Gaming regulation in Costa Rica is a rather complicated matter, since there is no online gaming legislation in this country, despite it being a highly popular legislation for online gaming companies looking for a gaming license. More than 400 online gaming companies currently hold a Costa Rica gaming license and despite the legislation on the issue not being very clear, there is a constant interest from companies not yet holding a gaming license as well.
The opinion of the government in Costa Rica is that wagering actually does not take place at the gaming servers of the gaming operator, so while they have a strict legislation for land based gambling, they do not believe that this legislation applies to online gambling, as long as individuals who are actually located in the country are not able to wager on the site. Therefore, Costa Rican gaming license holders are exempt from the many tests, the monitoring and the regulations that apply to land based gambling operators in the country, as well as to online based gaming companies in many other jurisdictions, which of course is the main reason so many online gaming companies opt to apply for a Costa Rican gaming license over other available gaming licenses.
If opting for Costa Rican gaming regulation, companies do not need to worry about specific betting or gaming taxes either, as the companies in question will not be recognized as gaming companies, but will be operating with a special so called “data processing” license, that is significantly more beneficial.
Additionally, Costa Rica is generally not considered to be an offshore jurisdiction tax wise, which may be a significant advantage for companies dealing with the US and Europe in particular.
In order for the company to obtain a data processing license in the country, the company must have an office, as well as employees, in the country, but there is no requirement stating that the owners of the company must reside in the country.
The Costa Rican gaming regulation process is by no means a simple or straight forward one. Therefore, it is essential to know exactly what you are doing when your goal is to become regulated with regards to gaming in Costa Rica, in order to save time and money.
Our legal team is familiar with the process and also has a good network of contacts for specifically this purpose in the country, which makes it possible for us to streamline the process significantly, making sure applicants get a reply faster, and with minimal costs.
We also offer the full range of services any client interested in a Costa Rica gaming license may need – from services related to administration and paperwork, to help with leasing an office and recruiting staff for the branch in Costa Rica, and more.
Should you have any doubts about a Costa Rica gaming license being the best possible choice for you, we also offer consultations on what distinguishes gaming regulation in Costa Rica from gaming regulation in other popular jurisdictions for gaming licenses, including European, Asian, and American jurisdictions.
Furthermore, we offer all potential clients a free, non-binding consultation where the entire application and licensing process is explained in detail, during which you will get a complete overview of all costs involved as well.