The Tuvalu gaming license costs USD 15,850 per year plus a USD 1,200 application fee, issues in 3 to 4 weeks, taxes gross gaming revenue at 0%, and, uniquely among offshore regimes, requires no local company in Tuvalu. It is issued by the Tuvalu Gaming Authority (TGA) under the Tuvalu Online Gaming Act 2023, and it has become the fastest-growing option for crypto casino operators who already have a corporate structure they do not want to duplicate. Here is what the license actually covers, what it truly costs, and when it beats the alternatives.
What the Tuvalu gaming license covers
One authorization covers every major vertical, with no additional license fee to add one later:
- Online casino, slots, and live dealer
- Sports betting and esports wagering
- Poker rooms and PvP tournaments
- Lottery, bingo, keno, and sweepstakes
- Prediction markets
- B2B supply, including software, RNG development, and game server hosting
- Crypto casinos and Web3 gambling
The standard license includes up to two domains, with additional domains available for a fee. An operator that launches slots and adds a sportsbook six months later expands under the same license rather than reapplying, a meaningful difference from regimes that price verticals separately.
Tuvalu gaming license cost breakdown
The published fee structure is unusually operator-friendly, because payment tracks the decision rather than the filing:
- Application fee: USD 1,200, payable only after the TGA grants pre-approval. You do not pay to be assessed.
- Annual license fee: USD 15,850, payable on approval rather than at submission.
- GGR tax: 0%, with no VAT on licensed online gaming.
- Minimum capital: none. No financial guarantees or deposits are required.
- Local company: not required, which removes incorporation, registered agent, and annual maintenance costs entirely.
A realistic year-one budget through Rakemont is approximately EUR 19K all-in, covering the regulator fees, the AML and responsible gaming policy pack, player terms, and structuring review. Every figure is quoted fixed and in writing before engagement, see the Tuvalu license page for the full package.
Why "no local company" matters more than it sounds
Every other offshore regime licenses an entity incorporated in or connected to the jurisdiction. Anjouan, Vanuatu, and Curacao all require you to stand up a local operating company, which means incorporation fees, a registered agent, annual filings, and in Curacao's case local substance from 2026. Tuvalu issues to a company you already own, in most jurisdictions worldwide.
The practical effect: an operator with an existing Seychelles or BVI structure can license it directly rather than building a parallel entity, and a first-time operator can choose the incorporation jurisdiction on its own merits, tax, banking access, investor familiarity, instead of having the license dictate it. How those layers should be arranged is covered on our offshore company formation page. Companies from sanctioned or FATF-restricted jurisdictions are excluded, as are countries whose own law mandates domestic licensing.
The TGA application process, step by step
- Pre-approval. Identity and corporate documents go in, the TGA runs a fit-and-proper assessment on directors and beneficial owners, and eligibility is confirmed before the application fee falls due. Treat this as a genuine gate: an unclear ownership chain stops here.
- Documentation. Business plan, proof of domain ownership, AML and KYC procedures, responsible gaming and underage policies, RNG or Provably Fair certification where applicable, and supplier agreements.
- Submission. The file goes through the authority's authorized representative, and the TGA reviews content, structure, and hosting arrangements.
- Issuance. The license fee is paid on approval, and the license is issued for one year, renewable annually.
The regulator stage commonly runs 3 to 4 weeks with a complete file. What stalls applications is almost never the jurisdiction, it is an incomplete ownership chain, a policy pack that does not match the license conditions, or website content that fails the compliance review. Pre-screening the file before submission is why our applications clear on first pass, and the policy drafting sits under legal counseling.
Tuvalu vs Anjouan vs Curacao
- Tuvalu - ~EUR 19K year one, 3 to 4 weeks, 0% GGR, no local company. Best where you already have a structure, or want the incorporation jurisdiction chosen freely.
- Anjouan - ~EUR 18K all-in, 2 to 6 weeks, 0% GGR, local company included in the package. Marginally cheaper year one and the longest track record among crypto-first operators.
- Curacao - ~EUR 29.2K year one and ~EUR 24.6K annually with substance from 2026. Costs the most and buys the most counterparty recognition.
Tuvalu and Anjouan land within roughly EUR 1K of each other in year one, so price is rarely the deciding factor between them. The decision turns on structure: if you already run a holding-and-operating stack, Tuvalu licenses it as-is; if you are starting clean and want everything in one package, Anjouan's bundled incorporation is simpler. Where recognition with fiat PSPs and mainstream game studios is the priority, the case for Curacao is made in full in Anjouan vs Curacao, and all five regimes are ranked by true cost in the cheapest gaming license in 2026.
What the Tuvalu license does not do
It does not grant access to regulated markets that require a domestic license: the UK, the United States, Australia, and EU states such as Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden all run their own regimes, and serving them requires their own national licenses plus geo-blocking everywhere else. It is also a newer regime, which means counterparty familiarity is still building compared with Curacao's two decades, worth confirming acceptance with your intended PSPs and game suppliers before committing, which we do as part of the eligibility review.
Getting licensed in Tuvalu
Rakemont handles the whole engagement: eligibility and structure review, document preparation, submission through the authorized representative, TGA correspondence, and the compliance pack the license conditions require, under one fixed written quote. Compare all five regimes on the licensing page, read the full Tuvalu gaming license breakdown, or download the services brochure (PDF). The complete launch sequence from license to banking is in How to Start a Crypto Casino in 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Tuvalu gaming license cost?
USD 1,200 application fee, payable only after pre-approval, plus a USD 15,850 annual license fee payable on approval. A realistic year-one budget including the compliance policy pack and structuring is approximately EUR 19K all-in.
How long does a Tuvalu gaming license take?
The TGA regulator stage typically runs 3 to 4 weeks once the file is complete, putting it among the fastest offshore licenses alongside Anjouan.
Do I need a company in Tuvalu to get the license?
No. The TGA issues to companies incorporated in most jurisdictions worldwide, with no local office, local director, or minimum capital required. This is the license's main structural advantage over Anjouan, Vanuatu, and Curacao.
Is the Tuvalu gaming license good for crypto casinos?
Yes. Cryptocurrency operations are permitted under standard AML and KYC controls, Bitcoin, Ethereum, and stablecoin wagering are covered, and crypto gaming is included in the single authorization at 0% GGR tax.
Is the Tuvalu gaming license legitimate?
It is issued by the Tuvalu Gaming Authority under the Tuvalu Online Gaming Act 2023, with a public licensee register and a formal authorized representative handling applications. As a newer regime it has less counterparty history than Curacao, so confirming acceptance with your intended payment providers and game suppliers before committing is part of any competent eligibility review.
Which markets does a Tuvalu license not cover?
Regulated markets requiring a domestic license, including the UK, US, Australia, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden. Those require national licenses, with geo-blocking applied elsewhere.