Licences · Isle of Man · Hub licence
Isle of Man gambling licence: requirements, fees, timing and register check
The Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission licenses online gambling under the Online Gambling Regulation Act 2001. It offers five licence types, from a full B2C licence to software supplier licences. Every application costs £5,250; a full licence then costs £36,750 a year. Gambling duty is 1.5% of gross gaming yield up to £20 million and falls above that. The government's eGaming agency gives 8 to 12 weeks for an application without unexpected issues.
Quick facts
| Parameter | Value and source |
|---|---|
| Regulator | Gambling Supervision Commission Regulator guidanceOnline gambling licence, read 27 October 2026 |
| Main law | Online Gambling Regulation Act 2001 Regulator guidancePrimary legislation, read 27 October 2026 |
| Licence model | Hub licence: authorises services from the Isle of Man; each target market needs its own check Kompanion analysisOnline gambling licence, read 27 October 2026 |
| Licence types | Full licence, sub-licence, network services, software supplier and token-based software licences Regulator guidanceOnline gambling licence fees, effective 6 July 2023 (October 2025 edition), read 27 October 2026 |
| Licence term | Five years initial term Independent secondaryGuide to gambling law in the Isle of Man 2026, read 3 September 2026 |
| Covers consumers in Great Britain | No. Great Britain requires a UK Gambling Commission licence LawGambling (Licensing and Advertising) Act 2014, read 3 September 2026 |
| Access to other EU markets | Not applicable: the Isle of Man is not in the EU Kompanion analysisOnline gambling licence, read 27 October 2026 |
| Application fee | £5,250 for every licence type Regulator guidanceOnline gambling licence fees, effective 6 July 2023 (October 2025 edition), read 27 October 2026 |
| Annual fee, B2C operator | £36,750 for a full licence; £5,250 for a sub-licence Regulator guidanceOnline gambling licence fees, effective 6 July 2023 (October 2025 edition), read 27 October 2026 |
| Annual fee, B2B supplier | £36,750 software supplier licence; £52,500 token-based software or network services Regulator guidanceOnline gambling licence fees, effective 6 July 2023 (October 2025 edition), read 27 October 2026 |
| Gaming tax or duty | Gambling duty of 1.5% of gross gaming yield up to £20 million, 0.5% from £20 to £40 million, 0.1% above Regulator guidanceGambling duty, read 3 September 2026 |
| Published decision time | 8 to 12 weeks if there are no unexpected issues, per the government's eGaming agency Regulator guidanceTypes of licence and basic criteria, read 27 October 2026 |
| Local company and people | Isle of Man company with at least two local directors and a resident designated official Independent secondaryGuide to gambling law in the Isle of Man 2026, read 3 September 2026 |
| Public licensee register | Yes. Online gambling licensee register with company profiles and live websites Official registerOnline gambling licensee register, read 27 October 2026 |
What does an Isle of Man licence cover, and what does it not?
The Isle of Man is a hub licence: it authorises online gambling run from the island under the Commission's supervision. It does not authorise gambling for consumers in Great Britain, which requires a UK Gambling Commission licence, and it is not an EU licence. Each target market needs its own check.
Which licence do you need?
The Commission's fee schedule lists five licence types:
- Full online gambling licence for a B2C operator.
- Sub-licence.
- Network services licence.
- Software suppliers licence for B2B suppliers.
- Token-based software licence.
Eligibility for each type is set out on the Commission's online gambling licence page; we do not summarise it before legal review.
What does an Isle of Man licence cost in regulator fees?
From the Commission's schedule, effective 6 July 2023 and republished in October 2025, under the Online Gambling (Licence Fees) Regulations 2023:
| Licence type | Fee | When paid |
|---|---|---|
| Application, any type | £5,250 | On submitting the application |
| Full online gambling licence | £36,750 | On approval, then every year |
| Sub-licence | £5,250 | On approval, then every year |
| Network services licence | £52,500 | On approval, then every year |
| Token-based software licence | £52,500 | On approval, then every year |
| Software suppliers licence | £36,750 | On approval, then every year |
Older figures still circulate. On 27 October 2026 the government's eGaming agency page still listed the fees in force before July 2023: a £5,000 application fee and £35,000 for a full licence. The Commission's schedule is the one that applies.
What gambling duty applies?
Gambling duty under the Gambling Duty Act 2012 is charged on gross gaming yield in bands (Isle of Man Customs and Excise):
- 1.5% on yield up to £20 million;
- 0.5% on yield from £20 million to £40 million;
- 0.1% on yield above £40 million;
- 15% for pool betting.
How long does an Isle of Man licence take?
The government's eGaming agency states that applications are processed in 8 to 12 weeks if there are no unexpected issues. The Commission's own page describes the steps rather than a duration: a complete application with vetting forms and the fee, a possible meeting with the designated officials, then a formal hearing, with the outcome notified shortly after.
What local presence does the Isle of Man require?
According to Appleby's 2026 guide, a law-firm source we use only where the regulator's pages are silent: an Isle of Man company with at least two local directors and a resident designated official or operations manager, with B2C player-registration servers on the island. The same guide gives an initial licence term of five years. We will replace these with the Commission's wording after legal review.
How do you verify an Isle of Man licence?
- Find the company in the Commission's online gambling licensee register. Where a licence holder is actively offering services, its profile lists the website address.
- Check the separate software supplier register for B2B suppliers, and the list of former licence holders if a company says it "was" licensed.
- Match the website you are checking against the addresses in the profile.
How does the Isle of Man compare with other licences?
| Compare | Why it is relevant |
|---|---|
| Isle of Man and Malta | Two established hubs; Malta adds a revenue-based compliance contribution and, from October 2026, higher gaming tax for players resident in Malta. |
| Isle of Man and Curaçao | Two non-EU hubs with local-director rules and very different fee levels. |
| Great Britain and the Isle of Man | Why an island licence does not cover British players. |
What this page does not cover yet
Capital and player-funds rules, technical certification, AML and reporting duties, advertising rules and payment restrictions. They are added after review.
Sources
- Gambling Supervision Commission: online gambling licence fees, effective 6 July 2023, October 2025 edition, read 27 October 2026.
- GSC: online gambling licence and primary legislation, read 27 October 2026.
- GSC: online gambling licensee register, read 27 October 2026.
- Isle of Man Government: gambling duty, read 3 September 2026.
- Digital Isle of Man: types of licence, read 27 October 2026.
- Appleby: guide to gambling law in the Isle of Man 2026, secondary source, read 3 September 2026.