This guide explains what happens after submitting gaming licence application files to a regulator such as the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA). Filing the forms and paying the fee starts a structured review, not an automatic approval. The regulator runs several parallel checks: it confirms your file is complete, screens the people behind the company, traces the source of your funds, reads your business plan and policies, and tests your technical platform. Each stage can generate questions you must answer before the review moves on. For a first Malta application, expect 6 to 12 months from filing to a licence decision.
Below you will find the exact sequence the regulator follows, the documents it commonly asks for, what you can and cannot change while the file is open, and how the post-submission stage differs across the main jurisdictions.
Key takeaways
- After submitting gaming licence application files, the regulator opens a structured review rather than granting the licence automatically.
- The Malta Gaming Authority runs four parallel checks: fit and proper, funding and source of funds, business plan and policies, and technical set-up with a system audit.
- A first Malta application takes 6 to 12 months from a complete submission to a decision; Curacao, Anjouan, and Kahnawake run faster.
- Information requests are normal. Complete, evidenced, on-time replies keep the file moving and stop a second review cycle.
- Source of funds and the fit and proper review cause the most delay, so prepare certified documents before you file.
- Changing a shareholder or director mid-review restarts part of the fit and proper screening and adds time.
Review stages after submitting gaming licence application
After submitting gaming licence application documents, the regulator first checks completeness. A case officer confirms that every form, policy, and supporting document is present and that the fee has cleared. A missing police conduct certificate or an unsigned declaration stops the clock immediately, so the file sits in a holding pattern until you supply the gap.
Once the file passes the completeness check, the MGA runs four assessments. The authority lists these review areas on its official Applications page, and they apply across B2C and B2B licences:
- Fit and proper review. The regulator screens shareholders, directors, ultimate beneficial owners, and proposed key function holders.
- Funding and business viability review. The regulator checks your capital, projections, and source of funds.
- Business plan, policies, and procedures review. The regulator reads your AML/CFT framework, responsible gaming controls, and operating procedures.
- Technical set-up review and system audit. The regulator examines your platform, then a certified auditor tests the live environment.
These tracks run in parallel rather than one after another. The total duration usually depends on whichever track takes longest, which is why due diligence on a complex ownership chain often sets the pace for the whole file. If you want the full picture of each stage and the documents involved, our guide on gaming licence application mistakes shows where applicants most often lose time.
Fit and proper review after submitting gaming licence application
The fit and proper review is the part most applicants underestimate. The regulator assesses whether each person connected to the company is suitable to hold a gaming licence. It examines criminal records, regulatory history, prior licence refusals, and the integrity of the ownership structure. The MGA Fit and Proper Committee decides which individuals to screen and when to apply
enhanced due diligence.
Source of funds sits at the centre of this stage. The regulator wants to see where the capital comes from and how you can evidence it. Bank statements, audited accounts, loan agreements, and sale-of-asset documents all support a source of funds declaration. Anti-money laundering scrutiny shapes this work directly; the standards that drive it come from bodies such as the Council of Europe’s MONEYVAL committee, which evaluates how countries apply AML and counter-terrorist-financing measures. An opaque chain of holding companies or unexplained capital triggers more questions and lengthens the review.
Documents requested after submitting gaming licence application
After submitting gaming licence application paperwork, you will almost always receive follow-up document requests. The list below covers the items the MGA most commonly asks for during the review:
- Certified passport or identity card copies for each beneficial owner, director, and key function holder
- Police conduct certificates covering the last two years, certified and recent
- A certified utility bill or bank statement confirming each individual’s residential address
- Source of funds and source of wealth declarations with supporting evidence
- Audited accounts or management accounts for corporate shareholders
- An updated business plan with revenue projections and a marketing strategy
- Final AML/CFT policy, responsible gaming policy, and key function role descriptions
- Technical documentation for the gaming platform and the random number generator
Prepare certified copies in advance. Certification and apostille steps add days or weeks when documents come from several countries, and the regulator will not accept uncertified scans for due diligence purposes.
Why the regulator asks for more information
A request for further information does not mean the regulator plans to refuse your file. It means a reviewer needs clarity before forming a view. Requests cluster around a few recurring themes: gaps in the source of funds trail, a key function holder whose experience does not match the role, a business plan that understates compliance costs, or a corporate structure that hides the ultimate beneficial owner.
Answer each request fully and on time. Partial answers generate a second request and add another review cycle. The applicants who move fastest treat every information request as a priority and respond with complete, evidenced replies. Slow or vague responses are the most common reason a file drifts past the published timeline. You can read how this affects the wider schedule in our breakdown of how long a gaming licence takes.
The technical review and system audit
Once the regulator is satisfied with the people, the funding, and the policies, attention turns to your platform. The MGA reviews your technical documentation, then issues an approval that lets you deploy your system in a live environment. You then have a defined window to complete the technical set-up before an independent, approved auditor runs the system audit.
The auditor checks that the live platform matches the documentation you submitted: the random number generator behaves as certified, player funds sit in the right accounts, the reporting interfaces transmit the required data, and the controls you described actually work. Engage an approved testing laboratory early. A full casino suite can take several months to certify, and starting that work in parallel with the licence review keeps the system audit from becoming the bottleneck at the end.
What you can change while the file is open
Plans shift during a six to twelve month review, and the regulator expects some movement. You can update your business plan, refine your policies, and add gaming verticals, though new verticals usually trigger fresh technical review. Changes to ownership and control sit in a stricter category. If a new shareholder acquires a qualifying interest while the file is open, the regulator must screen that person before the review continues, which resets part of the fit and proper track.
Ownership changes carry the heaviest review weight, both during an application and after a licence is granted. If you expect a change of control or an acquisition, read our guide on transferring a gaming licence through acquisition before you commit, because the approval steps mirror much of the original due diligence. The review moves faster when the file is complete, so assemble every item on the required application documents list before you file.
Timelines after submitting gaming licence application by jurisdiction
The post-submission review takes very different amounts of time depending on where you file. The table below sets out the published or typical processing times for the main jurisdictions, measured from a complete submission to a licence decision.
| Jurisdiction | Regulator | Typical time from submission to decision | Local company required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malta | Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) | 6 to 12 months | Yes |
| Curacao | Curacao Gaming Authority (CGA) | 6 to 12 weeks | Yes |
| Anjouan | Anjouan Gaming Commission | 4 to 8 weeks | Yes |
| Kahnawake | Kahnawake Gaming Commission (KGC) | 2 to 4 months | Yes |
Treat these figures as the time the review takes when your file is complete and your due diligence is clean. Information requests,
ownership changes, and a slow system audit extend every one of them. A Malta licence also carries an application fee of 5,000 EUR
and, once granted, an annual compliance contribution of 25,000 EUR for a B2C licence or 10,000 EUR for a B2B licence.
The licence decision and what comes next
When the four review tracks close and the system audit passes, the regulator issues its decision. A Malta B2C licence runs for ten years, subject to ongoing compliance. The grant is the start of a new set of obligations rather than the finish line: monthly player funds reporting, half-yearly performance returns, audited accounts, and periodic compliance audits all begin once you go
live.
Plan for that operational phase before the licence lands. Our guide on what to do after receiving your gaming licence sets out the reporting calendar and key function duties that apply from day one.
DD Consultus manages gaming licence applications end to end from our Sliema office in Malta, including the document preparation, the correspondence with the regulator, and the system audit coordination that decide how smoothly the review runs. To discuss your application, call +356 99408536 or email contact@licencegaming.com.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the review take after submitting gaming licence application?
For a first Malta application, expect 6 to 12 months from a complete submission to a licence decision. Curacao runs 6 to 12 weeks, Anjouan 4 to 8 weeks, and Kahnawake 2 to 4 months. Information requests and a complex ownership structure extend every one of these figures.
Can you make company changes after submitting gaming licence application?
Yes, but the regulator screens any new director, shareholder, or beneficial owner who holds a qualifying interest before the review continues. This restarts part of the fit and proper assessment, so changing control mid-application usually adds time. Tell your case officer before you make the change.
What does the fit and proper review check?
The Malta Gaming Authority assesses criminal records, regulatory history, prior licence refusals, financial standing, and the integrity of the ownership structure. The Fit and Proper Committee decides which individuals to screen and when to apply enhanced due diligence.
Why does the regulator request more information during the review?
A reviewer asks for more information when a point needs clarity, most often a gap in the source of funds trail, a key function holder whose experience does not fit the role, or an unclear corporate structure. A request is part of a normal review, not a sign of refusal. Answer it fully and promptly to avoid a second cycle.
Can the regulator refuse an application after the due diligence stage?
Yes. The regulator can decline a file if a beneficial owner fails the fit and proper test, if the source of funds cannot be evidenced, or if the business plan and compliance framework fall short. Strong preparation before you file is the most reliable way to avoid a refusal at this stage.
Does paying the application fee speed up the review?
No. The application fee lets the regulator open the file, but the timeline depends on due diligence, the quality of your documents, and how quickly you answer information requests. A complete, well-evidenced submission moves faster than a partial one regardless of fees paid.
What is the system audit and when does it happen?
The system audit is an independent test of your live platform by an MGA-approved auditor. It confirms the platform matches your submitted documentation, including the random number generator, player fund segregation, and reporting interfaces. It happens near the end of the review, after the regulator approves your technical set-up and you deploy your system.