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Curaçao or Malta: which gambling licence fits your operation?
Curaçao is the lighter and faster route; Malta is the heavier route with the standing of an EU regulator. Here is how they differ on the points that decide the choice.
Curaçao licenses under the LOK, which has been in force since 24 December 2024, and the Curaçao Gaming Authority supervises licensees directly. Malta licenses under the Gaming Act and the Malta Gaming Authority applies a thorough fit-and-proper review before and after the licence is issued. Both licence B2C operators and B2B suppliers.
At a glance
| Topic | Curaçao | Malta |
|---|---|---|
| Regulator fees | €4,592 application fee. Annual fees of €47,450 for a B2C operator and €24,490 for a B2B supplier. | €5,000 application fee. Minimum annual licence fees of €5,000 to €25,000 depending on licence type, plus a monthly compliance contribution. |
| Timeline | Several months from a complete file to decision. | 4 to 8 months from application, excluding preparation. |
| Local presence | Real local presence under the LOK: premises, people and decision-making in Curaçao that fit the licence type. | A Malta-registered company with genuine substance: local premises and people who run the licensed activity. |
| Scrutiny | Integrity screening of the UBOs, qualifying-position holders and key persons, with direct supervision by the CGA. | A detailed fit-and-proper review of owners, directors and key function holders, an independent review of your systems and active supervision. |
| Standing and market access | A defined standard since the LOK; suits a global product, including markets European regulators do not license. | The standing of an EU regulator, and a licence that supports operating across the EU, subject to each member state's rules. |
Indicative and for orientation. The regulators' fee schedules change, and Malta's capital and contribution requirements and Curaçao's local presence move the total cost. We confirm the figures for your structure in the scoping call.
Which one fits you?
| If you are… | Lean towards | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A new or mid-size operator building a global product | Curaçao | A lighter application, a shorter route and a lower cost of entry. |
| An operator focused on EU markets, or whose banks and partners ask for a top-tier licence | Malta | The standing of an EU regulator carries weight with banks, payment providers and affiliates. |
| A B2B supplier | Whichever your customers need | Operators often ask suppliers for a specific licence. Ask your largest customers first; many suppliers hold both. |
| A group that wants a fast start and EU standing | Curaçao first, then Malta | Plan the second licence while you prepare the first, so the work is not repeated. |
| A Curaçao sub-licence holder after the LOK | Decide on markets, not on cost | Choose between a direct Curaçao licence and Malta by where your players and partners are. |
Start from your market, not the cheapest licence
Where your players are, which payment providers you need and what your banks will accept usually decide the jurisdiction. A cheaper licence that limits where you can operate is rarely the cheaper outcome.
Common questions
Keep reading
Jurisdiction
Gambling licence in Curaçao
The LOK regime, the licence types and what the CGA expects of you.
Jurisdiction
Gambling licence in Malta
The MGA's fit-and-proper review, the licence types and the fees.
Comparison
Compare Curaçao, Malta and the UK
Licence types, fees, timelines and local presence, side by side.
Not sure which one fits?
A short call is usually enough to narrow two options down to one, or to plan holding both.