Discovered in 1493 by Christopher Columbus, Antigua and Barbuda is a democratic state of Central America and the Caribbean. The location of the islands of Antigua and Barbuda lies between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean. They’re situated to the extreme southeast of Puerto Rico. Barbuda is a coral island that measures 0.5 square miles, while the larger Antigua is 108 square miles. It is roughly 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC while being home to over 80,000 residents.

The twin-island state of Antigua and Barbuda, in the Caribbean, became independent in 1981, having previously been under British rule. The state continued to practice a tradition of English Common Law, and its legislative framework is largely based on similar principles to Britain’s. Following its enactment of the International Business Corporations Act in 1982, Antigua and Barbuda became a popular jurisdiction for offshore banking.

Antigua, part of the former British colony of Antigua and Barbuda, is on the UK’s white-list of gambling jurisdictions, meaning that its licensees are permitted to advertise their services in Britain. A wide range of gambling sites operates out of Antigua and Barbuda including sports betting, casino sites, poker, bingo, and more.

The country is also famous as an International holiday destination particularly for tourists from the USA, Canada, and Europe owing to its excellent sun-kissed beaches and premium beach resorts. Tourism is the driving force behind the Antigua and Barbuda nation. It accounts for almost 60% of the gross domestic product. But the gambling license fiscal structure is the hidden motor of its economy.

Poker and casino players recognize Antigua and Barbuda for being a well-known location for online gambling operators. On 24 March 2004 Antigua and Barbuda have reached a milestone as a developing nation, and it is pleased to be the smallest member of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

In 2005 the WTO has even won a case regarding certain restrictive measures taken by the United States in terms of online gambling. The Government of Antigua and Barbuda continues to support the gaming industry on the internet and keep on working actively to firm up its position as a major player in such a dynamic industry.

The government of Antigua and Barbuda offers casino operators, software, and service providers in the gambling industry, with a gambling license that allows gambling operators to conduct business related to casino, lotto, and other gaming-related activities. Antigua and Barbuda Gambling License are one of the most popular licenses for online casinos worldwide.

In 1994, Antigua and Barbuda became the world’s first online gaming jurisdiction to provide licenses for interactive gaming and wagering companies. And with the allure of low taxes, both served to draw many businesses to their shores. In addition to becoming one of the offshore jurisdictions that contain the largest number of online casinos registered, Antigua and Barbuda is home to six casinos including the Asot Casino Casino and the Grand Princess Casino.

The various casino resorts dotted around the island offer local poker tournaments, while online poker sites based on the island, such as Ladbrokes Poker and Bet365 Poker, run online tournaments from the island’s servers. Antigua and Barbuda’s infrastructure offers a wide array of services for online gaming operators and providers, such as high-capacity private racks, private cloud services, custom dedicated servers amidst other hosting options.

Antigua and Barbuda have long been recognized as one of the preferred locations for Online Gambling operators to base their operations. This success has been due to a combination of factors, such as a progressive legislative system, political stability, first-rate telecommunications facilities, and a well established financial services industry.

The licensing and regulation of online gambling services on the islands of Antigua and Barbuda are handled by the Financial Services Regulatory Commission’s (FSRC) division of gaming. The regulatory framework for these companies has been provided in the International Business Corporations (IBC) Act and the Interactive Gaming and Interactive Wagering Regulations (IGIWR).

The Division of Gaming is the regulatory body under the FSRC responsible for the oversight of all aspects of the Offshore Gaming industry in the jurisdiction of Antigua and Barbuda. The Division of Gaming awards two types of licenses: Interactive Gaming (casino games and poker) and Interactive Wagering (sports betting). National Anti-Money Laundering Regulations, Unusual Transactions Act, Counter-Terrorism Financing Regulations and Know Your Customer Policies are applicable to all Antigua and Barbuda Gambling Companies.

The Division of Gaming has worked with other jurisdictions and regulatory bodies to try to create international relationships. This includes a deal with the Kahnawake Gaming Commission where companies can receive authorization to run their operations from either jurisdiction, and this helps to add flexibility and overall strength to both regulatory bodies. As part of its duties, the Division of Gaming monitors gaming businesses and services to ensure that they operate according to the standards and regulations of the Government of Antigua and Barbuda.

Compliance audits are conducted on a regular basis to ensure that the terms of the license are met. Licensees must maintain a complete audit trail for each player making a deposit with an operator, including financial transactions and individual bets. Gaming systems, including back-end software logs, must be made available to third-party auditors.

Gaming rules, results of the games, and pay-outs are to be made available to Regulators or supervising authority for five years.

Let’s talk more about the benefits by understanding the reasons why obtaining a Gibraltar igaming license may be ideal for you.

When starting an Antigua and Barbuda Online Gambling Business, first of all, it’s important to think about one of the most essential procedures, that is company registration and acquisition of the license. Antigua and Barbuda Gambling License gives many excellent opportunities to each licensee and makes their business profitable.

Licensed Gambling companies in Antigua and Barbuda may qualify for tax-exempt status, meaning they do not have to pay any income tax. There is no VAT or other Sales Tax applicable on Antigua and Barbuda, there is also no tax or other duties payable on gambling operations.

Antigua and Barbuda have political stability, first-rate telecommunications facilities, and a well-established financial services industry. In addition, it maintains an attractive environment for international online gaming companies. Antigua and Barbuda Gambling License are recognized by many countries all over the world, so you will have a large potential customer base after getting it.

In order to obtain an Antigua and Barbuda Gambling License, the decision to approve the application is at the discretion of the Division of Gaming, based on the documentation submitted by our experts. The Antigua and Barbuda issue two Online Gambling license which covers all gaming operations, igaming service providers, network operators, affiliates, white-label operators, and igaming software suppliers.

With one of these Antigua and Barbuda gambling licenses, online gambling companies can legally operate. Each applicant undergoes a thorough assessment, ensuring that licenses are only awarded to those applicants who are able to demonstrate such a financial standing and integrity as to preserve the international reputation of Antigua and Barbuda as an online gambling hub.

In case something does not correspond to requirements, the Division of Gaming will provide a checklist of necessary improvements.

• Interactive Wagering License covers all forms of sports betting, including eSports, Sports Betting, Horseracing, Fantasy Sports, Games of Skill.
• Interactive Gaming License covers all forms of Casino-style gaming including Casino, Poker, Lotto, Bingo, Bitcoin Casino.

Antigua and Barbuda Gambling License enable companies to operate all over the world.

In order to receive a license from the Division of Gaming, there strict guidelines to be followed. To apply for an Online Gambling License in Antigua and Barbuda, you will need to incorporate your company in Antigua and Barbuda. Then the Antigua and Barbuda Gambling Licensing process will begin.

To secure your online gambling license in Antigua and Barbuda, our team will work closely with Antigua and Barbuda authorities to comply with Due Diligence and KYC policies. In addition to complete identification of the Ultimate Beneficial Owner (UBO) with a detailed and transparent description of the games to be offered. The last step is to obtain equipment for the transit server, which will transmit all the data of the gambling project to the jurisdiction for the control conduction.

• Residence in the Antigua & Barbuda. Operators wishing to offer their services to Antigua & Barbuda gamblers must be residents of Antigua and they must obtain the relevant licenses and authorizations from the Division of Gaming. In case the company is a foreign entity, it must appoint a local authorized representative, whose domicile is in the Antigua & Barbuda, to deal with the competent authorities in the country and have the power to conclude contracts on its behalf
• Opening of a bank account with one of the banks in Antigua where the operator would need to deposit the players’ money. Licensed remote gaming operators will only be allowed to make payments to players through the payment processors that have been approved by the licensor
• Requirements regarding the minimum share capital of the company depending on the type of game it offers
• A monthly declaration giving details regarding income from games of change as well as the fees due will have to be submitted to the licensor on a standard form
• Compliance with the principles regarding the protection of minors as well as with the content of the promotional material used and the locations where they can be displayed