Nevis Gaming Licence sets the stage for a new licensing frontier
The Nevis Gaming Licence recently passed into law with little fanfare. No live-streamed debates. No soft-launch campaign. But if its architects are right, this quietly passed Bill could signal one of the biggest regulatory shifts in global iGaming this year.
With full regulations expected to be finalised by 1 July, onboarding is due to begin after the regulations have been passed. The question is no longer whether Nevis can licence online casinos or sportsbooks. The real test is whether it can build lasting trust in an industry where regulatory strength defines both reputations and revenues.
What the Nevis Gaming Licence offers
The Nevis Online Gaming Bill 2025 was officially passed by the Nevis Island Assembly on 29 April 2025. Introduced by Premier Mark A. G. Brantley, who also serves as the Minister of Finance in the Nevis Island Administration, the Bill aims to diversify the island’s economy, generate sustainable revenue, and promote responsible gaming.
Nevis didn’t just pass a law. They built a watchdog. The new Authority will hold the reins when it comes to who gets licenced, who gets checked, and who gets shown the door. Key regulatory features include:
- Anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing safeguards.
- Data protection and player security compliance.
- No sublicensing. Licence holders retain complete operational control.
- Licensing is available for both B2C and B2B entities.
- Two URLs per licence
- Operates under common law principles, aligning with the UK legal structure.
The Nevis Gaming Licence covers a wide array of operations, from casino and poker to sports betting, lotteries, skill games, affiliate programmes, and B2B platforms. Officials say the aim is to provide a secure and structured environment for international operators while ensuring Nevisians benefit directly from its economic impact.
Early insights from Nevis Gaming Licence expert
While the Nevis government has yet to go public with interviews, early strategic partners are already speaking to market response. As Co-Founder and CEO of GBO, a firm specialising in licensing, banking, and company formation for online gaming and fintech businesses, Gilad Oren is a leading expert in gaming regulation and one of the top experts on the Nevis Gaming Licence. With deep industry knowledge and a strong network across global gaming markets, he advises operators and platform providers on how to strategically enter and scale under the Nevis framework.
“The most rewarding part of working with the Nevis Gaming Licence has been helping operators understand how this new framework fits into the evolving global gaming landscape,” Oren said.
“As someone who works closely with gaming entrepreneurs, platform providers, and corporate service teams, it’s clear that the demand for a tier 1, modern, flexible, and business-oriented licence is high.”
Oren also acknowledged that the licence would ultimately depend on the quality of education and execution.
“The challenge and opportunity lie in education. Many operators are still comparing jurisdictions based on outdated assumptions. Our role has been to clarify how Nevis is offering a serious, structured alternative that meets international compliance expectations while supporting innovation.”
Trust, FATF scrutiny and offshore reputations
As the EU debates the long-term future of licence recognition through Malta’s Bill 55, Nevis presents a different play, building regulatory credibility from the ground up rather than relying on mutual recognition. The Caribbean has long been on the radar of global financial regulators, with Saint Kitts and Nevis facing scrutiny in the past Financial Action Task Force (FATF) mutual evaluations. In an iGaming landscape increasingly shaped by transparency and banking access, Nevis will need to proactively address trust issues if it wants to compete with more established licensing hubs.
Unlike Curaçao’s historic model, which has recently undergone sweeping reforms, Nevis has started from scratch. Its decision to disallow sublicensing and offer a capped number of domains per licence appears to be a deliberate move to counter reputational risk. While Curaçao continues to tighten its regulatory framework, including recent AML/CFT deadlines for gambling operators, Nevis is aiming to establish these safeguards from the outset.
Yet the final framework is not yet public. While the Bill sets a clear legislative tone, the detailed regulations and operational guidance from the Gaming Authority are still being finalised. For now, resellers and advisors are walking a careful line between promotion and caution.
What makes Nevis different?
Despite the regulatory timeline, early interest is strong. According to Gilad Oren, demand is coming not from the crypto Wild West but from serious operators looking for strategic flexibility without the red tape.
“We’re seeing strong interest from emerging and mid-to-large-sized gaming businesses across Asia, Europe, and Latin America,” said Oren.
“These are operators who want clarity, affordability, and credibility without the excessive bureaucratic barriers they face in older licensing jurisdictions. Nevis is especially appealing to those launching new brands, affiliates looking to scale under a more responsive framework, and large operators active across multiple international markets.”
He added:
“The licence provides a clean, straightforward compliance path and is supported by responsive authorities. For start-ups and expansion-stage operators who value efficiency and transparency, it’s quickly becoming one of the most strategic choices on the market.”
That positioning places Nevis firmly in the league of Tier-1 jurisdictions, more comparable to the regulatory depth of the Isle of Man or Malta rather than the lighter-touch approach of emerging licences like Curaçao. Yet, much will depend on how it manages its first cohort of applicants and how seriously it enforces standards post-launch.
Has Nevis done enough to be taken seriously?
At this stage, Nevis is not claiming to replace Malta or Gibraltar. However, it aims to offer an operator-first jurisdiction that strikes a balance between regulatory credibility, speed, and affordability.
The absence of political voices, including the Premier, suggests a cautious approach to public messaging likely tied to the finalisation of regulations and international optics. That caution may be wise: with competitors watching and banks assessing, Nevis must prove that its licence means more than just paperwork.
For now, early stakeholders, such as Gilad Oren, are helping drive awareness and interest. But the industry will need more than good legislation. It will demand real-world governance. If the Nevis gaming licence can deliver both, it may well emerge as one of 2025’s most crucial new licensing stories.
