Nevis Gambling License
cost, requirements & application

€28,000

8-12 Weeks

0%

B2C & B2B

2 domains

FATF

Nevis License – Key Facts

License TypeB2C and B2B
Issuing AuthorityNOGA
Governing LawNevis Online Gaming Ordinance 2025
Application Fee€28,000 license fee
Annual Renewal€28,000
Tax on GGR0%
License Validity1 year, renewed annually
Typical Timeline8–12 weeks
Eligible ApplicantsNevis IBC or NBCO

The Nevis license in ninety seconds

The Nevis Online Gaming Authority (NOGA) licenses online gambling under the Nevis Online Gaming Ordinance 2025. Two classes: B2C operator and B2B supplier.

Government fee is a flat €28,000/year, non-refundable, payable on application. It covers processing, Year 1, up to 2 URLs, the NOGA site seal, and public registry listing.

Realistic all-in Year 1 budget: €34,000–€38,000 once you add incorporation, the mandatory local Reporting Officer, and key-person due diligence. The full breakdown is published below.

Approval takes 8–12 weeks. Final issuance is signed by the Minister of Finance and the license appears in NOGA’s public registry.

St Kitts & Nevis is not on the FATF list — the single biggest practical difference from Anjouan or legacy Curaçao structures when you sit in front of an EMI onboarding team.

Not a fit for anyone targeting the US or UK: NOGA requires geo-blocking of restricted markets and of Nevis residents.

WHO WE ARE

We can help you incorporate and obtain the Nevis Gaming License

NOGA and the Online Gaming Ordinance 2025

Nevis regulated online gambling through the Nevis Online Gaming Ordinance 2025, which created the Nevis Online Gaming Authority as the licensing and supervisory body. The framework went live in May 2025, making it one of the newest offshore regimes — and one drafted to meet FATF standards rather than retrofit them.

B2C Operator License

For platforms offering games directly to players: online casino, sportsbook, poker, bingo, lotteries, esports betting, fantasy sports, and crash / instant games.

B2B Supplier License

For game studios, platform providers, aggregators, and API-based content distributors supplying licensed operators. Same €28,000 fee, lighter technical file.

Both licenses are valid for one year, renew on the anniversary of issuance, and are published in NOGA’s public registry — the verification point your payment partners and B2B counterparties will actually check.

Core ongoing obligations

  • Local Reporting Officer registered with the FSRC
  • NOGA site seal in the footer of each licensed domain
  • Annual financial statements within 3 months of fiscal year-end
  • Notify material changes and ownership changes at 5%+
  • FATF-compliant AML/CFT and responsible gaming programs
  • Geo-blocking of Nevis residents and restricted markets (USA, UK)

Callout — the

5% rule

Application to registry listing in four phases

Total: 8–12 weeks for a complete, well-prepared dossier. Incomplete UBO documentation is the number-one cause of delay.

1

Weeks 1–2

Phase 1 — Incorporation & document preparation

Register the Nevis IBC or LLC through a licensed corporate service provider, appoint the registered agent and office, and assemble the KYC/UBO file. Incorporation itself completes in 24–48 hours; the document collection is what takes time. In parallel we draft the AML/CFT, responsible gaming, and data protection policy pack.

2

Week 3

Phase 2 — Application submission to NOGA

Submit the dossier and application forms, specifying license class (B2C or B2B) and the domains to be covered. NOGA verifies the corporate file and issues a secure payment link for the €28,000 fee.

3

Weeks 4–9

Phase 3 — Due diligence & platform review

NOGA conducts fit-and-proper checks on all directors, shareholders, and UBOs, reviews the AML/CFT framework, and examines the technical setup: RNG certification and platform security for B2C, or content supply agreements for B2B suppliers. Expect follow-up questions — response speed here directly determines your timeline.

4

Weeks 10–12

Phase 4 — Approval, registry listing & seal integration

Final approval is signed by the Minister of Finance. The license is issued, the company appears in the NOGA public registry, and the site seal is integrated into the footer of each licensed domain. You are authorized to go live and begin PSP integrations.

The complete compliance checklist

Score your file against this before engaging any provider. Gaps here become weeks in Phase 3.

FILE / 01 KYC & UBO documentation

Required per director, shareholder, and ultimate beneficial owner:

  • Certified passport copy
  • Proof of residential address (under 3 months old)
  • Bank reference letter
  • Source of wealth / source of funds declaration with supporting evidence
  • CV and professional references for key persons
  • Clean criminal record certificate

FILE / 02 Corporate File

  • Articles of Incorporation / Memorandum & Articles
  • Certificate of Incorporation
  • Registered agent agreement and registered office confirmation
  • Shareholder registry and ownership chart down to natural-person UBOs
  • Board resolution authorizing the license application

FILE / 03 Technical & Software

  • B2C: RNG certification from a recognized testing lab, platform architecture diagram, IT security and data protection documentation, hosting details
  • B2B: content supply / distribution agreements with licensed operators, game certification files, integration (API) documentation
  • Geo-blocking implementation covering Nevis and restricted markets

FILE / 04 AML/CFT & Responsible Gaming

  • AML/CFT manual aligned with FATF recommendations
  • KYC onboarding flow (identity, age, sanctions / PEP screening)
  • Suspicious transaction reporting procedure
  • Responsible gaming policy: self-exclusion, deposit / session limits, reality checks
  • Reporting Officer appointment letter and FSRC registration
  • Data protection and privacy policy

For B2B suppliers

If you supply games or platform technology rather than operate a casino, NOGA does not force you through a full B2C-style RNG audit of an operator platform. Your technical file is built on game certifications and executed supply agreements. This is the fastest path through Phase 3 — and the reason B2B studios increasingly pick Nevis over Curaçao’s transitional regime.

Nevis vs Curaçao vs Anjouan vs Malta

MetricNevisCuracaoAnjouanMalta
RegulatorNevis Online Gaming AuthorityCuraçao Gaming Control BoardAnjouan Offshore Finance AuthorityMalta Gaming Authority
Framework2025 ordinance, built to FATF specLOK reform, transitional friction ongoingLegacy offshore regimeMature EU regime
Approval time8–12 weeks3–6 months (post-LOK backlog)2–4 weeks6–12 months
Annual gov. fee€28,000 flat~€24,000+ plus per-application fees~€15,000–€18,000€25,000+ plus compliance contribution & gaming tax
Tax on foreign GGR0% (territorial)0% GGR tax; corporate tax rules apply0%5% on Malta-sourced revenue; EU corporate tax
Banking / PSP accessHigh — FATF whitelist opens tier-1 EMIsModerate — improving post-reformLow–moderate — budget PSPs, higher feesHighest — full EU passporting
FATF statusWhitelistedWhitelisted (monitored history)Weak standing; frequent EDD flagsWhitelisted (exited grey list 2022)
Best forOperators & B2B suppliers wanting credibility without EU costEstablished operators mid-migrationSpeed-to-market MVPsEU-market operators with compliance budgets

Where Nevis sits: above Anjouan and transitional Curaçao on credibility and banking access, at roughly one-third of the real cost and complexity of an MGA license. Operators commonly launch on Anjouan for speed, then add Nevis once revenue justifies the €28,000 — or skip the intermediate step entirely if payment quality matters from day one.

[Get Your Custom Cost & Timeline PDF] — Request a tailored plan with exact document requirements for your project.

What the license actually buys: onboarding outcomes

The license fee is not what you are really buying. You are buying outcomes with banks and PSPs — and this is where jurisdictions separate. Every EMI and acquirer scores merchant applications against the risk profile of the licensing jurisdiction. A license from a FATF-whitelisted country with a written ordinance, a public registry, and a mandatory FSRC-registered compliance officer scores materially better than one from a jurisdiction under enhanced monitoring. That score determines whether you get a tier-1 EMI at reasonable rates or a budget processor at 8–12% with rolling reserves.

EU & UK EMIs

Operational banking. The corporate file — Nevis IBC, NOGA license, registry extract, AML manual — matches what onboarding teams expect to see.

Merchant acquiring

Card processing in accepted markets, subject to the acquirer’s own territory list.

Crypto-fiat gateways

The ordinance is crypto-tolerant, and processors treat NOGA’s AML framework as sufficient for fiat off-ramping.

B2B contracting

Platform providers and aggregators verify counterparty licenses; a public NOGA registry entry clears vendor due diligence quickly.

What it does not unlock: US-facing processing, UK-facing processing, or any market on your geo-block list. No offshore license does — and any provider implying otherwise is selling you a chargeback problem.

Payment onboarding fails on documentation quality more often than on jurisdiction. We prepare the exact pack EMIs request — license certificate, registry extract, AML/CFT manual, flow-of-funds diagram, and processing history where available — as part of the licensing engagement.

Nevis Gambling License — FAQs

How long does the Nevis gambling license really take?

8–12 weeks with a complete dossier. The two delay drivers are incomplete UBO documentation and slow responses to NOGA’s Phase 3 follow-up questions. Incorporation itself takes 24–48 hours.

Can I target the US or UK with a NOGA license?

No. NOGA requires geo-blocking of restricted markets, which include the USA and UK, as well as Nevis residents. The license authorizes international operations in markets that do not require a local license.

What does the €28,000 fee include?

Application processing, fit-and-proper due diligence, the first year of operation, coverage for up to 2 domains, the NOGA site seal, and public registry listing. It is a government fee, paid to NOGA, and it is non-refundable.

How do I add more domains later?

Additional domains cost €750 each; sub-domains cost €15–€35. Additions are filed with NOGA and the site seal is extended to each new property.

Do I need to live in Nevis or hire local staff?

No relocation is required. You must maintain a registered agent, a registered office, and a local Reporting Officer registered with the FSRC (~€4,200/year). Directors and UBOs can be non-resident.

What taxes will the company pay?

Nevis applies a territorial approach: foreign-sourced gaming revenue is not taxed in Nevis, so the effective rate on international GGR is 0%. Your personal tax residence and any permanent-establishment exposure in operating markets are separate questions — we review both before structuring, because a 0% jurisdiction does nothing for you if management and control sit somewhere taxable.

How does renewal work?

The license renews annually on its issuance anniversary. File the renewal application at least 30 days before expiry with the €28,000 fee and compliance confirmations. Late renewal triggers penalties and can interrupt PSP relationships.

Is Nevis better than Anjouan?

Different tools. Anjouan is cheaper (~€15,000–€18,000/year) and faster, but its weak FATF standing limits you to budget PSPs at higher rates. Nevis costs more and takes longer, but the payment and banking outcomes usually recover the difference within the first year of processing volume.

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