Kahnawake Gambling License 2025

Advantages of the Kahnawake Gambling License

Start-ups and small businesses in gambling economic activities prefer Kahnawake jurisdiction because it is cost-effective, with low incorporation, application, and supervision fees. The saved capital can be invested in the development of the gambling services, the growth of the business, and getting prepared for acquiring licenses from other, more promising but more restrictive jurisdictions that unlock lucrative markets. Our friendly and professional staff here at Regulated United Europe can guide you in making these decisions.

Another major advantage of a Kahnawake gambling license is that a new gambling company can be opened really fast, which means you’ll have a fully operational gambling business generating profits within a couple of months, not after half a year or more.

Licensees are liable for 0% Corporate Tax on all gross gaming revenues, and no further gaming tax is payable in Kahnawake. This gives all startups with low budgets, being still in their infancy stage, time to invest more money in the business to see further growth and to turn an idea into a well-established one.

Advantages

Advantages of the Kahnawake Gambling License

Startups and small businesses engaging in gambling economic activities choose the Kahnawake jurisdiction for cost-efficiency made possible by low incorporation, application, and supervision fees. The saved capital can instead be invested in the improvement of gambling services and business development, as well as the preparation to obtain licenses from more prosperous but stricter jurisdictions that open doors to lucrative markets. Our friendly and experienced team here at Regulated United Europe can help you navigate these choices.

Another advantage of having a gambling license from Kahnawake is that a new gambling company can be set up very swiftly, which allows you to have a fully operational gambling business that generates profit within a couple of months instead of having to wait half a year or more.

In Kahnawake, gambling licensees are entitled to a 0% Corporate Tax on all gross gaming revenues, and there aren’t additional gaming taxes. This approach is beneficial to startups with low budgets who are in their infancy stage as it also enables gambling entrepreneurs to invest more funds in the business, accelerate further growth, and turn an initial idea into an established business.

Gambling Regulations in Kahnawake

The gambling regulatory framework imposed by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission is designed to regulate and support the development of the gambling industry by enabling businesses to expand in a sustainable way and without harming society. The authority works tirelessly to ensure that all online gambling activities conducted from the Kahnawake jurisdiction comply with applicable national regulations.

The Kahnawake Gaming Commission is well-respected for duly imposing regulations related to anti-money laundering and terrorist financing, responsible gambling, customer service, fairness, advertising, and transparency. To ensure a high standard of player protection, the Kahnawake Gaming Commission also provides players with means to resolve disputes and address player complaints, including through third-party mediation and arbitration. The authority has a full-time dispute resolution officer whose sole responsibility is to ensure that issues between players and gambling operators are resolved efficiently, fairly, and promptly.

The authority maintains a detailed record of all customer complaints and conducts investigations in cases where an operator refuses to pay out a player. The investigations can result in closing the operator’s account. The authority also may monitor operators to ensure fairness in games, which guarantees that all the involved parties are satisfied with the outcome of the game.

The following key pieces of legislation and regulations apply to gambling operators in Kahnawake:

• The Kahnawake Gaming Law
• Regulations Concerning Interactive Gaming
• Regulations Concerning Anti-Money Laundering And Counter-Terrorism Financing

Regulations Concerning Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing apply to all forms of interactive gaming based in and offered from within Kahnawake, including interactive gaming involving players situated both within and outside Kahnawake. The Kahnawake Gaming Commission strives to apply world-class standards and may partner and share information about detected money laundering activities with other domestic and international authorities. However, all information received from or about compliant gambling operators under these Regulations is treated as confidential, and you can be assured that no person working for the Kahnawake Gambling Commission may disclose any of it to third parties unless that person is authorized to do so.

GAMBLING LICENSE IN Kahnawake

* Requirements in respect to minimum share capital of the company, depending on the type of game offered

Application fee – $35,000 US

Types of Kahnawake Gambling Licenses

Based on the variety of gambling services provided, a gambling operator can apply for one of several types of Kahnawake gambling licenses valid in all markets except the USA. Licenses could be applied for regarding such games as live casino, video, live table, eSports betting, sports betting, poker, slots, and basically any other kind of gambling activity.

The following types of license and permits are issued by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission:

• Interactive Gaming License which authorizes holders to operate a co-location facility that provides internet services to Authorized Client Providers; since 1999, only one license – to Mohawk Internet Technologies – has been issued.
• Client Provider Authorization – enables holders known as Authorized Client Providers to provide interactive gaming from the co-location facility owned and operated by the Interactive Gaming License holder and other premises located in Kahnawake. It is the most common type of betting license in Kahnawake, and this license is issued for 5 years.
• Casino Software Provider Authorization that permits holders to locate and operate interactive gaming equipment at the co-location facility owned and operated by the Interactive Gaming Licensee, and to provide casino software to a third-party operator. Holders of this license cannot sell interactive games directly to players.
• Live Dealer Studio Authorization provides holders with the right to operate a live dealer studio and organize live dealer games and hold activities related to interactive gaming from premises situated in Kahnawake.
• Inter-Jurisdictional Authorization: allows holders licensed by another foreign jurisdiction to carry on some or all of their equipment and/or personnel to Kahnawake.
• Key Person Permit which allows holders to be employed by either the Interactive Gaming License or the Client Provider Authorization holder and perform key managerial or key operational functions.

Requirements for License Applicants

To conduct an online gambling business in Kahnawake, one needs to incorporate a body in Kahnawake. Normally, such an operator will be required to hold 2 licenses: a Client Provider Authorization and a Key Person Permit; however, it does depend on the type of gambling activities. All licensees under a Client Provider Authorization are required to employ at least one key person with a Key Person Permit license involved in carrying out key managerial functions for or on behalf of the Authorized Client Provider. Often more than one Key Person Permits are needed in case of multiple persons responsible for key functions, and managerial decisions.

If the applicant is a corporation, then the following features will be considered:

• Good business reputation and sound current financial position and sound financial background
• Satisfactory ownership and corporate structure
• The resources, services, skills, and technical ability sufficient to provide the services covered under its license, authorization, or permit
• Any director, shareholder having 10 percent or more ownership of or controlling interest in the corporation and key person as a potentially suitable person

The licensing authority assesses the following of an applicant individual:

• Whether the individual is of good character and integrity
• Personal, professional, and business relationships
• Record of criminal convictions
• Record of civil litigation
• Bankruptcies or credit history
• Personal and professional references
• Education, training, experience

Following are the required documents for the application of a license regarding Client Provider Authorization:

• Application form for a Client Provider Authorization license
• Business Entity Information Form
• A detailed description of the games offered and gaming software to be used
• Personal Information Forms completed by the company’s directors, shareholders with at least 10% of ownership, and key persons applying for a Key Person Permit
• Control System Submission
• Letter from the Interactive Gaming License holder informing that the holder is aware of and consents to having the applicant’s secondary Client Provider Authorization appended to its Interactive Gaming License;
• If the applicant is a publicly traded corporation, list of all directors with biography or CV of each director;
• Where applicant is a publicly traded corporation, annual financial reports for the last 3 years.
• Verification of any RNG application, if utilized, and evidence that the application is fair via a third-party certification process.
• Details regarding hosting in Kahnawake

The following documents shall also be submitted by the shareholders, key persons, directors, and beneficial owners:

• Police conduct certificates
• Notarized passport copies
• Birth certificates
• Original bank references
• Personal financial statements
• Original or notarized true copies of utility bills

Documentation should be in the English language and dated no more than 90 days. If your source documents are in any other language, you will need sworn translations. We at Regulated United Europe will be happy to assist you in sourcing the most cost-effective efficient quality solution.

The following documentation is required for each Key Person Permit:

• A Key Person License Application Form
• Personal information
• A letter from the Authorized Client Provider addressed to the Kahnawake Gaming Commission proving the existence of the key relationship, indicating what type of key function the proposed key person should perform, detailed description of responsibilities the proposed key person should take up as well as type of training the proposed key person has received that would qualify them to take up this role

An application must comply with all the responsible gaming policies, which include the fairness of the game, principles of transparency, prohibition of minors and people in a vulnerable position from entering a gambling website. It also must draft internal policies that guarantee players’ protection in regard to privacy, confidentiality, and security.

The license application fee for a Client Provider Authorization is 40,000 USD (approximately 35,600 EUR), lower in comparison to most serious jurisdictions. This amount covers the estimated cost of conducting due diligence on both the applicant company and the persons who have provided Personal Information Forms. This part of the fee is not refundable. It also covers the initial annual licensing fee of 10,000 USD, which is refunded in the case an application is refused. The application fee for the Client Provider Authorization License does not include the charges for reviewing of the Control System Submission of the applicant by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, as those charges are invoiced separately. A single Key Person Permit application fee is 5,000 USD (around 4,450 EUR) per applicant. All these fees are payable in advance of the submission of the application.

Other related charges are as under:

• Client Provider Authorization annual licensing fee – 20,000 USD (approx. 17,800 EUR)
• Client Provider Authorization renewal cost – 5,000 USD (approx. 4,450 EUR)
• Annual Key Person Permit fee – 1,000 USD (approx. 890 EUR)
• Key Person Permit renewal cost – 2,500 USD (approx. 2,200 EUR)

Blocked zones for Kahnawake

USA

Red zones for Kahnawake

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Jersey, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom

Best Kahnawake Gaming Commission Licensed Casinos

List of companies with gambling license in Kahnawake

Kahnawake Gambling License Application Process

Once you have incorporated a company in Kahnawake, you are ready with your license application for gambling. In case of all documents submitted being okay, consideration for a Client Provider Authorization license normally takes 4-8 weeks. If successful, initially the license is issued for 6 months; the relevant period is utilized to conduct full analysis concerning this license holder. Compared with other reputable jurisdictions, this is very efficient.

The licensing process is, in principle, divided into the following stages:

• Phase 1 – application stage (4-8 weeks to complete)
• Phase 2 – interim 12-months license (12 months to complete)
• Phase 3 – monitoring of the Client Provider Authorization (continued)

Phase 1 includes the following steps:

• Paying the application fees
• Submitting the application to the Kahnawake Gaming Commission officer where a Kahnawake Gaming Commission compliance officer will be assigned
• Document Review: Initial check of documents to ascertain whether all the supporting documents are provided and attached.
• Contact with Mohawk Internet Technologies: An email informing them of the receipt of a new application is sent to the relevant body.
• Due Diligence: In cases where necessary, due diligence reports should be accomplished and returned to the Kahnawake Gaming Commission.
• Recommendation by Mohawk Internet Technologies: It issues a letter of recommendation to the Kahnawake Gaming Commission on applicant’s behalf.
• The cascading style sheets testing process begins, and a CSS report is drafted.
• Once the CSS report is approved, the application is added to the weekly agenda, and results are presented to the Kahnawake Gaming Commission for the final license.
• In cases of applicant refusal, the 10,000 USD (approx. 8,900 EUR) is returned.

During Phase 1, the government tries to find out who the owners of the company are, trace the source of funds and whether the applicants are competent enough to operate a business related to gambling. Kahnawake Gaming Commission might contact the applicant to provide more information or additional documents required to satisfy them that the applicant is/are fit and proper and the company is adequately set up for intended operations.

Following are the procedures of Phase 2:

• In case a preliminary 6-month license is issued, the CSS testing proceeds beyond the preliminary stage so as to provide a final report with recommendations to ensure compliance
• Mohawk Internet Technologies is notified of the decision
• Contact information sheet is sent to holder and also URL listing is requested
• Compliance officer is notified about the URL additions and tracking process begins
• The compliance officer produces a certificate and sends the HTML code to the License Holder

Within at least 30 days before the expiration of the initial six-month licensing, Kahnawake Gaming Commission checks the performance of the licensee and assesses whether the Licensee has adequately adhered to the relevant continuous compliance program. It also checks whether there have been too many complaints on the part of players or third parties, and whether the license holder has contravened any law, breached regulation, or taken any other action which may have compromised in some other way the integrity or reputation of the Kahnawake Gaming Commission.

Steps of Phase 3 are as follows:

• Provided the second stage is completed, Kahnawake Gaming Commission makes a review at the end of the initial permit period of the file and makes its decision on whether a second Client Provider Authorization license is granted.
• Ongoing compliance and its monitoring commences and Kahnawake Gaming Commission process of license renewal for 5 years applies to the Licensee.

One of the pluses in this process is that the first 2 stages will give you a chance to weigh and see for yourself if the Kahnawake jurisdiction is indeed the best fit for your gambling business. Also, on your way, you’ll be able to refine your operations and bring them closer to the world-class level expected by the most respectable business partners and jurisdictions.

Requirements for Kahnawake Gambling License Holders

Once a license is granted, during the first 6 months of operations, the Authorized Client Provider must be operationally compliant with the AML/CFT regulations, which also include the completion of a risk assessment and the execution of the necessary policies and procedures accordingly.

Applied AML/CFT rules include the following:

• This means performing a risk assessment, commensurate with its size and nature, for the purposes of identifying and assessing the risks of money laundering and financing of terrorism to which its business may be subject. The following are some of the factors that should be considered in the assessment: customers of the company, countries or geographic areas in which it operates, its products or services, transactions, delivery channels, and third parties that provide services to the gambling business.
• The applicant has to commit itself to the establishment and maintenance of policies, controls, and procedures as part of its commitment to mitigate and manage effectively the risks of money laundering and financing of terrorism identified in any conducted risk assessment.
• An applicant shall designate a senior manager to monitor and manage compliance with the policies, controls, and procedures adopted by the company.
• The key tasks encompass highlighting any instances that involve an increased risk in relation to money laundering or financing terrorism, maintaining records of risk assessments and monitoring any changes, keeping the senior management of the company fully informed.
• Have processes in place to undertake customer due diligence (CDD) identification measures when a customer opens an account, i.e. when a customer registers with an operator and accepts the Terms and Conditions of the site

The Kahnawake Gaming Commission takes user complaints very seriously and those that violate the rules are suspended. The regulatory practice shows that non-compliant operators risk having their licenses suspended and revoked. Thus, every licensee involved in the gambling business should follow carefully all the prescriptions regarding the protection of players and business partners from involvement of minors or vulnerable persons in gaming activities and, generally, the principles of ethical entrepreneurship. Such a position testifies to the good reputation of the Kahnawake authorities and at the same time helps to create a loyal clientele base.

If you feel these regulations are right for you, the team here at Regulated United Europe will be happy to help you with the incorporation of a new company and subsequently obtain a license for gambling activities in Kahnawake. Having at your side dedicated legal advisors, tax experts, and financial accountants will make the incorporation and application processes easy, frictionless, and transparent. For a personal consultation and to set the grounds for long-lasting success, please do not hesitate to contact us now.