Economics and statistics

Antigua and Barbuda is one of the first jurisdictions to monetize online gambling: the Interactive Gaming/Interactive Wagering mode is enshrined in the 2007 regulations, and the Gambling Act 2016 created a new oversight architecture (Gambling Authority), while online regulations continue to apply.

This forms sustainable licensing fees and the "export" of iGaming services.

Historically, the government received millions of dollars a year from licensing fees and related fees for online operators (for example, an estimate ~ $2.8 million/year in US reports), which emphasizes the fiscal role of the sector even with market volatility.

For local (on-island) operators, there is a tariff schedule: fixed annual fees depend on the number of slots/tables (for example, license groups A-E and levels by the number of machines/tables), which ensures predictable budget revenues.

Land casinos - a compact segment focused on tourists (core - King's Casino in St. John's with ~ 350 slots and a set of tables); for tables there is a separate tax of 8% of player loss (draft amendments 2017).

Collectively, this circuit gives a smaller share than iGaming, but maintains employment in tourist areas.

The international importance of the industry was also manifested in the WTO DS285 (Antigua vs US) case on the cross-border supply of online services, which additionally recorded the country's role as an exporter of iGaming.