Taxation of operators and licenses

Taxation of operators and licences (Saint Lucia)

Brief summary

The gambling model of St. Lucia relies on licensing land casinos and bets, a separate lottery circuit and strict accounting discipline. The fiscal burden is usually made up of: one-off and annual license fees, gross gaming income (GGR) tax/levy and/or turnover fees, and standard corporate taxes and indirect charges (equipment importation, duties, inspection fees). Business sustainability - in the correct choice of license category, transparent reporting, bonds and compliance with AML/RG.

1) Types of licenses and purpose

B2C operators

Casino/gaming hall. Access to tables, slots and electronic games; equipment certification and internal controls are required.

Bookmaker (points/terminals). Prematch and live bets, acceptance/calculation rules, Integrity procedures.

B2B Vendors

Equipment manufacturer/distributor. Supply and maintenance of tables, slots, counting and control systems.

Service providers. Content hosting, payment solutions, anti-fraud/RegTech - according to a separate admission, if required.

Auxiliary tolerances

Provisional license for the construction/commissioning phase.

Personnel permits (key positions: managers, cash registers, technicians, compliance).

What matters: The lottery circuit is regulated separately; There may be no "online license" as an independent class - check the current norms before planning remote services.

2) Royalties and recurring fees

One-time license fee (application/issue fee). Paid upon submission/receipt; covers due diligence and inspections.

Annual renewal fee. It is fixed in the terms of the license; linked to site type/assortment.

Inspection/certification fees. Separate fees for equipment audit, sealing, test purchases, repeated visits.

Personnel registration fees. For key employees and reliability tests.

3) Tax burden on activities

GGR (Gross Gaming Income) Tax/Charge

A percentage of GGR can be used (the bet depends on the type of games) or a combined mode (minimum fix +% of GGR).

For bets - separate rules for accounting for winnings, void/cancellations, free bets/bonuses.

Corporate taxes

Net income tax after recognized expenses.

Withholding - when paying royalties/services to non-residents (if applicable).

Indirect taxes on related services (F&B, shows), rental relationships, etc. - according to general standards.

Import/Equipment

Duties and taxes on the import of tables, slots, components; benefits for investment projects are possible (specified individually).

Depreciation of equipment - according to the procedure established for fixed assets.

4) Accounting, internal controls and audit

Accounting policy and internal control environment: cash discipline, slot/table reports, cash/jackpot reconciliation.

Logs and reporting forms: daily reports, weekly/monthly reports, primary storage, incident registers.

Audit: mandatory independent financial and compliance audits, system testing, mystery-shopping.

Segregation of customer funds: deposits and jackpots - separate from operating accounts; bonds/bank guarantees.

5) Compliance: AML/KYC, Responsible Gambling, Integrity

AML/KYC: age and identity verification, risk profiling, STR/SAR reports on suspicious transactions, storage of records.

Responsible Gambling (RG): deposit/time/loss limits, cool-off, self-exclusion, visible warnings; staff training in "soft interventions."

Sports Integrity (for bets): anomaly monitoring, insider betting ban, conflicts of interest policy.

Advertising: only 18 +, no promises of "easy money," honest T & Cs bonuses.

6) How to count and declare: practical rules

1. Define the GGR base

GGR = bets - wins - correct void/cancellations (bonuses and freebets - according to the regulator's methodology).

2. Post revenues to products

Slots, tables, rates - separately; hotel/bar - separately (for correct tax/license accounting).

3. Check cash register and system

Daily reconciliation of cash and electronic journals; weekly management reports; monthly - to the regulator/tax.

4. Financial guarantees

Maintain the bond/warranty at the level required by the license; monitor the validity and terms of the write-off.

5. API reporting (if provided)

Transfer aggregated metrics: turnover, GGR, outputs/approve rate, RG/AML triggers, incidents.

7) Business plan: P&L structure and control points

Earnings: GGR by vertical, F&B, events, merch

Cost/operating costs: content and service, salary, rent/utilities, acquiring/PSP, security/IT.

Taxes/fees: license (one-time/annual), GGR-fee, corporate tax, import duties, audit/inspections.

Capital: tables/slots/systems, backup power/communication, modernization of halls.

Financial guarantees: bond/guarantee, liability insurance.

Control metrics: GGR/m ², GGR/table, slot rate, jackpot deduction/payout, approve payment rate, output TAT, share of accounts with limits, AML/RG incidents.

8) Risks and how to reduce them

Risk	What to do
Errors in GGR/tax calculation	Automate uploads, monthly audits, describe bonus methodology
Cash shortages/fraud	Segregation of duties, cameras, cash limits, sudden inventories
Payment delays	Backup PSPs, SLAs by time, transparent commissions and guest statuses
AML incidents	Risk scoring, STR/SAR-SLA, training, case management
RG/18 + abnormalities	Visible RG panels, intervention log, test purchases, hard delay for limit increase
Tech crashes/cyber threats	WAF/DDoS, power/communication reserve, SIEM/SOC, penetration tests, IR plan

9) Roadmap for new operator (12 months)

1. Months 0-2: definition of license category, preliminary approval of location/hall, consultation on equipment and internal controls.

2. Months 2-4: package submission, application fee, project documentation, AML/RG plan, auditor selection.

3. Months 4-6: inspections, equipment tolerances, setting up accounting and reporting forms, bond/warranty.

4. Months 6-9: pilot shifts, staff training (cash desk/RG/AML/SecOps), cash desk/systems stress test.

5. Months 9-12: start-up, monthly reports, first internal compliance review and process adjustments.

10) FAQ (short)

Do I need a license for a small hall with slots?

Yes I did. Any public gambling activity requires a licence and equipment clearance.

Is there a separate bet for betting vs casino?

Often modes vary by product; see license terms and base calculation methodology.

How are bonuses/freebets taken into account in GGR?

According to the method of the regulator/tax: usually with a separate cut to avoid "inflating" the turnover.

Is it possible to work only on a seasonal schedule?

Yes, but reporting and minimum requirements (security, cash desk, control) are always valid; conditions are reflected in the license.

The financial model of the gambling business in St. Lucia is a license + transparent accounting + predictable taxes. Collect the correct license category, put one-time/annual fees and GGR mode in P&L, automate reporting and strengthen compliance (AML/RG/security). This approach minimizes risks, speeds up license renewal, and creates trust on the part of the state, banks, and visitors.