Belize

The jurisdiction of Belize was officially established in 1995 when it became one of the first regulatory bodies to enact legal control measures for the online portion of the gambling industry. It has since been known as one of the less stringent licensing authorities, hosting many international companies who were attracted to its favorable application requirements and tax policy. Compared to other jurisdictions, the terms of this Central American country are closer to those of Panama or Costa Rica, but its reputation is overall better. Although the conditions have somewhat changed in recent years with several legislative modifications, Belize is still considered one of the best and most profitable offshore regulators.

With the Computer Wagering Licensing Act of 1995, the country implemented licensing protocols and laws which domestic and foreign companies must adhere to organize, conduct or promote gambling-related services. Licenses are exclusively issued by the Computer Wagering Licensing Board, a government- empowered entity that supervises both online and land-based facilities in Belize.

Online Casino License

Operators turn to Belize for licensing primarily because of its practical and financial advantages. Provided the applicants can meet all the necessary conditions, the license is granted very quickly, usually within a 24-hour period. Furthermore, the initial cost and subsequent annual fees are among the lowest in the industry. And finally, a single license covers all types of games, so multi-platform casinos do not need to apply or pay for more than one permit. Unlike some other authorities, Belize does not disclose confidential information. Despite these benefits, the overall difficulty of obtaining an approval is still relatively high, with certain standards and close monitoring maintained.

Basic Conditions

In 2004, an additional requirement was added to the legislation: only domestic companies with internationally oriented services are considered eligible for the permit. However, foreign operators are not banned by law - they may apply for the citizenship certificate and establish their customer service facilities on the territory of the country. Since the amendment allows the servers to host outside the borders, the process is made significantly easier. However, it should be noted that neither local or foreign companies are allowed to offer services to the residents of Belize, but no law prohibits Belizeans from accessing online casinos licensed by some other authority.

Licensing Procedure

Once these ground specifications are met, applicants are then thoroughly examined to determine whether or not they are fit to undergo the main stages of the application process. In general, this is done to ensure their reputation is adequate and they have not been involved in any financial and tax frauds, or charged or convicted of serious crimes in the last ten years.

After the initial evaluation, there are several more stages to go through, where companies must submit documents to prove their citizenship, financial capabilities, business plans and other relevant papers to be examined and approved by the Gaming Commission.

There are three types of licenses available: land-based casinos; gaming machine license for slots, poker and other land-based machines; online gambling license for live dealer games, sports betting, lottery, slots and other programs.

Player Protection

Insufficient customer protection measures are the biggest disadvantage of the Belize jurisdiction. In its current state, the Licensing Act barely addresses the subject of player safety, the security of their funds, transactions and personal information, or customer support services.

Licensees may be required to provide daily accounts of all player transactions and balances, and to keep separate bank accounts for the processing of wagering transactions.

However, this does not necessarily imply that casinos operating under Belizean laws are not trustworthy or fair to their customers. Whether or not a gaming site will fully respect the licensing agreement is not solely up to the jurisdiction itself. While some may turn to dishonest practices for personal gains, other reputable companies have chosen Belize for the benefits we have described in the above passages.

If you are considering a site licensed in this jurisdiction, make sure that it has a high rating, positive player reviews and no history of complaints or reported bad practices.

Helpful Links

• Application Method 
• About Belize Free Zone Online Club (Bzfzoc)