administrator34% IRPJ+CSLL1–3 months
PeruS.A.C. or branchNo minimum; solvency testPE legal representative29.5%2–4 weeks
ChileSpA now; closed S.A. (proposed)No minimum (bill: TBD)CL representative for SII27%1 day–6 weeks
ColombiaS.A.S. or branchNo minimum; Coljuegos testsCO legal representative35%2–4 weeks

More formation guides

For Malta and Curaçao, the entity, capital and substance rules are part of the license guides.

Compare the gambling licenses themselves · Corporate and substance services

Company formation for gambling — FAQs

Do I need a local company to get a gambling license?

Often, but not always. Nevis licenses only companies registered in Nevis; Romania requires a Romanian company or an EU/EEA/Swiss entity with a Romanian permanent establishment for a Class 1 operator, while a Class 2 supplier incorporated in the EU, the EEA or Switzerland may hold the license in its own name with an authorized representative in Romania (suppliers established elsewhere use a Romanian company or an EU, EEA or Swiss entity); Colombia and Peru a local entity or branch; Ontario does not require a Canadian corporation. Each formation page below states the regulator’s rule for that country.

Should the license holder and the operating company be the same entity?

Usually the license holder is the contracting and operating entity, with a holding company above it. Splitting IP, payments or staff into other entities is possible, but the regulator and the tax authority must see the same structure. We map it before anything is incorporated.

How long does company formation take?

From one day for a Marshall Islands or BVI company and a few days for an Anjouan IBC or a Nevis LLC, to several weeks where notarized deeds, tax registration and foreign-investment filings are needed, as in Latin America. Bank onboarding usually takes longer than incorporation.

Can I use a nominee director?

Some registries allow it, but nominees do not create management and control, economic substance or a bankable profile. Regulators also run due diligence on the people who actually control the company.

Which jurisdiction is cheapest to incorporate in?

Offshore registries such as Anjouan and Nevis have the lowest formation and upkeep costs. The license, banking and tax position matter more to the total cost than the incorporation fee.

Incorporate once, in the right place

We check the structure against the license, the bank and the tax rules before anything is filed, then incorporate and open accounts through licensed local agents.

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