🇦🇬 Antigua & Barbuda · Financial Services Regulatory Commission — Directorate of Offshore Gaming (FSRC)
Antigua & Barbuda Online Gambling Licence — 2026
A pioneer offshore licence — Antigua & Barbuda licensed the first online casinos in the mid-1990s and famously won a WTO case against the US over market access.
Offshore — Lower cost, international licensingAntigua & Barbuda was first. It licensed some of the world's earliest online casinos in the mid-1990s and later won a landmark WTO case against the United States over cross-border gambling access. The history gives the licence a certain standing.
Today it's a low-tax offshore option — 3% of net win, capped monthly — run by the FSRC's Directorate of Offshore Gaming, and a recognised base for operators serving markets without local online licensing. Banking takes more preparation than with a Tier-1 licence.
Quick facts
| Regulator | Financial Services Regulatory Commission — Directorate of Offshore Gaming ↗ |
|---|---|
| Tier | Offshore — Lower cost, international licensing |
| Licence types | Interactive gaming licence, Interactive wagering licence, Key-individual licence |
| Application cost | USD 15,000 application + due diligence |
| Annual cost | USD 75,000-100,000 annual licence fee |
| Gaming tax | 3% of net win, capped monthly |
| Corporate tax | Antigua corporate tax; offshore structuring common |
| Substance | Antigua-incorporated company; local presence; FSRC due diligence |
| Timeline | 4-12 weeks from a complete application (as little as 4 weeks with documents ready) |
Pros
- One of the earliest online-gaming jurisdictions (mid-1990s)
- Low 3% net-win tax with a monthly cap
- Established legal framework and WTO precedent
Cons
- Banks give Tier-1 licences more weight
- Regulated markets require their own local licence
- Bank onboarding takes more preparation
Best for
- Operators wanting an established offshore base
- Groups with a Caribbean structuring preference
- Sportsbooks serving markets without local online licensing
Recent developments (2025-2026)
The FSRC continued to modernise its interactive-gaming due-diligence and player-fund rules through 2024 to align with FATF standards.
Frequently asked questions
How old is Antigua's online-gaming framework?
It dates to the mid-1990s, making Antigua & Barbuda one of the very first jurisdictions to license online casinos.
What's the gaming tax in Antigua?
3% of net win, subject to a monthly cap — one of the lower offshore rates.
Is the Antigua licence recognised in regulated markets?
Regulated markets usually require their own local licence. The Antigua licence serves as an international base for markets that do not license online gambling locally.
Compare and define
- Licence cost benchmarks to compare Antigua & Barbuda against — application fee, annual renewal, gaming tax and the all-in first-year figure.
- How Antigua & Barbuda compares with 35 other jurisdictions — cost, tax, timeline and reputational tier, grouped by tier.
Free editorial shortlist
Choosing a firm for a Antigua & Barbuda licence?
Tell us your market, product and stage. We reply by email with firms from our index matched to that brief.
- No fee to you
- Firms cannot pay to be on it
- Any sponsored line is labelled (disclosure)