Gibraltar gambling licences under the Gambling Act 2025

Gibraltar gambling licences are granted by the Licensing Authority, which is the minister responsible for gambling, and licence holders are regulated by the Gambling Commissioner, supported by the government's Gambling Division. Since 1 April 2026, most of the Gambling Act 2025 has been in force (LN.2026/064), and existing licensees are grandfathered under it (Gambling Division). A Gibraltar licence does not authorise a site to serve players in Great Britain, Ontario, Alberta or any US state (as of October 2026).

Who regulates gambling in Gibraltar?

According to the Gambling Division, the Gambling Commissioner is the gambling regulator and the Licensing Authority is the designated minister. Gambling Division staff assist both. The Division regulates remote (online) and non-remote gambling.

What changed under the Gambling Act 2025?

• Commencement. The minister's Notice of Commencement LN.2026/064 brought the Gambling Act 2025 into operation on 1 April 2026, except sections 55 to 77, which need a separate notice.
• Existing licences. The Gambling Division says existing licensees are grandfathered under the new Act.
• New licence categories. The Gambling Division says all new categories of licence holder have six months from commencement to obtain a licence, and are treated as conducting lawful activity during that period.
• Register. The licence holders list now states that it is maintained under section 14 of the Gambling Act 2025.

The official pages we opened do not list the new licence categories. According to Gibraltar law firm Hassans (July 2025, writing about the bill), the new law repeals the Gambling Act 2005 and has three licence categories:

• B2C Gambling Operator's Licence (remote and non-remote)
• B2B Gambling Operator's Licence (remote and non-remote)
• Gambling Operator Support Services Licence

The official licence holders list uses matching sections. For the precise legal wording, read the Act on gibraltarlaws.gov.gi.

What does a Gibraltar licence authorise?

The official licence holders list shows how licences are used in practice. It groups licensees into four sections:

A B2C licensee offers gambling to players. A B2B licensee supplies other operators. The activity label tells you what the licence is for, so check that it matches what the site offers, such as betting or casino games.

Where is a Gibraltar licence valid, and where is it not?

• Great Britain: not valid on its own. Any business offering remote gambling to consumers in Great Britain needs a UK Gambling Commission licence (UKGC). The Gibraltar Commissioner says UK customer disputes should ordinarily go through UK arrangements. See our UKGC licence explainer.
• Ontario: not valid. Ontario's regulated market is made up of operators registered by the AGCO that, apart from the provincial OLG.ca, have an operating agreement with iGaming Ontario (iGaming Ontario). See how Ontario licenses online gambling.
• Alberta: not valid. Since July 2026 operators need AGLC registration and an Alberta iGaming Corporation agreement (Canadian Gaming Business).
• US states: not valid. In Michigan, for example, only operators licensed by the state's Gaming Control Board can legally offer online gaming (MGCB). See how US states license online gambling.

How do I check a Gibraltar licence on the official list?

1. Type gamblingdivision.gov.gi yourself and open Licence Holders.
2. Find the company name from the site's terms and conditions. Some entries show the group name in brackets.
3. Check the section (B2C for a site that takes your bets) and the licence type label.
4. Open the Approved Brands document for that licensee and confirm the brand and web address you are using are listed.
5. Note the "As at" date on the list. When we checked in October 2026, it still read 25 September 2025, so very recent changes may not show. If anything is unclear, contact the Gambling Division. Our guide on how to verify a gambling licence compares the checks across regulators.

What a licence seal in a footer does and does not prove

A "licensed by the Government of Gibraltar" line or crest in a footer does tell you what the site claims. It does not prove the brand you are using is covered: a real Gibraltar company can run brands that are not on its approved list, and a copycat site can borrow any wording. The proof is the official list: the company in the B2C section, with your brand in its Approved Brands document. If you are in Great Britain, also check the UKGC register, because that is the licence that has to cover you. Our guide to fake casino and sportsbook clone sites covers other warning signs.

What player protections and complaint routes come with a Gibraltar licence?

The Gambling Division's complaints page sets out the route for non-UK customers:

1. Operator first. Complain in writing and keep every message. The operator should acknowledge within 2 or 3 working days. If there is no reply in a week, write again and ask for a supervisor.
2. Independent adjudication, if the operator uses one. You are expected to cooperate. Adjudication is "usually binding on the operator but not on the customer".
3. The Commissioner. If after two weeks you have no satisfactory response or reasonable timescale from the operator, email a Complaint Resolution Request Form (CRRF). Complaints cannot be made by phone. The Commissioner aims to reply within a week; if the complaint needs further examination, a case officer reviews it and emails a determination to you, copied to the licensee.
4. Limits. The Commissioner's decision is final, subject to the courts. It has no formal power to order redress on its own initiative, though in a case showing serious regulatory breaches it may ask a court to consider it.

UK customers should use the UK route: complain to the operator, which has 8 weeks, then to its ADR provider (UKGC). For the evidence to collect, see our step-by-step guide for when a casino won't pay out. Hub of Luck cannot make an operator pay.

What a Gibraltar licence means for players in the UK, Canada and the US

• UK: a Gibraltar-based operator serving you must also hold a UKGC licence, and the UKGC rules, GAMSTOP and UK ADR are what protect you. We list only UKGC-licensed sites for UK readers.
• Canada: in Ontario and Alberta, check the provincial regulator's list. Our Canadian listings do not rely on Gibraltar licences.
• US: no standing in any state; only a state licence counts.

In practice

• Find the operator's legal entity in its terms.
• In Great Britain, check the UKGC register for that entity and domain first.
• On the Gibraltar list, confirm the B2C section, the licence type and your brand in Approved Brands.
• Note the list's "As at" date.
• Complain to the operator in writing, then use the named ADR service.
• Non-UK players can then send a CRRF to the Commissioner.
• If gambling is causing you harm, see our safer gambling page.