Kahnawake — KGC licence.
The Kahnawake Gaming Commission, based in the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake, is one of North America's longest-running iGaming regulators for B2B and B2C operators.
A considered route,
not a shortcut.
This jurisdiction rewards operators who treat the application as the start of a supervisory relationship.
When this is the right choice
When to consider an alternative
Permissions under
one Act.
Choosing the right tier and scope is the most consequential decision in the application.
CPA — Client Provider Authorization
The most popular licence; multi-purpose covering online casino, sports betting, poker, bingo, and lottery. Games are hosted by existing IGC licence holders in Kahnawake, making this the fastest and most accessible path for new operators.
IGC — Interactive Gaming Certificate
For operators with their own hosting infrastructure located in Kahnawake. Covers one site and is more complex to obtain than a CPA. Operators with IGC licences can host other CPA-licensed operators on their infrastructure.
LDSA — Live Dealer Studio Authorization
For operators opening a streaming studio in Kahnawake to create and demonstrate live dealer games online. Requires physical studio infrastructure within the territory.
Secondary CPA / IJA / Key Person
Secondary CPA licences allow CPA holders to scale and enter additional markets. IJA (Inter-Jurisdictional Authorization) covers operators with licences from other jurisdictions locating equipment in Kahnawake. The Key Person Licence is required for the individual managing KGC-licensed operations.
Phases to licence grant.
Key person appointment and company registration
Weeks 1—2Key person identified and assessed for impeccable reputation. Company incorporated (does not have to be in Kahnawake itself). Servers confirmed to be located in Kahnawake (required for IGC; CPA uses existing IGC-holder hosting).
Document preparation and application
Weeks 2—5Full dossier assembled: passport copies, criminal record certificates, bank statements, financial audits, game descriptions, software quality certificates (RNG certification from an official independent lab), business plan, and AML/KYC policies.
KGC review and CSS testing
Weeks 5—8Application submitted to KGC with the $15,000 investigation fee. MIT (Mohawk Internet Technologies) notified. CSS testing conducted on gaming software. KGC reviews application over a 2–4 month preliminary review period before issuing a positive response.
Initial 6-month licence and 5-year extension
Weeks 8—10Licence issued initially for 6 months under KGC supervision — player complaints monitoring, law compliance review. If compliant, licence is extended to 5 years. Ongoing: $20,000/year service provider maintenance fee.
Cost and regulatory
burden.
Year-one spend is dominated by substance — resident director, office, compliance officer, external audit — not the licence fee itself.
| Cost item | Amount |
|---|---|
| GSS Legal — Standard (company + CPA application) | $31,400 one-time |
| GSS Legal — Extended (adds AML/KYC + bank account) | $53,200 one-time |
| GSS Legal — Pro (full managed with compliance staff) | $62,300 one-time |
| KGC investigation fee (non-refundable) | $15,000 |
| KGC first-year annual fee (refundable if denied) | $10,000 |
| KGC annual service provider maintenance (from yr 2) | $20,000/yr |
| Key Person Licence (setup + annual maintenance) | $1,000 setup + $1,000/yr |
| Year-1 total (Standard + govt fees) | From ~$57,400 |
0% corporate income tax and 0% gross income tax apply — only fixed annual fees are due. Figures above reflect typical year-one operational loadings for an active operator.
What founders
ask before filing.
The questions we get on every diagnostic call. If yours isn't here, raise it in the consultation.
Tell us where
you want to
operate.
Forty-five minutes with a partner. Jurisdiction memo within seven days. No retainer required to start.
No retainer required.