Legalization of online (TT)

Prospects for legalizing online gambling (Trinidad and Tobago)

Legal framework for regulating games - The Gambling (Gaming and Betting) Control Act, No. 8 of 2021 - adopted, but full proclamation and secondary regulation (regulations, procedures, licenses) are required for a full online launch. The Gambling Control Commission (GCC) has been created, which is preparing a regulation and publicly speaks about the need for a complete proclamation of the Act to include licensing and supervision, including for online channels.

What has already been done and where is the "narrow neck"

The 2021 act sets the "skeleton" of regulation: licenses, "fit-and-proper," AML/CFT, RG, etc. - but without a complete proclamation, key chapters do not operate in an operational sense.

The Commission (GCC) published materials and drafts (including on electronic rates), emphasizing the goal - the "complete proclamation" of the Act.

The government and the Ministry of Finance in the budget statements of 2024/2025 declared a movement towards the operationalization of the Commission and the launch of norms, expectations for the proclamation sounded on the public agenda of late 2024 - early 2025. (including media reports about the forecast "in January").

Why online while "in the gray zone"

Until the mechanism of licenses and inspections works, a local online license is not available, and players are accessed through foreign platforms - with risks to consumer protection, RG/AML and the fiscal base. This was regularly emphasized by industry reviews and publications 2024-2025.

Vector of changes for 2025-2030

1. Full proclamation of the Act + secondary.

Approval of online casino/betting regulations, licensing procedure, hosting/data requirements, RNG/provider reporting and audits.

2. GCC operationalization.

Acceptance of applications, inspections, a system of sanctions, transparent registers of licenses and public manuals for operators.

3. Taxes and fees.

Clarification of rates/payments for the online segment and linking to AML/KYC systems; The basic annual fees for equipment are already in effect offline, which demonstrates the approach to the fiscalization of the industry.

4. Age and responsibility.

On the agenda - tightening the "age threshold" (discussion of raising to 25 years), expanding Responsible Gaming tools and harm prevention.

5. Payment and compliance contour.

Rules for PSP, reporting on transactions, Travel Rule for crypto channels, localization of CC/PEP/sanction screens, storage of logs.

6. Enforcement and geo-control.

Coordination with communication providers against unlicensed ones. tt-operators, complaints and returns mechanism, cooperation with foreign regulators.

Realistic implementation roadmap

Stage 1 - Law and procedures (0-12 months)

Full proclamation of the Act; approval of rules for online licenses (B2C/B2B), a clear list of documents and SLAs.

Publication of technical standards (RNG, live studios, reporting, data storage).

Phase 2 - Start licensing (6-18 months)

Opening of the "applicant portal" in the GCC, acceptance of the first applications, pilot licenses, interdepartmental AML/CFT protocols.

Stage 3 - Scaling and enforcement (12-36 months)

Clearing the gray market (locks, notifications), integrating registries, regular RG/AML reports, international MOUs.

Economic impact and risks

• Inflow of investments and jobs in iGaming/IT/support; growth in fiscal revenues; long weekend tourism with sports + live games packages.

• Overheating of bonus marketing, migration of vulnerable groups online, pressure on payment infrastructure, cyber risks.
• The answer is hard RG clearance (self-exclusion, default limits, safe advertising), compliance analytics and provider audits.

What to learn from the region

Dominican Republic (2024): formed a specific regime for online (Resolution 136-2024) - an example of "how to quickly move from political will to working rules." For TT, this is a guideline for the structure of licenses, RG and taxes.

Scenarios to 2030

Basic (probable): full proclamation, launch of licenses, first 10-20 licensed online operators, hybrid ecosystem (online + offline + MICE), moderate growth in fiscal fees.

Accelerated: active borrowing of "regulatory code" from neighbors, early MOUs with payment providers, quick launch of RG platforms - TT entering the status of a "regional hub" for the Caribbean.

Inertial (risky): postponement of the proclamation, continuation of "gray" access to offshore, loss of budget and consumer protection.

State/GCC checklist

1. Proclamation of key parts of the Act; 2) secondary package (online, providers, payments, RG); 3) a single licensing portal and registry; 4) agreements with banks/PSP and communication providers; 5) public RG metrics and reporting; 6) international MOUs for cross-jurisdictional oversight.

Business checklist

Readiness for fit-and-proper, audits and reporting; the AML/CFT roadmap; Default RG (limits/self-exclusion).

Technical readiness: data storage, logs, RNG/live certification, integration with payment gateways and reporting APIs GCC.

Legalization of online in Trinidad and Tobago is a matter of bringing to the "click" the already adopted regulatory framework: the complete proclamation of the 2021 Act, the publication of regulations and the launch of procedures in the GCC. Subject to this route in 2025-2027. the country is able to get a transparent and secure online market, and by 2030 - a stable ecosystem with measurable fiscal revenues and social guarantees for players.