Main Services Casino license: The best way to legalize business Belorussian Licence: Launch a Profitable Casino in Europe

Belorussian Licence: Launch a Profitable Casino in Europe

Updated 10 february 2023

The legalisation of gambling in this country has opened access to a promising and highly profitable market.

The government recognises all types of casino entertainment and has introduced low taxes. The local gambling permit is issued for 10 years with an automatic extension for another 5 years.

Gambling business in Belarus: legality

With Online Casino Market, you can quickly and easily launch a casino in one of the European countries.

We offer turnkey solutions, software for sale or rent, the connection of scripts, and much more.

Features of Local Legislation

Decree No. 305 on the improvement of the legal regulation of the gambling business was signed in August 2018, and at the beginning of next year, the industry started working to the full extent. The authorities legalised all types of casino games, which attracted many investors.

It is very beneficial to launch virtual platforms here since gambling is extremely popular with both residents and foreigners. The lion's share of visitors is Russians due to the fact that virtual games for money are prohibited in the Russian Federation.

In October 2019, it became legal to advertise gambling during sports events. Basically, this initiative was furthered by the National Ice Hockey Federation ― one of the most reputable leagues in the country.

The duty of the Ministry of Taxes and Levies is the issuance of permits. Moreover, the government monitors the work of businessmen and compliance with the principles of responsible gambling.

Advantages of Providing Gambling Services in Belarus

Gambling services in Belarus: advantages

Local licensing is beneficial for the following reasons:

Low competition in the industry	This country is one of the last in Europe to legalise gambling. There are still not many market participants (only 27 offline casinos), which makes it possible to quickly start working in the industry and get a stable increase in customers
All types of entertainment are considered legal	Businessmen can obtain a local permit, launch a betting shop or open a gambling hall with bingo drawings and slot machines. The online casino segment is presented in 2 formats ― with RNG-based and live games
Legal cryptocurrency payments	The country has one of the best digital money laws in the world. Bets can be legally placed in bitcoins, litecoins, ethereums, and other cryptocurrencies. Those entrepreneurs whose business is related to crypto assets are exempted from the need to pay the capital gain tax until January 1, 2023
Low tax burden	Owners of local online casinos must pay an income tax of 4%. This is one of the lowest rates in the world
The long validity period of the document	The licence is issued for 10 years with its automatic extension for another 5 years. A 10-year period is quite enough not only to pay off the investments but also guarantee 300% of the profit of a gambling project

How to Obtain a Belorussian Permit

The offline business area includes the activities of casinos, bookmaker’s offices, sweepstakes, bingo clubs, and establishments with slots. Each type requires the acquisition of a separate licence.

Before obtaining the document, operators must fulfil several requirements:

Register a legal entity. The company’s founder must have 3 years of working experience. Moreover, it is necessary to open an account in a local bank and be registered with the tax authorities.
Form a guaranteed investment fund. The security deposit is 978 thousand euros. This amount of money is kept in a separate commercial account and serves as a guarantee for the payment of prizes. It is impossible to use the fund but it can be placed at interest as a bank deposit.
Prepare the premises. The minimum area of the object (gambling halls with the staff area) is 250 square metres. The premises can be bought or rented. The Belorussian licence is issued only to those applicants who have entered into an agreement for the protection of the facility with the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Besides, it is necessary to install a panic button, a video surveillance system, and fire security.
Purchase the necessary equipment. It must be certified by the Ministry of Taxes and Levies and also placed on the register of the regulator. The equipment must be connected to the online monitoring state system.

Nuances of Launching a Profitable iGaming Project

Online casino in Belarus: nuances of launching

Online casino licence in Belarus is issued for:

Virtual platforms

The gaming sites operate on the basis of the certified software, which consists of the game content, a platform, and a payment module.

All solutions have a proven RNG, which is subject to annual testing

Live casinos

To launch the live casino, you need to have software (a platform and a financial aggregator), as well as a real casino (a well-equipped studio) from where the games will be broadcasted.

A casino can be opened in Belarus or any other jurisdiction where gambling is legal.

If the facility is located on the territory of the Republic of Belarus, you will need to obtain a dual permit ― for Internet solutions and offline games

The requirements for owners of gaming sites are very similar to the rules for the owners of offline locations. You need to register a legal entity, make a security deposit, and check the quality of the software.

To buy a turnkey casino with a licence issued in Belarus, businessmen must:

connect the verification system;
place the main server and its mirrors on the country’s territory;
provide the Ministry of Taxes and Levies with remote access to the platform;
connect the website to the state cash system (SCS).

How Much Does the Belorussian Licence Cost?

In the country, the cost of permits is very low. Operators pay only a one-time state fee of 5.1 thousand euros. The receipt must be sent to the regulator along with the main package of documents.

When entrepreneurs are trying to find out how much does the local licence cost, they often confuse the state duty with a guaranteed investment fund of 1 million euros. This money belongs to operators but they can use it only in case of emergency (for example, when it is necessary to pay a big prize or settle accounts with creditors when the company is liquidated).

Loyal Tax Burden

Possession of the Belarusian licence is an excellent opportunity to work in the European market without the need to pay a lot of money to the public budget. The government has developed a preferential tax policy that motivates entrepreneurs to invest in the sector.

Businessmen pay 4% of the income tax. It is calculated on the basis of GGR (Gross Gaming Revenue), which includes all bets placed by gamblers minus their prizes.

Operators are exempt from VAT, capital gain tax, dividends, and real estate taxes. They are also required to withhold 4% of the winnings of residents of the country and transfer this money to the public treasury. All can be done automatically, and there is no need to hire an accountant and carry out calculations manually.

It is necessary to pay the following amounts for each unit of equipment placed in the gambling hall:

gaming table (cards, poker or a roulette wheel) ― 1,548.9 euros;
slots (betting machine, lottery terminal) ― 58.9 euros;
the cashier of the sweepstakes ― 317.6 euros;
bookmaker’s office ― 158.8 euros.

The Main Things about the Legalisation of Local Gambling

Our company provides a wide range of services for launching profitable projects in many European countries, including Belarus.

We offer:

convenient cooperation conditions (a turnkey casino, solutions under the White Label agreement, purchase of software, etc.);
software from the world’s leading vendors ― Microgaming, Pragmatic Play, Novomatic, and others;
technical and legal support at all stages of cooperation;
assistance in promotional marketing and business scaling.

From us, you can purchase a legal iGaming project with excellent payback and growth prospects.

It is profitable to work in the Belorussian market for many reasons. All types of casino entertainment are considered legal here, you can get a licence for 10 years, and there is also an opportunity to accept cryptocurrency payments.
The government has introduced a loyal tax policy. To obtain a gambling permit, businessmen need to make a one-time payment of 5.1 thousand euros.
It is also possible to launch a gaming site with RNG-based slots and a live casino (a platform with live broadcasts from real studios).

Contact our managers and become an owner of a successful gambling business already today!

Do you have any questions?

Contact an expert

slotsmarket

manager@oc-market.com

Attention!

Check the information used to contact us carefully. It is necessary for your safety.

Fraudsters can use contacts that look like ours to scam customers. Therefore, we ask you to enter only the addresses that are indicated on our official website.

Be careful! Our team is not responsible for the activities of persons using similar contact details.

Author

Karen Fill

Gambling business expert at Online Casino Market

Updated 10 february 2023