Online gaming licensed by the KGC in North America since 1999
Kahnawake Gaming Licence
Kahnawake is one of the longest-established offshore gaming regimes. The Kahnawake Gaming Commission issues a single Client Provider Authorization covering casino, betting, poker, eSports, lotteries and crypto gambling, with no KGC gaming tax. You trade from the day the CPA is granted, and the KGC reviews your first six months before renewing it for up to five years. Vantegris runs the whole file.
What is the Kahnawake gaming licence?
The Kahnawake Gaming Commission (KGC) was set up in 1996 and has licensed online gaming since its Regulations concerning Interactive Gaming were enacted in July 1999, making it one of the oldest and most recognised offshore regimes. Kahnawake is a Mohawk Territory near Montreal, Canada, and its long track record gives the licence a credibility that newer offshore permits are still building.
The KGC issues a single Client Provider Authorization (CPA) — a unified licence spanning online casino, sports betting, poker, lotteries, eSports and crypto gambling. The KGC levies no gaming or gross-revenue tax, and corporate tax follows the Costa Rica applicant company rather than the licence. The KGC estimates its application review at about four to eight weeks, depending on full disclosure. A granted CPA runs for an initial term of six months, which operators often call the provisional licence, and you can trade on it from the first day. At least 30 days before that term ends, the KGC reviews how you have run the compliance programme agreed with it and renews the CPA for up to five years.
Why operators pick Kahnawake
More than 25 years of online licensing give Kahnawake standing with players, partners and payment providers.
No gaming or gross-revenue tax on the licensed activity. Corporate tax depends on the licensed company, which in our structure is a Costa Rica applicant.
The CPA covers every major vertical, including crypto gambling, without stacking permits.
You can operate from the day the CPA is granted. The KGC reviews your first six months of trading before it renews the CPA for up to five years.
Initial all-in typically runs well below tier-1 European regimes for a comparable multi-vertical product.
Kahnawake vs. Curaçao
| Criteria | Kahnawake | Curaçao |
|---|---|---|
| Established | 1996 (online licensing from 1999) | 1996 |
| Tax | 0% gaming tax | Low, plus fees |
| Initial all-in | ≈ $50k–$75k | Higher (LOK) |
| Timeline | ≈4–8 weeks to grant | 3–6 months |
| Provisional licence | 6-month first CPA term, then renewal for up to 5 years | At the CGA's discretion (Phase 2, up to 6 + 6 months) |
| Local substance | Approved hosting (MIT) | Full local substance |
| Verticals | Casino, betting, poker, eSports and crypto | Casino, betting, live, poker and crypto |
| Best suited to | Recognised, fast-ish, 0% gaming tax | Wider banking acceptance |
Who the Kahnawake gaming licence suits
Kahnawake gaming licence requirements
How to get a Kahnawake gaming licence
- Preparation Set up the corporate structure, arrange KGC-approved hosting and assemble documents. 2–3 weeks
- Application & KGC review Submit the CPA application. The KGC runs due diligence on the company and its key persons and decides the file at a Commission meeting. ≈ 4–8 weeks
- CPA grant & launch The CPA is issued for an initial six-month term. You go live and put the compliance programme agreed with the KGC into operation. On approval
- Review & renewal At least 30 days before the term ends, the KGC reviews your compliance record. It then renews the CPA for up to five years or extends the term once by three months. Before the term ends
Not sure Kahnawake is the right fit?
Tell us your product and target markets — we'll confirm whether Kahnawake or another jurisdiction gets you live fastest, at the lowest all-in cost.
How much does a Kahnawake gaming licence cost?
- CPA application package
- AML/KYC & responsible-gaming policies
- Business plan support
- Regulator liaison
- Everything in Licence
- Applicant company incorporated in Costa Rica
- KGC-approved hosting setup
- RNG & technical documentation support
- Everything in Turnkey
- Banking & PSP introductions
- Corporate accounts
- Ongoing compliance support
Initial all-in typically lands around $50,000–$75,000 once the KGC fees, key-person permits, company setup, KGC-approved hosting, certification and compliance are included. Applications filed from 1 January 2027 cost $5,000 more for the CPA and $1,000 more per key person. That is well below a comparable Malta launch, where minimum share capital alone starts at €40,000. We quote precisely for your product.
Compliance obligations in Kahnawake
Technical & IT standards in Kahnawake
After you go live in Kahnawake
Which markets a Kahnawake licence reaches
Kahnawake supports broad international reach, but a licence is not market access. Operators must geo-block regulated markets they are not separately licensed in, plus sanctioned and FATF-listed territories.
Operators must use GEO-IP blocking for restricted countries and any FATF-blacklisted nation. Non-compliance can lead to licence suspension or revocation.
Kahnawake gaming licence FAQ
How much does a Kahnawake gaming licence cost?
The KGC charges a $35,000 CPA application fee that includes the first year's annual fee, then $20,000 a year. Each key person needs a Key Person Permit at $5,000 (including year one), then $1,000 a year. Initial all-in, with company setup, KGC-approved hosting, certification and compliance, typically runs $50,000–$75,000. The KGC levies no gaming tax; corporate tax follows the Costa Rica applicant company.
Are Kahnawake fees going up in 2027?
Yes. Under the KGC's notice of 13 August 2026, complete applications filed on or after 1 January 2027 pay $40,000 for the CPA (up from $35,000) and $6,000 per Key Person Permit (up from $5,000), both still including the first-year annual fee. The five-year renewal becomes $40,000 including the annual fee, against $5,000 plus due-diligence costs today. The $20,000 CPA and $1,000 key-person annual fees do not change, and complete applications filed before 1 January 2027 stay on the current schedule.
What is a Client Provider Authorization (CPA)?
The CPA is Kahnawake's unified licence. A single authorisation covers online casino, sports betting, poker, lotteries, eSports and crypto gambling, so you don't need separate permits per vertical.
How long does it take, and can I operate during review?
The KGC estimates its application review at about four to eight weeks, depending on full disclosure. Once granted, the CPA runs for an initial six months and you can operate from day one. At least 30 days before that term ends the KGC reviews your performance, then renews the CPA for up to five years or extends the term once by three months.
Where must I host my servers?
Kahnawake requires operators to host their gaming infrastructure within KGC-approved data centres (MIT).
How does Kahnawake compare to Curaçao?
Both go back to the 1990s. Kahnawake has 0% gaming tax, a CPA you can trade on from the grant and a lighter substance footprint (approved hosting rather than full local substance). Curaçao's new LOK regime is heavier and pricier but carries wider banking acceptance than most offshore licences. The right choice depends on whether banking depth or cost and speed matters more — we'll map it in a consult.
Reviewed by the Vantegris licensing team. Last updated September 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice. Licensing requirements vary by jurisdiction and change over time.
- Kahnawake Gaming Commission (KGC) — regulator since 1996
- Kahnawà:ke Gaming Commission — About Interactive Gaming (Regulations enacted 8 July 1999)
- Kahnawà:ke Gaming Commission — Regulations concerning Interactive Gaming (amended 25 March 2026), ss. 38 and 41–45
- Kahnawà:ke Gaming Commission — Application Process for a Client Provider Authorization (updated 27 October 2023)
- Kahnawà:ke Gaming Commission — Increase of Fees notice (13 August 2026)
- Curaçao National Ordinance on Games of Chance (LOK), Art. 5.1(8): provisional licence during the Phase 2 review
- Brazil: Medida Provisória nº 1.394/2026, art. 1 (fixed-odds betting banned, including by operators based abroad)
Start your Kahnawake file.
Tell us your product and target markets and we will map the licence route. The consultation is free and confidential, and most enquiries get a reply within 24 hours.