About Kahnawake Gaming Commission (KGC)
The Kahnawake Gaming Commission (KGC) was established and empowered under the Kahnawake Gaming Law, enacted by the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake in June, 1996. The Commission is comprised of three members appointed by the Council for three year straggered terms. Commissioners must be members of the community of Kahnawake.
The Commission is the licensing and regulating authority for gaming activities that are conducted within and from Kahnawake. The Commission’s Regulations concerning Interactive Gaming were first enacted in July, 1996 and have been revised a number of times since that time. The Commission has been continuously licensing and regulating online gambling businesses longer than almost any other authority in the world.
In addition to online casinos, the commission also licenses and regulates land-based poker rooms situated within Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake.
The Commission’s primary mandate can be simply stated: to ensure that only reputable persons are licensed; that games are fair; that winners are paid; that the young and vulnerable are protected and that adequate safeguards are implemented to prevent against crime and criminality. The Commission has been fulfilling its mandate for over 10 years and it is commited to maintaining a global standard for the regulation of the Internet gaming and wagering.
Advantages
There are a number of advantages to having your online gambling business located within the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake, including:
- No Tax. Kahnawake’s government imposes NO TAX on the revenue or operations of an online gaming company that is licensed by the commission and carrying on business within Kahnawake.
- North American Location. The Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake is located within 20 minutes from downtown Montreal with all attendant conveniences.
- Superior technology. Hosting and related services are provided by Mohawk Internet Technologies (www.mohawk.ca), widely recognized as the world’s premier online hosting facility for online gaming.
- Experience. The Commission has been licensing and regulating Internet casino businesses for over 10 years. That is why the authority deeply understands all needs and concerns of the industry.
Application Process
In order to apply for an online gambling license in Kahnawake you need to fill in and send the following application documents:
- Application for Client Provider Authorization (CPA) — Identities of the business entity that is applying for the CPA. If the application is granted, this business entity — and the URL’s of the websites that it operates — will be listed on the KGC’s official website.
- Business Entity Information Form needs to be completed on behalf of the business entity that is applying for the CPA.
- Personal Information Form needs to be filled in for the following individuals:
Each director of the applicant corporation (privately held corporations only)
Each shareholder with 10% or more ownership of or controlling interest in the applicant corporation
Each person who submits a Key Person License Application Form. - Key Person License Application Form. This form must be completed by every applicant’s Key Persons. Each applicant must nominate at least one person who exercises a key managerial function.
- Letter from hosting facility. Letter from Mohawk Internet Technologies the only authorized hosting facility in Kahnawake, indicating that it is willing to host the applicant’s operations, if the application for CPA is granted.
- Control System Submission. Except as otherwise directed in writing by the Commission, acompleted Control System Submission.
Please, note: For publicly traded corporations, in addition to the foregoing, the following information must be included with an application:
- A list of all directors with biography or curriculum vitae for each director;
Annual reports prepared by the corporation for the past three years. - Application documents are available at the official website of the KGC www.gamingcommission.com
Required Application Fees
Application fees must be received by the Commission before an application will be processed. The total required application fees are as follows:
- Application fee in the amount of USD 25,000, which includes:
– The estimated cost of conducting the Commission’s due diligence regarding the applicant corporation and the individuals who have provided Personal Information Forms (non-refundable);
– The First annual licensing fee, refundable in an application is not granted;
– This fee does not include any costs associated with the Commission’s assessments of the applicant’s Control System Submission — which cost will be paid by the applicant to the Commission upon being presented the appropriate invoice. - Key Person License Application fee in amount of USD 5,000 for each proposed key person.