Online gaming licence regulated by the JCJ
Panama Gaming Licence
Panama's online gaming licence is a state contract with the Junta de Control de Juegos under Resolution 11 of 2020. It costs B/.50,000 per licence, needs B/.600,000 in bonds and takes 10% of gross income every month. Vantegris runs the whole file.
What is the Panama gaming licence?
Panama regulates online gaming through the Junta de Control de Juegos (JCJ) under Resolución No. 11 of 6 March 2020, which replaced the 2002 rules. The operator signs an administration and operation contract with the JCJ, and the Contraloría General countersigns it. Under that contract the JCJ issues gaming licences, one per web domain and never more than five per contract. Each licence covers betting on sports events and online casino games such as poker, blackjack, roulette and slots.
The money is set out in the regulation. Each licence costs B/.50,000 (US$50,000; the balboa is at par with the dollar), paid once. The contract needs a B/.500,000 compliance bond and a B/.100,000 prize-payment bond that is presented again every year. The operator then pays the JCJ 10% of gross income, meaning bets collected minus prizes paid, within the first 10 calendar days of each month. The regulation counts players inside and outside Panama, so the 10% has no offshore carve-out.
The applicant needs at least five years' experience in the gaming industry, a legal representative in Panama, and a company that is either constituted in Panama or registered there as a foreign company. Once licensed, the operator must keep offices and a call centre in Panama.
Why operators pick Panama
The licence comes from a state body under a published regulation, not from a private master licensee.
The fee, both bonds and the 10% revenue share are fixed in Resolution 11, so the regulator side of the budget is known in advance.
Each licence covers sports betting and online casino games on its domain.
One contract can carry up to five licences, one per web domain, at B/.50,000 each.
The B/.50,000 is paid once per licence; the recurring regulator costs are the yearly prize bond and the 10%.
Panama vs. Anjouan
| Criteria | Panama | Anjouan |
|---|---|---|
| Regulator fee | B/.50,000 per licence, one-off | €17,828 per year |
| Up-front commitment | B/.650,000 (fee + B/.600,000 in bonds) | €17,828 |
| Gaming tax | 10% of gross income | 0% GGR |
| Licence term | None stated in the regulation | Annual |
| Local company & office | Required, with a call centre | Not required |
| Timeline | No deadline in the regulation | 4–8 weeks |
| Best suited to | Funded operators who want a national licence | Speed and lower cost |
Who the Panama gaming licence suits
Panama gaming licence requirements
How to get a Panama gaming licence
- Applicant & Panama presence Constitute the Panama company or register the foreign company, add the JCJ-prescribed clauses to its articles, and appoint a legal representative and a Panamanian lawyer. Before filing
- Application file Assemble the business plan, the ownership chain to the ultimate beneficial owner, ten-year background files, source of funding, three years of financial statements and tax returns, and the internal control manual. Before filing
- Investigation & JCJ decision The JCJ's Director investigates the applicant at the applicant's cost and recommends approval or rejection; the JCJ's full board decides by resolution. Set by the JCJ
- Contract, fee & bonds The Contraloría General countersigns the contract. Pay B/.50,000 per licence, lodge the B/.500,000 compliance bond and present the B/.100,000 prize-payment bond before operating. On countersignature
- Licence & start of operations The Director issues each licence by resolution and inspects before authorising the start. Each licensed site must begin operating within three months of issue or the licence can be cancelled. Within 3 months of issue
Not sure Panama is the right fit?
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How much does a Panama gaming licence cost?
- Panama company registration
- Full JCJ application package
- AML/KYC & responsible-gaming policies
- Regulator liaison through investigation
- Everything in Licence
- Local office & substance setup
- Director appointments
- RNG & technical documentation support
- Everything in Turnkey
- Financial guarantees arrangement
- Banking & PSP introductions
- Corporate accounts & tax structuring
From the regulation alone, a first licence commits B/.650,000: the B/.50,000 fee plus B/.500,000 and B/.100,000 in bonds, which are guarantees rather than fees. On top come the investigation cost, offices and a call centre in Panama and system certification, then 10% of gross income every month. We quote our own work per case.
Compliance obligations in Panama
Technical & IT standards in Panama
After you go live in Panama
Which markets a Panama licence reaches
Panama supports broad international reach, especially across Latin America (Brazil excepted since Medida Provisória 1,394), but a licence is not market access to regulated countries. Operators must geo-block 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.
Panama gaming licence FAQ
How much does a Panama gaming licence cost?
Resolution 11 of 2020 sets a fee of B/.50,000 (US$50,000) per gaming licence, paid once after the Contraloría General countersigns the contract. The contract also needs a B/.500,000 compliance bond and a B/.100,000 prize-payment bond, so a first licence commits B/.650,000, of which B/.600,000 is guarantees. The operator then pays the JCJ 10% of gross income every month. The cost of the background investigation is charged to the applicant, with no fixed amount in the regulation.
Is it true that the licence costs $40,000 plus $20,000 a year and lasts seven years?
No. Figures such as a $40,000 fee, a $20,000 annual renewal, a $5,000–$10,000 investigation fee or a seven-year term are widely quoted online but do not appear in Resolution 11. The regulation sets B/.50,000 per licence, two bonds totalling B/.600,000 and 10% of gross income. It contains no annual renewal fee and no licence term.
How long is a Panama gaming licence valid?
The regulation does not state a term for the contract or for the licences issued under it. What it does fix is that the prize-payment bond is presented every year, the 10% is paid monthly, and a licensed site must start operating within three months of the licence being issued. We confirm the term written into the contract with the JCJ for each case.
Do I need a company and office in Panama?
Yes. The applicant company must be constituted in Panama or registered there as a foreign company, and it needs a legal representative in Panama. The operator must keep offices and a call centre in Panama, where the required records are held. The regulation does not set a minimum number of directors.
Who can apply?
An applicant with at least five years' experience in the gaming industry. For a company, the majority shareholder or the President must have it. The application goes in through a Panamanian lawyer and includes ten-year background files, proof of the source of funding and three years of financial statements and tax returns.
Does the 10% apply to players outside Panama?
Yes, on the text. Resolution 11 treats internet gaming as carried on in or from Panama whether the players are inside or outside the country, and it defines gross income as total bets collected minus total prizes paid. There is no offshore carve-out in the regulation.
How long does the process take?
The regulation sets no processing deadline. The route takes months rather than weeks because it needs a background investigation, a decision of the JCJ's board, a contract countersigned by the Contraloría General and two bonds. We confirm timing case by case.
How does Panama compare to Anjouan?
Panama is a national licence under a state contract: B/.50,000 per licence, B/.600,000 in bonds, 10% of gross income, and offices and a call centre in the country. Anjouan is a fast, low-cost offshore permit at €17,828 a year with 0% gaming tax and no local presence, issued in 4–8 weeks. Operators who want a national Latin-American licence and can fund the bonds choose Panama; those who want speed and a lower cost start on Anjouan.
Reviewed by the Vantegris licensing team. Last updated October 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice. Licensing requirements vary by jurisdiction and change over time.
- Junta de Control de Juegos — Resolución No. 11 of 6 March 2020, regulation on games of chance over the internet (Gaceta Oficial 28985)
- Junta de Control de Juegos (JCJ) — Panama gaming regulator
- Brazil: Medida Provisória nº 1.394/2026, art. 1 (fixed-odds betting banned, including by operators based abroad)
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