Estonia Gambling License

Time scale

The normal duration for making the decision takes between 4-6 months from the date of submission. When the license is issued, an applicant shall submit all the documents to the Department for the issuance of the registration of a gambling permit. It shall make its determination within 2-4 months.

Requirements

According to the government regulations, a gambling company cannot have a shareholder who:

• Has a criminal record
• He/She has organized gambling without an activity licence or operating permit, or has managed a company whose activity licence has been revoked due to a violation of the law;
• Has, through a grave error in management, caused the insolvency of a company;

Before granting an activity licence, the authorities check whether the applicant for the activity licence meets the requirements set for the organiser of games of chance and the tax compliance for the last three years. Where necessary, supplementary characteristics of the applicant for the activity licence are retrieved for the purpose of verifying the documents presented in applying for an activity licence.

According to the Estonian authorities, the following are the documents that need to be filed along with the application form:

• Data and documents about members of the management board and supervisory board of the licence applicant – forename and surname, personal identification code or date of birth in the absence of the code, place of residence, list of all places of employment and positions; data and documents proving the reliability of members of the management board and supervisory board of the licence applicant and their compliance with requirements provided for in the Gaming Act, which the applicant finds necessary to submit, as well as information and documents referred to in subsection 11 (3)2) of the Gaming Act.
• Data of the auditor of the activity licence applicant: auditor’s name, place of residence or seat, personal identification code or date of birth in the absence thereof, or registry code.
• A list of the applicant’s activity licence shareholders indicating for each their name, registry code or personal identification code and in the lack of the latter, date of birth, and information about the number of shares or size of the holding and the number of votes to be acquired or already held by each shareholder.
• Information and documents stated in subsection 11(2) of the Gambling Act regarding persons who have a qualifying holding in the applicant for the activity licence.

The application process also involves paying a state fee:

• 47,940 EUR for the organisation of games of chance
• 3,200 EUR for the organisation of games of skill
• 31,960 EUR for the organisation of pari-mutuel betting

GAMBLING LICENSE IN ESTONIA

Cross-border activity

The European Union hasn’t created the requirements for organizing gambling. It means that the activity licence acquired from another state within the European Economic Area does not grant the right to offer gambling in Estonia, which also valid vice versa. More information.

Estonian Casino Regulator

Online and private casinos in Estonia are licensed by the Estonian Tax and Customs Board (EMTA).

The EMTA is tasked with the responsibilities supervising Estonian casinos to ensure the safety of your game.

Casino license in Estonia

Only those casinos licensed by the Estonian Tax and Customs Board are allowed to provide their services legally in Estonia.

Which companies do not have to apply for a license for gambling games in Estonia?

Both online casinos and casinos can operate only if they have been licensed.

However, permission isn’t required in the following: running games, which contain some traits of gambling games, is allowed in the following situations:

• The game is a game of dexterity – the only win can be the possibility to play the same game.
• If sports competitions are offered.
• Provided the lotteries are drawn, the value of the prize pool DOES NOT EXCEED 1000 EUROS.
• In the event that a commercial lottery is conducted, the value of the winning fund does not exceed 10,000 euros.

If an invitation to play a game with gambling characteristics falls under one of the above categories, no license for gambling and thus no gambling tax shall be due.

A licence given from the Estonian Tax and Customs Board adds credibility to the casino, and in case of an EMTA problem, it can also help in such cases. For other casinos, this option is not considered available at EMTA.

At the same time, playing in a casino with an Estonian license helps to avoid such problems, as getting the Estonian casino license is not that easy, and EMTA controls casinos licensed in Estonia constantly.

Regulated United Europe supports gambling businesses formation in Estonia. If you have any questions, please contact us and ask for a consultation from us today.