Online Gambling Regulations
Authority · REG-GGD

Gibraltar Gambling Division

Gibraltar runs the most selective licensing regime in online gambling: a few dozen substantial operators, supervised closely, taxed lightly. The Gambling Act 2025 modernised the framework without changing the philosophy — quality of licensee over quantity.

The club model

Gibraltar built its position in the 1990s by offering the era’s bookmakers a credible, low-tax base inside the European time zone; many of the industry’s largest names still run material operations from the Rock. Admission has never been a paperwork exercise: the Licensing Authority expects proven operators with real local presence — staff, infrastructure, substance — and turns away applicants that other jurisdictions would happily badge.

The 2025 Act

In force from October 1, 2025, the new Gambling Act replaced the 2005 framework. Licensing now splits into B2C, B2B and Support Services categories, widening the net to marketing and service providers that previously sat outside the perimeter. The flat £100,000 licence fee gave way to GGY-tiered fees — £50,000 up to £20m, £100,000 to £300m, £200,000 above — with a £10,000 application fee per licence type. Gaming duty stays at 0.15% of GGY with the first £100,000 exempt.

The arithmetic explains the club: a major operator pays more in fees than before but a near-token duty on revenue, while a small operator gains nothing here that Curaçao would not sell cheaper. The regime prices for exactly the licensees it wants.

After Brexit

Gibraltar’s UK-facing industry survived Brexit through bilateral arrangements preserving market access, and the pending UK–EU treaty framework around Gibraltar remains the jurisdiction’s principal geopolitical variable. Operationally, its regulator coordinates closely with the Gambling Commission — most Gibraltar B2C licensees hold UKGC licences for the British market and run both compliance stacks side by side.

At a glance

Frequently asked questions

What does the GGD regulate?
The Gibraltar Gambling Division licenses and supervises casino, betting, poker, bingo. Licensing authority of one of the original remote-gambling hubs: a small, selective licensee base of established operators. The Gambling Act 2025 modernized the regime with B2C / B2B / Support Services licence categories and GGY-tiered fees replacing the old flat fee.
When was the GGD established and where is it based?
It was established in 2005 and sits in Gibraltar. Admission: Selective — proven operators with track record.
What law gives the GGD its powers?
Its enabling law is the Gibraltar Gambling Act 2025 (in force October 1, 2025; replaced the 2005 Act). The profile above covers the mandate that statute defines and how the authority enforces it.
Which market does the GGD supervise?
The GGD is a point-of-supply licensing authority: it licenses operators that serve international markets rather than a single domestic one. Its official register is at www.gibraltar.gov.gi.
Is the GGD's licence register public?
Yes — the GGD publishes licensee information on its official site (www.gibraltar.gov.gi). Cross-checking an operator's licence claim against the issuer's own register is the most reliable verification step there is, and the references below link the primary sources this profile is built from.
References
  1. Gibraltar Gambling Act 2025 (in force October 1, 2025) — Gibraltar Laws, www.gibraltarlaws.gov.gi
  2. HM Government of Gibraltar — Remote Gambling licensing — gibraltar.gov.gi, www.gibraltar.gov.gi