Short answer
Online gaming licenses branded as Tuvalu's are issued in the name of the Tuvalu Gaming Authority (TGA), which cites a Tuvalu Gaming Authority Act 2023 and an Online Gaming Regulation 2023. We could not find either instrument in Tuvalu's official legislation database or the PacLII index as of October 2026, and all applications run through a single private agent, Tuvalu Gaming Licensing. Agent and adviser sources quote an annual fee of about US$15,850 (some quote US$17,200), an application fee of about US$1,200 after a free pre-approval, 0% gaming tax, no local substance and 3–4 weeks to issue. The TGA register lists about 68 licensees. Banking and partner acceptance are limited.
Tuvalu at a glance
- Regulator
- Tuvalu Gaming Authority (TGA), tuvga.com; established 2023 according to its own site
- Applicant channel
- Tuvalu Gaming Licensing (betuvalu.com), the TGA's sole appointed agent; a trading name of a Costa Rica-registered company
- Cited law
- Tuvalu Gaming Authority Act 2023 and Online Gaming Regulation 2023, as published by the TGA and its agent
- Official record
- Neither instrument found in tuvalu-legislation.tv or the PacLII Tuvalu index (October 2026)
- Licenses
- B2C Operator · B2B Provider · Principal (group license for up to 15 operator entities)
- Term
- 1 year, renewable annually
- Time to license
- 4–5 days pre-approval, then 2–3 weeks review; 3–4 weeks in total
- Live since
- Launch announced August 2025; register lists about 68 licenses in October 2026
Is Tuvalu the right license for you?
A good fit when
Look elsewhere when
- You need tier-one card acquiring, mainstream EMIs or listed game suppliers
- Your board, investors or banks require a license with a published statute and fee schedule
- You target the US, UK, EU or Australia, or any market with its own licensing regime
- You need regulator-level recognition for B2B supply to Anjouan, Nevis or Romania
Tuvalu license types
| License | Who needs it | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| B2C Operator License | Online casino, crypto casino, sportsbook, poker, bingo, lotteries, prediction markets, sweepstakes | Two domains included; additional domains for a fee |
| B2B Provider License | Platforms, aggregators, game studios, white-label providers | Technical certification may be requested |
| Principal License | Groups running several brands | Up to 15 B2C operator permissions, each a separate legal entity with up to ten domains |
Tuvalu license costs and tax
| Charge | Amount | When | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-approval review | Free | 4–5 days | Agent site |
| Application fee | ≈ US$1,200 | After pre-approval, one-off | Adviser sources |
| Annual license fee (B2C or B2B) | ≈ US$15,850 | On approval and each renewal | Most adviser sources; one cites US$17,200 |
| Additional domain | ≈ US$500 | Per domain | Adviser sources |
| Principal License | On enquiry | Not published | |
| Company formation (any jurisdiction) | Varies | Year 1 | No Tuvalu company needed |
| Indicative year 1, government fees | ≈ US$17,050 | excl. company, policies and advisers |
There is no official fee schedule on the TGA site; the agent gives terms on enquiry. Confirm the fees in writing before filing and ask whether they are paid to the TGA or to the agent.
Tax
- Gaming tax
- 0% on gross gaming revenue, as published by the agent
- Tuvalu corporate tax
- The license does not require a Tuvalu company; tax is driven by where the license holder is incorporated and managed
- VAT
- No Tuvalu VAT on licensed online gaming, as published by advisers
- Group tax
- Management-and-control, CFC and permanent-establishment rules where owners and staff live still apply — take structuring advice
Legal framework
| Instrument | What it does for you |
|---|---|
| Tuvalu Gaming Authority Act 2023 (as published by the TGA) | Establishes the TGA and requires an Online Gaming License; published text is marked draft, with no cap, gazette or assent details |
| Online Gaming Regulation 2023 (agent cites "CAP 50.03") | Licensing standards, AML/KYC, responsible gaming, as described by the agent |
| Gaming and Lotteries Act (Laws of Tuvalu) | Long-standing statute restricting gaming and lotteries, with Minister approvals; amended 1991 and 2021 |
| Gaming and Lotteries (Pyramid Scheme Ban) Amendment Act 2021 | Most recent gaming amendment on the official PacLII index |
| Tuvalu AML/CFT framework | Under development; Tuvalu joined the APG in 2023 and received its first support visit in May 2026 |
Local substance and eligibility
- No Tuvalu company: an entity incorporated in most jurisdictions may apply
- No local office, director, staff or resident compliance officer
- A named compliance officer (name, email, phone)
- No minimum capital, deposit or bank guarantee published
- KYC on directors and UBOs; fit-and-proper review by the TGA
- Signed platform agreement, RNG certificates where relevant, and proof of domain ownership
Setting up the licensee: company formation for gambling licenses.
How to get a Tuvalu license
- Week 0
Legal and partner check
Get a legal opinion on the TGA's statutory basis and written confirmation from your platform, PSPs and banks that they accept the license.
- Week 1
Enquiry and structure
Confirm license type (B2C, B2B or Principal), domains and fees with the agent; incorporate or choose the applicant entity.
- Week 1
Pre-approval
Submit corporate and UBO identity documents; the TGA reviews in 4–5 days at no cost.
- Weeks 1–2
Full file
Business plan, platform agreement, domain proof, RNG certificates, AML, RG, privacy and T&C policies, compliance officer details.
- Week 2
Pay and submit
Pay the application fee after pre-approval and file the full application.
- Weeks 2–4
Review and issue
Regulatory review of about 2–3 weeks; license number issued and listed on the TGA register; annual fee due.
Document checklist
KYC and UBO
- Passport and utility bill for each director, UBO and key manager
- Source of funds statement
- Compliance officer details
Corporate
- Certificate of incorporation, memorandum and articles
- Registers of directors and shareholders
- Board resolution to apply
Operational and technical
- Business plan
- Signed platform or supplier agreement
- Proof of ownership of each domain
- RNG and game certificates where applicable
Policies
- AML/CFT and KYC policy
- Responsible gaming and self-exclusion policy
- Privacy policy and player T&Cs
- Complaints procedure
After the license
Renewal
Annual fee and renewal on each anniversary.
Register
Check that your license number and domains appear correctly on the TGA register.
Domains
Use only approved domains; add new ones before use.
AML and RG
Player KYC, sanctions and PEP screening, transaction monitoring, age verification, self-exclusion.
Geo-blocking
Block the US, UK, Australia, the EU markets named by advisers, FATF-listed and sanctioned countries, and any market requiring a local license.
Regulatory watch
Track TGA circulars and any enactment or gazetting of the Act; keep a fallback license plan.
Tuvalu compared
| Tuvalu | Anjouan | Curaçao | Nevis | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual gov. cost | ≈ US$15,850 | €17,828 | ≈ €47,450 B2C · €24,500 B2B | €28,000 |
| Tax on GGR | 0% | 0% | 0% intl GGR | 0% foreign GGR |
| Time to license | 3–4 weeks | 2–4 weeks | 2–5 months | 8–12 weeks |
| Local substance | None | None | Seat, MD, office, MLRO, key persons | IBC/LLC, agent, Reporting Officer |
| Status | Offshore, statute unverified | Offshore | Offshore (Kingdom of NL) | Offshore |
All jurisdictions side by side, with filters: compare gambling license jurisdictions. How we run an application: gambling consulting services.
Tuvalu gambling license — FAQs
Is the Tuvalu gaming license real?
Licenses are being issued: the TGA site and register list about 68 licensees, and some payment and software providers report working with them. What we could not verify, as of October 2026, is the statute. The TGA Act 2023 and Online Gaming Regulation 2023 could not be found in Tuvalu's official legislation database or the PacLII index, the published Act text is marked draft, and we found no Government of Tuvalu website that refers to the TGA. Ask for the gazette reference and a local legal opinion before you rely on it.
How much does a Tuvalu gaming license cost?
Advisers quote about US$15,850 a year (one quotes US$17,200), plus about US$1,200 as an application fee after a free pre-approval and about US$500 per extra domain. Year-1 government fees are therefore about US$17,050 before company formation and adviser fees. No official fee schedule is published.
How long does it take?
The agent quotes 4–5 days for pre-approval and 2–3 weeks for review, so 3–4 weeks on a complete file.
Do I need a company or people in Tuvalu?
No. Companies incorporated in most jurisdictions can apply, and there is no local office, director or resident compliance officer requirement. You must name a compliance officer.
Which markets can I serve?
Advisers list the US, UK, Australia, Austria, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, FATF-blacklisted and sanctioned countries as excluded, plus any market that requires a local license. The agent does not publish a list; confirm it in writing.
Will banks and payment providers accept it?
Acceptance is limited. The providers named publicly are mostly crypto and high-risk PSPs, and the agent itself describes many integrations as pending. Tier-one acquirers and mainstream EMIs generally look for MGA, Crown, Curaçao or at least Anjouan.
Tuvalu or Anjouan?
Cost and speed are similar. Anjouan has a longer track record, a published fee schedule and a B2B recognition rule that the market already works with. Tuvalu is newer and its legal basis is still unverified. For most clients we recommend Anjouan or Curaçao first.
Sources
Figures were checked against the regulator and legislation listed below on 10 October 2026. Fees, tax rates and restricted-market lists change; confirm with us before you commit capital.
- Tuvalu Gaming Authority — home and license register (accessed 10 Oct 2026)
- TGA — published Act and Regulation (accessed 10 Oct 2026)
- Tuvalu Gaming Licensing (TGA agent) — license types and process
- Tuvalu On-line Legislation (Attorney General's Chambers database)
- PacLII — Tuvalu Acts index 1975–
- PacLII — Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) Act 1991
- APG — first implementation support visit to Tuvalu (15 May 2026)
- Chambers & Co — Tuvalu gaming license guide (Feb 2026, adviser source)
Find out if Tuvalu fits before you pay a fee
We screen the ownership chain, check banking and payment fit for your markets, and price the full year-1 cost before anything is filed. Then we incorporate, prepare the dossier and handle the regulator through to go-live.
Book a 30-minute ONJN feasibility call