How to Obtain a Gambling License in Nevis: A Complete Overview of Rules and Requirements

On June 23rd of this year, a law was published that regulates the procedure, process, and requirements for obtaining an offshore gambling license in Nevis. Gambling regulation is transparent, as the legislator has implemented best international practices for iGaming businesses, while making the licensing process clear, efficient, and, compared to other offshore licenses, inexpensive.

The Nevis Parliament has ensured that the licensing process includes the ability to appeal decisions by a regulator that is not part of the regulatory structure (unlike Curacao), as well as transparent requirements for responsible gaming, AML, and CTF. Given the clarity of regulation, Nevis’s offshore gambling license will soon become a direct competitor to Curacao.

B2B and B2C Licenses

The law established two types of licenses for gambling operations: B2B and B2C gambling licenses. This means that the legislator requires two different licenses for different types of activities: B2B licenses for service providers to B2C operators, and B2C licenses for online gambling operators.

License Obtaining Process

The licensing process is fairly transparent, offering various company registration options and setting forth the license application procedure, licensing fees, personnel requirements, and prohibited territories for operating.

Company Registration

First and foremost, an operator who has expressed an intention to obtain a Nevis offshore gambling license must register a company in Nevis or have a company registered in another jurisdiction but still registered as a foreign company under Nevis law. This means that the law allows gambling providers to operate either through a foreign company or by registering a company within the country.

When choosing to register a local company, operators can choose between two forms: Nevis LLC and Nevis IBC.

Nevis LLC

Documentation and Membership

Incorporation is accomplished by submitting Articles of Organization to the Registrar. The document must include the company’s name, its duration (perpetual or limited), purpose, the name of the licensed registered agent, and the registered office address, as well as the details of the organizers. There are no minimum authorized capital requirements; members and managers may be residents of any jurisdiction. Both members and managers may be the same person.

Registered Office and Substance

An LLC must maintain a licensed registered agent with a physical address in Nevis, which also serves as the company’s registered office. If the company establishes a physical administrative office (for storing documents, personnel, etc.), a separate license from the Ministry of Finance is required; operating without such a license is punishable by a fine of up to EC$30,000 (~US$11,000) and deregistration.

Taxation

As long as the LLC does not conduct business in the Federation, it enjoys a complete tax exemption.

Annual Reporting

• The annual registration fee is paid through an agent;
• Regardless of whether or not the company is profitable, all LLCs file a simplified CIT-101 return.

Nevis Business Corporation / IBC

Documentation and Governing Bodies

Articles of Incorporation are filed with the Registrar, setting out the name, purpose, registered agent details, share capital structure, and (if applicable) the initial directors. There is no minimum authorized capital requirement. One director, who may be a non-resident individual or legal entity, is sufficient.

Registered Office and Substance

The corporation must have a licensed registered agent with a physical office in Nevis. A separate license is required for the administrative office. The basic application fee is EC$5,400 (~USD$2,000).

Taxation

If a corporation does not conduct business within the federation, it is exempt from all local taxes, including income tax.

Annual Reporting

• Payment of the annual registration fee through an agent;
• Filing of the CIT-101 return for all corporations, even those without business activities, with a standard deadline of April 15 of the following year.

The registration process for both Nevis LLC and Nevis IBC is one of the fastest in the Caribbean, taking an average of 5 business days. The average cost of registering a Nevis LLC or IBC is $3,600.

When choosing the option of obtaining “foreign company” status in Nevis, a mandatory requirement for successful registration is The requirements for registering such a company include maintaining an office in Nevis, appointing a company representative who is a citizen of St. Kitts and Nevis, responsible for receiving correspondence, including letters from the regulator and court notices if the company is a party to a lawsuit, and providing other documentation as required by law.

Additionally, if the operator wishes to change the address of the licensee’s office, they must notify the regulator 30 days before such changes take effect.

Application Process

After completing the company registration requirements, the operator must pay a fee and apply for a gambling license in Nevis. The application is submitted through the regulator’s portal and is accompanied by documents, depending on the type of activity, confirming the intent to conduct gambling activities, including: Source of Wealth, Proof of Domains, Responsible Gaming, KYC, AML, Minor Policy, etc. for B2C providers; KYB Policy, B2B Agreement Draft, Source of Wealth, and others for B2B providers.

Additionally, the law establishes requirements for applicants, including relevant experience in the field, a proper business reputation, and financial stability (applies when registering a company in Nevis). Applicants must have no criminal record and must not be involved in companies engaged in illegal activities (e.g., fraud).

License Fees and License Validity

The license is issued for a year with the possibility of renewal for the same period. The established price for a B2B license is 28,000 EUR/year, the same price is set for a B2C license.

After receiving the license, the operator can operate on two domains.

Adding new domains requires the operator to pay 750 EUR for each new domain. Adding mirror links requires the operator to pay 35 EUR each. If an operator adds more than 50 mirror links, the rate is reduced to 15 EUR per link.

Personnel Requirements

An operator seeking a license is required to appoint Compliance and Reporting Officers. This requirement is established to regulate the company’s financial activities and combat money laundering and terrorist financing.

Individuals appointed to these positions must meet “fit and proper” standards and undergo the approval process by submitting an application in the prescribed form. Requirements include: at least two years of experience in similar positions; specialized education applicable to the position (e.g., anti-money laundering courses, etc.); a thorough understanding of the laws of St. Kitts and Nevis; and a high level of English proficiency.

Compliance and Reporting Officers may be outsourced, subject to appropriate verification by the regulatory authority and approval. There are no residency requirements for such individuals.

The law provides for the possibility of combining these positions by one person, subject to the relevant procedure being completed.

Prohibited Territories

An operator holding a Nevis gaming license is prohibited from operating in the following countries:

• USA;
• United Kingdom;
• France;
• Germany;
• Netherlands;
• Spain;
• Australia;
• Austria;
• Saint Kitts and Nevis;
• as well as countries blacklisted by the FATF.

Operator Duties and Responsibilities

Law establishes obligations to maintain records of financial transactions, conduct audits, and establish and comply with KYC, Fair Play, and Responsible Gaming procedures.

Financial Reporting

The operator of a Nevis license is required to maintain records of financial transactions. At any time upon request by the regulator, they must provide the latter with detailed transaction information, which can be audited for violations of the law.

The information must be stored at the registered office in Nevis for five years.

Audit

The operator must, at the request of the regulator, conduct an audit of the company’s financial activities. Unlike other licensing jurisdictions, the law does not require an annual audit.

Three months prior to the end of the financial year, the operator must provide documents confirming the company’s sound financial position, income, and the movement of funds of the company and its owners.

The regulator has the right to verify the details of financial transactions provided by the operator.

Fair Play, KYC, and Responsible Gaming

The operator must establish and maintain KYC, Fair Play, and Responsible Gaming procedures that comply with legal requirements. These requirements comply with international standards for iGaming equipment and are transparent and understandable to potential Nevis licensees.

Additionally, the operator must Provide the option of self-exclusion for a player for a period of 3 months, as well as the ability for the player to set a maximum bet amount.

Compliance

The regulator conducts ongoing (as far as operationally feasible) audits of licensed operators. Upon request, the provider must provide access to documents, invoices, securities, and other documents specified in the request. The regulator also has the right to contact the managers responsible for storing such information to clarify the necessary data.

Penalties for Violating the Law

The law establishes penalties for violating gambling rules, misleading a financially responsible player, and possible imprisonment.

• Operating without a license — a fine of $5,000 or imprisonment for 6 months.
• Misleading a player — if the information on the website may mislead regarding the company’s activities, the penalty is $50,000 or 2 years’ imprisonment.
• Transferring shares to third parties without notifying the regulator — a fine of $15,000 and an additional $1,000 for each day of the violation.
• Violating financial reporting rules — a fine of $15,000 and $1,000 daily until the violation is corrected.
• Violating audit rules — a fine of $500 for each day of late submission of documents.
• Violating compliance rules — a fine of $10,000 for Failure to submit financial and administrative documentation upon request by the regulator.
• Violation of responsible gaming rules — a fine of up to $50,000 for allowing individuals under 18, those on sanctions lists, those convicted of money laundering, or other high-risk individuals to play.
• Allowing self-excluded individuals to play is punishable by a fine of $8,000.

Conclusion

The Nevis license offers a straightforward application process, a basic package with two domains, a competitive one-time fee, and reasonable annual fees. Capital and personnel requirements remain flexible: the Compliance Officer and Reporting Officer roles can be combined or outsourced. Foreign companies only need a local process agent and a principal office address, while Nevis-based licensed companies must have a registered office, director, and secretary. Clear but not burdensome AML/KYC and responsible gaming regulations give operators room to scale and utilize modern payment solutions, making Nevis a practical alternative to Curaçao for new iGaming projects.