🇰🇳 Nevis’ Online Gaming Licence – A New Legal Era for Operators

📜 Legal Framework and Licensing Structure

Under the Online Gaming Ordinance, 2025, no operator may provide online gaming services from or within Nevis without a license. The Nevis Online Gaming Authority (NOGA) was established as the dedicated regulator, empowered to issue, monitor, suspend, or revoke licenses.

The regime recognises two key categories of licenses:

• B2C licenses, for businesses offering gambling directly to consumers.

• B2B licenses, for service providers such as software suppliers, platform operators, and white-label providers.

Applicants must establish a Nevis entity, disclose ultimate beneficial ownership, and ensure that directors and key officers meet “fit and proper” standards. Compliance requirements extend to anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CTF) obligations, responsible gaming measures, data protection, and fair gaming certification (e.g. random number generator verification).

Licenses are valid for one year and require renewal, with operators subject to ongoing audits, reporting, and transparency requirements. The Regulations, effective from 26 June 2025 (Gazette No. 34/2025), provide further detail on application procedures, due diligence, and supervision.

🧐 Compliance and Market Context

Nevis’ new regime reflects international standards, aligning its framework with recommendations from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on AML/CTF obligations. This alignment strengthens the credibility of the jurisdiction, making it more appealing to banks, payment providers, and industry partners.

Compared with older offshore regimes, Nevis offers a clearer, statute-based framework, enhancing legal certainty. The absence of a published minimum capital threshold reduces entry barriers, though financial soundness is still required.

However, some elements remain subject to regulatory clarification. For example:

• Official documents do not yet set out specific tax rules on gaming revenues. Secondary sources suggest favourable treatment for offshore profits, but this is not expressly codified.

• The list of prohibited jurisdictions (where services must be blocked) has not been published in the official Ordinance. Operators should expect restrictions, but the scope is not yet finalised.

• The processing time for applications is not defined in law, though industry practitioners report relatively quick turnaround where documents are in order.

This means that while Nevis is attractive for cost-efficient entry, operators must carefully assess recognition in stricter regulatory markets (such as the EU or UK), where a Nevis license does not replace local authorisation.

📑 Practical Examples and Applicability

Operators exploring alternatives to Curaçao or other offshore regimes may now consider Nevis, given the formal passage of legislation rather than reliance on administrative practice. The Ordinance’s statutory basis enhances credibility.

For example, operators looking to establish quickly can benefit from the streamlined incorporation process in Nevis and the clear separation of B2B and B2C licensing. Some early applicants under the new framework have reported smooth progress once due diligence is completed, though full processing statistics are not yet published.

The Ordinance requires geo-blocking of restricted jurisdictions and demands technical safeguards such as IP monitoring, secure systems, and evidence of domain ownership. This underscores that Nevis is positioning itself not as a “light-touch” jurisdiction, but as a compliant one that still offers cost advantages.

The public register of licensees, already available on the NOGA website, ensures transparency and strengthens industry trust. This visibility is likely to improve over time as more operators become licensed under the regime.

✅ Conclusion

Nevis has introduced a legally sound and internationally aligned framework for online gaming through the Online Gaming Ordinance, 2025 and the newly established Nevis Online Gaming Authority. Key features include clear licensing categories (B2C and B2B), strict AML and compliance obligations, and annual renewals with ongoing oversight.

While tax treatment, restricted jurisdictions, and specific financial thresholds await clarification, Nevis offers an attractive option for operators seeking a balance between compliance and cost efficiency. Operators must, however, assess market recognition and ensure full readiness for ongoing compliance demands.

If your business is considering applying for a Nevis gaming license or needs guidance on structuring, compliance, or ongoing legal support, NUR Legal is ready to assist.

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