Estonia: online casino license

From Smart Money, you can find out how to get the licence for the gaming business in Estonia, what are the requirements for applicants, and how much money the documents will cost.

We offer not only consultations: our company is ready to deal with all the organisational issues and guide your project at all stages of its legalisation.

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Gambling Business in Estonia: About the Jurisdiction

The gambling industry was a stable feeder for the local public treasury even before the collapse of the Soviet Union. Casinos were opened to each amateur who liked to gamble in the capital (Tallinn) and large vacation spots.

The first legal act that regulated the industry was adopted in 1995. At the same time, the Association of Gambling Operators was founded.

In 2008, the country was swept over by an economic crisis. To remedy the situation and attract additional sources of investment to the treasury, the second Gambling Law was endorsed.

Since 2010, the jurisdiction has begun to certify virtual gambling startups. Until 2012, the mandatory requirement for foreign investors was the placement of physical servers in the country. Later, this provision ceased to be in force.

Gambling licensing in Estonia, control over the law-enforcement compliance, and timely payment of taxes is carried out by the Tax and Customs Board. Possession of a local permit gives the owner of a startup the opportunity to make use of numerous privileges and count on the tolerance of the government apparatus of other countries.

What are the Advantages of Gambling Licensing in Estonia

The launch of online casinos in Estonia opens several prospects for operators:

1. Stable political situation. The legal norms of the country comply with the established standards of the EU and have not changed for more than 10 years. The gaming business in Estonia is an excellent option for long-term investment.
2. Business scaling. A local licence allows you to legally provide gambling services in Europe.
3. Tax system. Foreign investors get some privileges and a simplified loan issue procedure in European banks. The tax rate for owners of iGaming platforms is much lower than in other EU countries.
4. Good reputation. The Baltic states are one of the most popular territories for launching gambling projects. The jurisdiction is popular with both professional investors and beginning entrepreneurs.
5. Period of validity of a licence. A permit for owning an Estonia online casino is valid for 10 years (this is a record figure in European countries).

Online Casinos in Estonia: the Price of a Licence

Due to the stable economic environment and loyal taxation, the jurisdiction is perfect for those who want to start a project with minimum upfront investment. The cost of registration and the tax rate for the activity in the gambling field are among the lowest in Europe.

Regardless of the type of licence, it will cost you 3.2 thousand euros to file an application to the local regulator.

Tax System

The country has a simplified fiscal policy.

Operators of gambling projects are offered the following scheme:

• 18% ― a monthly fee for lottery organisers;
• 5% ― a commission fee for online casinos in Estonia (it is worth noting that not only the lost bets but also the proceeds from working with advertising materials and franchise agreements are considered as the company's income);
• exemption from the corporate tax;
• no commissions on dividends and no real estate tax.

How to Launch the Gaming Business in Estonia: Requirements for the Investors

To obtain a local gambling licence, an entrepreneur must fulfil the following conditions:

1. Legal address in the offshore zone. The enterprise can have the status of the LLC or joint-stock organisation.
2. Interaction with the bank. The company must own at least 2 accounts in a local financial institution: to accumulate customer deposits and ensure business activities. Any winnings, regardless of their amount, are paid exclusively in the format of a bank transfer and only to the account that was used to make a deposit.
3. Authorised capital. An applicant must have at least 1 million euros, and budget or credit funds cannot be used to form the fund.
4. Bank reserve. The total amount of money depends on the size of the authorised capital and cannot be less than 33%.
5. Audit of a gaming site. The local regulator offers applicants a list of independent laboratories that provide this service.
6. Design of the website. All content on the platform is described in detail with the mandatory indication of the developers. Moreover, the resource should have a special section “About the Company” with information on the provider, its financial partners, and contact details.

Documents for the Application Filing

Together with the application for gambling licensing in Estonia, it is necessary to send the following data to the regulator:

• applications to the customs service and tax authority (in writing);
• a certificate that confirms the award of legal status;
• a certificate that confirms that the size of the authorised capital is sufficient and the opening of 2 bank accounts;
• information on the participants who are interested in the project (shareholders, founders, management team);
• results of the audit of the gambling resource;
• contracts with software vendors;
• information on the location of the physical server equipment;
• business plan with a detailed description of the sources of investment and financial forecasts for the next 2 years;
• confirmation of the availability of hosting and a domain name;
• confirmation of the fact that minors are not allowed to visit the gaming site;
• receipt of payment of the fee for the application processing.

If the provider has fulfilled all the conditions and prepared a complete package of documents, the local regulator will issue a casino licence within 14 days after the initiation of a request.

The Main Things About the Gambling Licensing in Estonia

Acquisition of this permit is a practical and effective way to start working legally in the largest gambling market in the world ― Europe.

• Operators choose Estonian licences because of the stable political environment in the country. Taking into account the permanence of the legal system for already 10 years, this jurisdiction and its offers suit for long-term investments.
• It is possible to launch online casinos in Estonia with minimum upfront investment. The jurisdiction offers foreign investors a relatively low price of a licence and low tax rates. Moreover, the local regulator guarantees that there are no fees for dividends, real estate tax, and corporate tax.
• The application processing takes no more than 14 days. Besides, operators are offered a simplified scheme for getting a residence permit. They can also place physical server equipment outside the offshore zone and receive loans from the largest European banks.
• Gambling licensing in Estonia will help business owners to scale their projects. A certificate issued by the local regulator allows you to legally provide casino services in Europe.
• Estonian gambling permits are valid for 10 years.

The Smart Money company is ready to help you with the collection of documents and solution of organisational issues and provide legal support. We have vast experience in implementing gambling projects and a wide range of additional services.

We offer ready-made casino platforms, turnkey casino websites, solutions for the land-based gambling business, the best releases of the world’s leading providers, and much more.

The free demo version of a gaming site will help you to make certain of the benefits of such cooperation and the impeccable quality of our solutions.

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