KGC Licence Categories
The KGC reviews applications by checking matters such as a company’s track record, reputation and finances, as well as its ability to meet applicable requirements.
The source identifies these main KGC licence types:
Interactive Gaming License (IGL)
One interactive gaming license has been held by Mowhawk Internet Technologies since 1999. It permits the company to host approved CPA operators in Kahnawake.
Client Provider Authorization (CPA)
A Client Provider Authorization is the licence category for online gambling operators such as casinos, sportsbooks and poker rooms. It allows them to provide interactive gaming services from within Kahnawake, subject to KGC rules and conditions.
Inter-Jurisdictional Authorization (IJA)
This authorization is intended for an online gambling operator that already holds a licence in another jurisdiction. It allows some or all of the operator’s equipment, staff and services to be moved to Kahnawake.
Key Person License (KPL)
Online casinos, sportsbooks and poker rooms seeking a CPA must also hold at least one KPL. The KPL covers individuals who perform management or operational duties for the CPA applicant.
Potential Advantages of Kahnawake Licensing
The source lists the following claimed advantages for operators applying to the KGC:
- Tax Benefits: Kahnawake does not levy corporation tax or additional gaming taxes on online operators working within its jurisdiction.
- Relatively Low Fees: KGC application and annual fees are described as relatively affordable compared with those of regulators around the world.
- Refundable Fees for Failed Applications: Application fees may be returned if a licence application is refused.
- Location: The KGC is described as the only online gaming regulator based in North America. Kahnawake is also said to be just 20 minutes from Montreal, which may appeal to staff considering quality of life.
What Kahnawake Regulation Focuses On
The source summarizes the KGC’s core principles as follows:
- Licensing people and companies considered reputable
- Working to ensure fair games and player payments
- Protecting young people from gambling-related harm
- Putting safeguards in place to deter criminal activity
Game Software Testing and Licensing
Casinos applying for or holding a KGC licence must demonstrate that their games are fair. The source describes the commission as using independent auditing firms to test casino games and software during the application process and at intervals during the licence term, including through random checks.
The source names seven third-party auditing firms used by the KGC:
- Scout Intelligence Inc.
- Triton Canada Inc.
- BMM Testlabs
- Quinel
- eCOGRA
- Gaming Associates
- iTech Labs
Applying for a Kahnawake Licence
An operator seeking a Client Provider Authorization (CPA) must submit forms, meet requirements and pay fees. The source describes the process as manageable and estimates that it takes four to eight weeks.
- CPA Application Form
- Business Entity Information Form
- Personal Information Form
- Key Person License Application Form
- Control System Submission
- The source lists an application fee of $40,000 for the CPA and $5,000 for each Key Person License, with at least one KPL required. It gives annual fees of $20,000 for the CPA and $1,000 for each KPL. At the end of the two-year licence term, applicants seeking renewal are described as paying a renewal application fee of $5,000 for the CPA and $2,500 for each KPL. Application fees may be refunded if an application is refused.
What to Know About Kahnawake Casinos
The source compares the Kahnawake Gambling Commission with regulators such as the UK Gambling Commission and Malta Gaming Authority, and concludes that it is a regulator players can trust. It also claims that casinos licensed by the KGC are fair, secure and safe. These are assessments, and a licence alone does not prove that a particular casino meets every player’s expectations or is authorized where that player lives.
