The Gambling Supervision Commission publishes online licensing guidance, application material and a register identifying license types and entities. Use those records to check a proposed supplier or acquisition target, not just its marketing description.
Compare the model before the price
| Intended business | Question to settle |
|---|---|
| Player-facing operation | Who contracts with players and holds the permission for the proposed products? |
| Operation using a licensed platform | What does the proposed sub-license arrangement cover, and which dependencies remain? |
| Shared network | How are participants, account relationships and network partners treated? |
| Software supply | What is supplied, to whom, and does the permission cover that activity? |
| Token-based software | Does the activity fit the relevant supplier category, rather than merely accepting a crypto payment? |
A license label should match the agreement and architecture. A software supplier's authorization does not become the operator's permission simply because both use the same technology.
Build an operation that can maintain the license
Map company management, designated roles, hosting, player-fund arrangements and ongoing reporting against the current requirements for the chosen route. Assign the people, records and budget needed to perform each obligation.
Decide who will make decisions after launch and keep evidence of them. If a withdrawal is held, a transaction is corrected or a supplier fails, the operating plan must show the responsible team and the available records.
Treat company setup, personnel, banking, the application and implementation as related workstreams with separate dependencies. A complete technology build cannot resolve an unfinished company or funding file.
License fees
The GSC's October 2025 fee sheet, effective July 6, 2023 and rechecked on October 26, 2026, lists:
| Charge or category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application, all license types | £5,250 |
| Full online gambling license | £36,750 annually |
| Sub-license | £5,250 annually |
| Network services | £52,500 annually |
| Token-based software | £52,500 annually |
| Software supplier | £36,750 annually |
Category fees are payable on approval and annually afterward. GSC fee sheet. Confirm the current category and charge before filing. Professional services, corporate operation, personnel, testing and gambling duty are separate.
Application documents and preparation
Prepare one consistent account of the applicant, owners, funding, products and technical operation. The purpose of the application file is to make that business assessable, not to collect unrelated corporate documents and generic policy templates.
Use the current applicant-company form and related GSC guidance to build the document list for the chosen category. Maintain a register of each required item, owner, version and outstanding question.
Before submission, reconcile the descriptions used across the business plan, supplier agreements and architecture. If one document says the applicant controls the wallet while another assigns it to a platform supplier, resolve the discrepancy and show the actual responsibility.
Prepare the people who will explain the business. They should be able to trace funds, identify the markets and products, explain outsourced work and locate the records supporting their answers. Memorizing a consultant's narrative is a poor substitute for understanding the operation.
Submission, discussion, and hearing
The GSC requires the application, vetting forms, supporting documents and fee. After acceptance, the Inspectorate may meet the Designated Officials and any appointed Operations Manager. Its published process then provides for a formal hearing, subject to delays, with the outcome communicated afterward. GSC application process.
Do not turn an indicative processing estimate into a guaranteed launch date. Ask which completeness milestone starts any estimate and what additional information or external dependency could extend it.
Plan the obligations after the decision
Set up the reporting and notification calendar from the conditions and guidance applicable to the license. Identify who maintains the underlying records and who submits each return. Keep regulatory reporting distinct from a supplier's internal monthly report.
Tax, banking, and operating costs
Use the taxation guide to distinguish gambling duty from company tax and operating costs. Neither a license nor a favorable headline rate guarantees bank onboarding, supplier approval or permission in a destination market.
Prepare the next decision
Contact SuperBluOrange with the applicant structure, intended activity and license category, markets, platform, and current advisors. The proposed engagement should identify application preparation, supporting technology evidence, filing and local professional responsibilities, and handoff into ongoing operations.
If you are buying an existing business, review license and acquisition risks before treating the seller's status as a shortcut.
Sources reviewed: October 17, 2026. Fees and application process rechecked: October 26, 2026.