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Sovereign state
Latin America
ISO AG

Antigua and Barbuda: gambling regulation and licensing

  • Online casinoRegulated
  • Online sports bettingRegulated
  • Online pokerRegulated
  • Online bingoRegulated
  • Land-based (reference)Not yet verified
Regulator
Financial Services Regulatory Commission, Division of Gaming (Directorate of Offshore Gaming)
Headline tax
Not yet verified
Licence required
Yes
Last verified
23 Sept 2026

Summary

Antigua and Barbuda licenses online casino, poker, bingo and sports betting operators that serve players abroad, and was one of the first jurisdictions to do so, in 1994. Licences are issued under the Interactive Gaming and Interactive Wagering Regulations 2007, first made under the International Business Corporations Act. The Financial Services Regulatory Commission administers them through its Division of Gaming, the Directorate of Offshore Gaming. Since Chapter 20 of the Gambling Act 2016 took effect on 30 September 2019, the Regulations operate under that Act and their references to the Authority, Board and Director are read as references to the Gambling Authority of Antigua and Barbuda, although the FSRC still presents its Division of Gaming as the regulator. An operator must be an Antigua international business corporation with its primary servers, at least one resident director and most of its management in the country. The annual fee is US$100,000 for an interactive gaming licence and US$75,000 for an interactive wagering licence, on top of a US$15,000 due diligence fee and a reserve of at least US$100,000. No revenue-based tax on online licensees was found; the 8% taxes in the Gambling Act schedule apply to land-based machines, tables and betting. Licensees are financial institutions for anti-money laundering purposes and report to the ONDCP Supervisory Authority. The regulator's register listed four active licensees in September 2026. Antigua also won its WTO case against United States restrictions on cross-border gambling, and in 2013 was authorised to suspend intellectual property obligations to the United States of up to US$21 million a year.

Common pitfalls

Budgeting for one fee when both products are offered: casino and sportsbook are separate licences at US$100,000 and US$75,000 a year. Treating Antigua as a light-touch licence: primary servers, a resident director and resident management are required. Relying on the FSRC website alone: it still describes the IBC Act framework, while since 2019 the Regulations sit under the Gambling Act 2016. Assuming the licence authorises supply anywhere: the Regulations make players responsible for the law where they live.

Key facts

Regulator
Financial Services Regulatory Commission, Division of Gaming (Directorate of Offshore Gaming) (FSRC)
Regulator type
Dedicated regulator
Headline tax
Not yet verified
Licence required
Yes
Minimum age
18+
Tax base
Interactive gaming and wagering licensees pay fixed annual licence fees under the IGIWR; no revenue-based gaming tax on them was found in the IGIWR or the Gambling Act. The Gambling Act Schedule 1 taxes apply to land-based operators: 8% of player loss on gaming machines and gaming tables, 8% of gross revenue from settled bets for betting providers (whose betting facilities exclude internet betting), and a percentage of gross sales for commercial lotteries.

Licensing

Licence required
Yes
Application window
Rolling
Local establishment required
Yes
Local server required
Yes
Local director required
Yes
Active licences
4 (as of 23 Sept 2026)
Typical time to licence
The regulator is to decide, if possible, within 60 days of a complete application (reg 8).
Bank guarantee or bond
A reserve or equivalent security of at least US$100,000, paid into an account set by the regulator before operations start, to secure prizes and player funds; the amount can be adjusted to the licensee's risk (reg 20).
Notable licensees
Continental Ventures Ltd., il Nido Ltd., Itagui Inc., Atum Poisson Ltd.
Certification requirements
A written control system submission, covering accounting, player funds, information security, responsible gaming and AML, must be approved before gaming starts (Part VI; licensing guidelines 5.4). Licensees feed monthly data to the regulator's monitoring programme.
Barriers to entry
A licensee must be an Antigua international business corporation (reg 3(3)), keep its primary servers with all player, game and financial history in Antigua (reg 91), and show physical presence, judged by the servers, at least one resident director and a majority of management key persons resident in Antigua (reg 94). Sublicensing is prohibited (reg 95). Fixed costs are a US$15,000 due diligence fee, US$100,000 or US$75,000 a year per licence, a US$100,000 reserve, and a monitoring system fee of US$25,000 a year for one licence or US$45,000 for two.

Licence types

  • Interactive gaming licence

    Scope
    Online casino games, peer to peer poker, keno, bingo and lottery games
    Term
    1 year, renewable for one year at a time
    Application fee
    $15,000 as of 2 Aug 2007
    Annual fee
    $100,000 as of 2 Aug 2007
    Fee basis
    Fixed annual fee (reg 13). The US$15,000 application fee is a non-refundable due diligence deposit, topped up if costs exceed it (regs 6 and 7).
    Renewal terms
    Renewal application at least three months before expiry with a non-refundable US$5,000 fee (regs 27 to 31).
  • Interactive wagering licence

    Scope
    Online sports and event betting, including spread bets
    Term
    1 year, renewable for one year at a time
    Application fee
    $15,000 as of 2 Aug 2007
    Annual fee
    $75,000 as of 2 Aug 2007
    Fee basis
    Fixed annual fee (reg 13).
    Renewal terms
    Renewal application at least three months before expiry with a non-refundable US$5,000 fee (regs 27 to 31).
  • Key person licence

    Scope
    Managers, controllers, supervisors, IT directors and key client service providers of a licensee
    Application fee
    $1,000 as of 2 Aug 2007
    Annual fee
    $250 as of 2 Aug 2007
    Fee basis
    US$1,000 for the first year and US$250 for each later year (reg 81).

Taxation

Headline GGR tax
Not yet verified
Effective date
31 Aug 2017
Tax base
Interactive gaming and wagering licensees pay fixed annual licence fees under the IGIWR; no revenue-based gaming tax on them was found in the IGIWR or the Gambling Act. The Gambling Act Schedule 1 taxes apply to land-based operators: 8% of player loss on gaming machines and gaming tables, 8% of gross revenue from settled bets for betting providers (whose betting facilities exclude internet betting), and a percentage of gross sales for commercial lotteries.

Earmarked levies

  • Gambling Addiction Research and Education Fund contribution: Mandatory contribution set by the regulator (Gambling Addiction Research and Education Fund (research, public education and treatment information))
  • Gaming machine tax and gaming table tax (land-based): 8% of player loss, paid monthly within 7 days of month end (Commissioner of Inland Revenue)
  • Betting provider's tax (land-based): 8% of gross revenue from bets settled in the month, no carry forward of losses (Commissioner of Inland Revenue)
  • Commercial lottery tax: 14% of gross sales on existing online lottery games (Super Lotto, Pick 3, Pick 4, Caribbean Keno, Lucky Pick), 10% on new games, 8% on scratch and win (Commissioner of Inland Revenue)
  • Gaming machine levy and gaming table levy (land-based): $30 per machine or table per month (Commissioner of Inland Revenue)

Compliance

Minimum age
18+
National self-exclusion
Not yet verified
KYC timing
Before any play; enhanced evidence before payouts above US$5,000
AML regime
Internet gambling is a financial institution activity under the Money Laundering (Prevention) Act. Licensees must report suspected proceeds of crime to the Supervisory Authority within 24 hours or as soon as practicable (reg 223 as replaced in 2012), and report any payment to a player above US$25,000 within 48 hours (reg 148(d)). Cash may not be accepted (reg 146).
AML supervisor
Supervisory Authority under the Money Laundering (Prevention) Act (ONDCP), with the FSRC Division of Gaming
Source of funds thresholds
Payments to a player above US$5,000 need evidence of age, residence and identity; payments above US$25,000 are reported to the Supervisory Authority within 48 hours.
Central monitoring system
Licensees provide monthly data transfers to the regulator's monitoring programme, a computer assisted audit system covering turnover, fairness, player numbers, customer liabilities, AML, problem gaming and underage play.
Data localisation
Primary servers holding all player, game history, financial history and liability data must be in Antigua and Barbuda (reg 91); back-up server locations must be notified (reg 131).
KYC requirements
A player must be registered and confirm identity, date of birth and place of residence, and may not play until identity is authenticated under the approved control system (regs 140 and 141). One account per player per system; no payment above US$5,000 from an account until age, residence and identity evidence has been provided (reg 148(a)).
Stake limits
Players may set their own wager limit; a notice raising or revoking it takes effect only after seven days (reg 139). No statutory stake limit was found. Players may also self-exclude from a licensed site and cannot be reinstated for six months (reg 138).
Mandatory player messaging
A warning of the addiction risks of gambling, with information and links to websites that assist compulsive gamblers, must be shown during login in a format approved by the regulator (reg 137 as amended in 2008). Players must be told it is their responsibility to know and obey the gambling law where they live (reg 141).
Reporting obligations
Semi-annual statement of assets and liabilities within 30 days, audited annual return within 90 days of year end, annual ownership certification (reg 191), and monthly reports of complaints on underage play, problem gambling and fairness (reg 192). Dishonest or unlawful acts are reported to the regulator within 24 hours (reg 222).
Game content restrictions
Only games authorised by the regulator may be offered or advertised, and licensees must take measures to restrict and eliminate pornography from a licensed site (reg 15(j), reg 209).

Advertising

Advertising permitted
Yes
Affiliate rules
The regulations do not name affiliates. Any supplier or other entity paid a percentage of a licensee's winnings, turnover or game play must file the business and personal information forms, and the regulator may bar the licensee from contracting with it (reg 87).
Penalties for breach
The regulator may direct a licensee in writing to stop or change an advertisement. Failure to comply carries a penalty for each day the advertisement runs, and non-payment may lead to revocation (regs 212 and 213).

Restrictions

  • A licensee may advertise only games it is authorised to offer, and is responsible for all advertising of them (regs 209 and 210).
  • Advertising must not be indecent, pornographic or offensive, false, deceptive or misleading, or intended to appeal specifically to minors (reg 211).
  • In Antigua and Barbuda, publishing betting tips or advice on betting or odds that holds out a person as willing to bet or advise is an offence; publishing prevailing odds is allowed only when not by way of advertisement or for payment (Gambling Act 2016, s.417).

Payments

Credit card ban
No
Crypto stance
Not yet verified
Permitted methods
Credit cards, Debit cards, Electronic transfer, Wire transfer, Cheques, Other methods approved by the regulator
Withdrawal timeframe rules
Winnings and payments go back, where possible, to the account the deposit came from; otherwise they are mailed to the verified account address (reg 148(b) and (c)).

Enforcement

ISP blocking
Not yet verified
DNS blocking
Not yet verified
Payment blocking
Not yet verified
App store takedowns
Not yet verified
Administrative penalties
Suspension or revocation of the licence, and a civil penalty of up to US$5,000 per day while a breach continues plus the regulator's costs (IGIWR reg 43).
Criminal penalties
Cheating, forging gaming records, impersonation and bribery offences under the IGIWR carry a fine of up to US$50,000 or up to five years in prison, and allowing underage or problem gambling or unfair treatment up to US$50,000 (reg 232). Gambling Act offences carry up to 100,000 dollars or two years on summary conviction, and up to 500,000 dollars or five years on indictment (s.386).
Operator liability
Operating interactive gaming or wagering without a licence is prohibited (IGIWR reg 3), and all gambling not authorised under the Gambling Act is illegal (s.41). Directors and officers can be liable for offences by a company (s.387).
Player liability
Playing or betting at an unlawful game is an offence under s.412 of the Gambling Act 2016.

Notable actions

  • Gaming Ventures Ltd (sportsbook.ag, carbongaming.ag)16 Jun 2016

    Licence for interactive gaming and wagering withdrawn for non-compliance

Timeline

  1. 1994

    Antigua and Barbuda begins licensing interactive gaming and wagering companies

  2. 1997

    Virtual Casino Wagering and Sports Book Wagering Regulations made

  3. 21 Mar 2003

    Antigua and Barbuda requests WTO consultations with the United States (DS285)

  4. 20 Apr 2005

    WTO Dispute Settlement Body adopts the panel and Appellate Body reports in DS285

  5. 2 Aug 2007

    Interactive Gaming and Interactive Wagering Regulations 2007 published, replacing the 2001 Regulations

  6. 21 Dec 2007

    WTO arbitrator sets Antigua's annual nullification at US$21 million

  7. 13 Mar 2008

    Gambling Addiction Research and Education Fund created by amendment

  8. 28 Jan 2013

    WTO authorises Antigua to suspend TRIPS obligations to the United States

  9. 16 Jun 2016

    Gaming Ventures Ltd loses its licence for non-compliance

  10. 1 Apr 2017

    Gambling Act 2016 Chapters 1, 2, 14 and 16 to 19 in force

  11. 31 Aug 2017

    Gambling (Amendment) Act 2017 tax schedule in force

  12. 30 Sept 2019

    Chapter 20 of the Gambling Act in force: the IGIWR move under the Gambling Act

Outlook

No new gambling bill or consultation was identified. The open questions are legal rather than commercial: whether the Minister commences the licensing chapters of the Gambling Act 2016 for land-based casinos, gaming providers and betting, and whether the Gambling Authority is constituted apart from the FSRC Division of Gaming. The annual licence fees have not changed since 2007.

Frequently asked questions

Who regulates online gambling in Antigua and Barbuda?
The Financial Services Regulatory Commission, through its Division of Gaming (the Directorate of Offshore Gaming), under the Interactive Gaming and Interactive Wagering Regulations 2007. Since 30 September 2019 those Regulations operate under the Gambling Act 2016, which gives the Gambling Authority of Antigua and Barbuda the function of regulating interactive gambling.
How much does an Antigua online gambling licence cost?
US$100,000 a year for an interactive gaming licence and US$75,000 a year for an interactive wagering licence, plus a non-refundable US$15,000 due diligence fee, a US$5,000 renewal fee, a reserve of at least US$100,000 and key person licences at US$1,000 for the first year.
Is there a gaming tax on Antigua online licensees?
No revenue-based tax on interactive licensees was found; they pay fixed annual licence fees. The 8% taxes in the Gambling Act schedule apply to land-based gaming machines, tables and betting providers.
Does an Antigua licensee need a local presence?
Yes. It must be an Antigua international business corporation, keep its primary servers in Antigua and Barbuda, and have at least one resident director and a majority of its management key persons resident there.
What player protection rules apply?
Players must be 18 or over and identified before play. Licensees must show an addiction warning at login, offer self-exclusion of at least six months and let players set wager limits, with increases delayed by seven days.
What was the WTO gambling case?
Antigua and Barbuda challenged US restrictions on cross-border gambling services (DS285) and won in 2005. In 2013 the WTO authorised it to suspend intellectual property obligations to the United States up to US$21 million a year.

Sources

  1. Directorate of Offshore Gaming (Division of Gaming)

    Financial Services Regulatory Commission, Antigua and Barbuda

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026
  2. Licensees: active interactive gaming and wagering licences

    Financial Services Regulatory Commission, Antigua and Barbuda

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026
  3. Directorate of Offshore Gaming, Licensing Guidelines

    Financial Services Regulatory Commission, Antigua and Barbuda

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026
  4. Interactive Gaming and Interactive Wagering Regulations 2007, text with schedules published by the Directorate of Offshore Gaming

    Financial Services Regulatory Commission, Antigua and Barbuda

    Working copy hosted by the regulator. Its fee, age, server and advertising provisions were checked against the gazetted SI 34 of 2007 and match; the gazetted text and amending SIs prevail.

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026
  5. The Interactive Gaming and Interactive Wagering Regulations, 2007 (SI 2007 No. 34)

    Laws of Antigua and Barbuda (laws.gov.ag, Ministry of Legal Affairs)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 2 Aug 2007
  6. The Interactive Gaming and Interactive Wagering (Amendment) Regulations, 2008 (SI 2008 No. 8)

    Laws of Antigua and Barbuda (laws.gov.ag, Ministry of Legal Affairs)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 13 Mar 2008
  7. The Interactive Gaming and Interactive Wagering (Amendment) Regulations, 2010 (SI 2010 No. 40)

    Laws of Antigua and Barbuda (laws.gov.ag, Ministry of Legal Affairs)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 27 Jan 2011
  8. The Interactive Gaming and Interactive Wagering (Amendment) Regulations, 2012 (SI 2012 No. 29)

    Laws of Antigua and Barbuda (laws.gov.ag, Ministry of Legal Affairs)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026
  9. The Gambling Act, 2016 (No. 22 of 2016)

    Laws of Antigua and Barbuda (laws.gov.ag, Ministry of Legal Affairs)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 30 Mar 2017
  10. The Gambling (Amendment) Act, 2017 (No. 5 of 2017)

    Laws of Antigua and Barbuda (laws.gov.ag, Ministry of Legal Affairs)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 6 Apr 2017
  11. Gambling (Amendment) (No. 2) Act, 2017 (No. 38 of 2017)

    Laws of Antigua and Barbuda (laws.gov.ag, Ministry of Legal Affairs)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 22 Jan 2018
  12. Notice by the Minister under section 1 of the Gambling (Amendment) Act, 2017 (SI 2017 No. 87)

    Laws of Antigua and Barbuda (laws.gov.ag, Ministry of Legal Affairs)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 5 Dec 2017
  13. Notice by the Minister under section 2 of the Gambling Act, 2016 (SI 2017 No. 86)

    Laws of Antigua and Barbuda (laws.gov.ag, Ministry of Legal Affairs)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 5 Dec 2017
  14. The Gambling Act (Revocation of Notice Dated 5th December 2017) Regulations 2018 (SI 2018 No. 6)

    Laws of Antigua and Barbuda (laws.gov.ag, Ministry of Legal Affairs)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 1 Mar 2018
  15. Notice by the Minister under section 2 of the Gambling Act, 2016 (SI 2018 No. 7)

    Laws of Antigua and Barbuda (laws.gov.ag, Ministry of Legal Affairs)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 1 Mar 2018
  16. Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 26 Sept 2019
  17. The Gambling Act (Lotteries, Trade Lotteries and Community Gaming) Regulations, 2020 (SI 2020 No. 73)

    Laws of Antigua and Barbuda (laws.gov.ag, Ministry of Legal Affairs)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 13 Nov 2020
  18. International Business Corporations Act, Cap. 222

    Laws of Antigua and Barbuda (laws.gov.ag, Ministry of Legal Affairs)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026
  19. The International Business Corporations (Amendment) Act, 2007 (No. 10 of 2007)

    Laws of Antigua and Barbuda (laws.gov.ag, Ministry of Legal Affairs)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 25 Oct 2007
  20. Virtual Casino Wagering and Sports Book Wagering Regulations (SI 1997 No. 20)

    Laws of Antigua and Barbuda (laws.gov.ag, Ministry of Legal Affairs)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026
  21. Money Laundering (Prevention) Act 1996, as amended to 2001 (consolidated), First Schedule

    Financial Services Regulatory Commission, Antigua and Barbuda

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026
  22. Responsible Gaming: Social Responsibility Commitment

    Financial Services Regulatory Commission, Antigua and Barbuda

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026
  23. Regulatory Notice: Gaming Ventures Ltd

    Financial Services Regulatory Commission, Antigua and Barbuda

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 16 Jun 2016
  24. Domestic Gaming Sector Meeting, 26 May 2017 (presentation on the Gambling Act 2016)

    Financial Services Regulatory Commission, Antigua and Barbuda

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 26 May 2017
  25. Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026

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This page is industry reference information and not legal advice.

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