Gambling License in Estonia


Gambling License in Estonia

In order to offer gambling in Estonia, a company must first apply for an activity licence for organising gambling and an operating permit from the Estonian Tax and Customs Board.

The first thing that a company must do is to apply for an activity licence, upon the issuance of which the company must apply for a separate operating permit for each gaming location. Only when license and permit are issued the company is able to start offering gambling at the gaming locations specified in the operating permit. The gambling operator must be a reliable legal entity, for whom the organization of gambling is its only activity.

An activity licence or operating permit does not have to be applied for in the case of organising a commercial lottery, but a notice of economic activities must be submitted concerning the organisation of a commercial lottery.

Gambling operators pay gambling tax.

The following types of gambling may be organised in Estonia:

  • Games of chance
  • Toto i.e. sports betting
  • Lottery
  • Games of skill
  • Commercial lottery.


Share capital amounts to at least:

  • 1,000,000 euros for games of chance;
  • 130,000 euros for toto;
  • 25,000 euros for games of skill.

1st step- license


The first thing that a company must do is to apply for an activity licence, upon the issuance of which the company must apply for a separate operating permit for each gaming location. Only when issuing an activity licence or operating permit is the company able to start offering gambling at the gaming locations specified in the operating permit.


Decision making process

The Estonian Tax and Customs Board shall take a decision on granting or refusing to grant an activity licence within 4 months after receipt of all the necessary documents and information, but not later than within 6 months after receipt of the application for an activity licence.


State fee

The state fee for the activity licence is:

  • 47,940 euros for organising a game of chance;
  • 31,960 euros for organising a toto;
  • 3200 euros to organise a game of skill.

2nd step – operating permit for remote gambling

An operating permit for gambling is required in order to organise gambling in Estonia. The operating permit grants the right to open a gambling gaming location at the address indicated on the permit, aboard a ship, or to organise gambling as remote gambling.

An operating permit can only be applied for by a company that has already been issued an activity licence for organising gambling of the corresponding type of gambling in Estonia.

Decision making process

The Estonian Tax and Customs Board shall take a decision on granting or refusing to grant an operating permit within 2 months after receipt of all the necessary documents and information, but not later than within 4 months after receipt of the application for an operating permit.

State fee

Before submitting an application, the company must pay the state fee of 3200 euros, except in the case of an application for an operating permit for the lottery, the review of which will be subject to a state fee of 640 euros.