{"id":5259,"date":"2022-07-16T00:53:32","date_gmt":"2022-07-16T00:53:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koriatlaw.com\/?p=5259"},"modified":"2022-07-16T00:53:32","modified_gmt":"2022-07-16T00:53:32","slug":"gaming-licence-in-ghana-requirements-costs-timeline-for-processing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koriatlaw.com\/2026\/2022\/07\/16\/gaming-licence-in-ghana-requirements-costs-timeline-for-processing\/","title":{"rendered":"GAMING LICENCE IN GHANA: REQUIREMENTS, COSTS & TIMELINE FOR PROCESSING"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Gaming business has\nbeen active in Ghana since 1960. The number of gamers in Ghana including Casinos,\nSports Betting and other Games of Chance spread across the country. The\nCovid-19 pandemic encouraged the use of technology to drive the industry and\nthe Gaming Commission of Ghana has also come up with policies to promote the\ngrowth of the industry. These policies and regulations, amongst other things,\nregulate the kind of persons that can apply for a grant of the licence, the\ntypes of games that can be considered for licensing etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WHO CAN OPERATE A GAMING BUSINESS IN GHANA?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A person qualifies to\nrun a gaming business in Ghana where the person in question meets two\nconditions, i.e., being;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

i. A Limited Liability Company partly or wholly owned by Ghanaians and;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ii. Licensed by the Board to run a specified Game of Chance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The requirements for\nbeing licensed by the Board are found somewhere below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WHAT KIND OF GAMES OF CHANCE CAN BE LICENSED\nIN GHANA?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are five (5)\ncategories of Game of Chance which can be licensed in Ghana. They are as\nfollows;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

i. Casino also known as Class One (1).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ii. Sports Betting (Land based or Online) also known as Class Two (2)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

iii. Route Operations also known as Class Three (3).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

iv. Marketing promotional gaming with elements of Games of Chance i.e.\nBingo, Raffles, Virtual Gaming, Digital Gaming etc., also known as Class Four\n(4)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

v. Mobile or Interactive game also knowns Class Five (5).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR A GRANT OF THE\nGAMING LICENCE?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Section 14 of the\nGaming Act provides that A\nperson qualifies for the grant of a license if that person;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(a.) Has an identifiable office, <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(b.) Has a service mark or logo registered\nwith the Registrar of Companies,<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(c.) Has the required minimum stated capital and has agreed to maintain the amount of\ncash or cash equivalents determined by the Commission under section 23,<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(d.) Has\nsubmitted a criminal clearance certificate in respect of all the directors of\nthe company.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(e.) Agrees to permit the Commission to have\naccess to the records of its bank accounts and other financial records.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(f.) Has submitted a tax clearance certificate or proof of\nregistration with the Ghana Revenue Authority,<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(g.) Is partly or wholly Ghanaian owned. Where the\nbusiness is partly owned by a Ghanaian, the Ghanaian interest should not be\nbelow a minimum of 10% stake in the company.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(i.) agrees to provide any other\ninformation that may be required\nby the Commission.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

WHAT ARE THE DOCUMENTARY REQUIREMENTS FOR A\nGRANT OF THE LICENCE?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Upon meeting with the\nconditions as stated in Section 14 of the Gaming Act, the Applicant shall write\nofficially to the Commission to apply for a Licence. The Application will be\naddressed as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Commissioner
\nGaming Commission of Ghana P.M.B. 195
\nKotoka International Airport Accra. <\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The following\ndocuments are required to be attached to the Application:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Business Proposal which must\ninclude: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

i. Address of registered office<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ii. proposed branches and locations<\/p>\n\n\n\n

iii. Name and profile of directors<\/p>\n\n\n\n

iv. Tax clearance certificate of all Directors<\/p>\n\n\n\n

v. Description of operations and management structure<\/p>\n\n\n\n

vi. Onlinesports betting industry analysis<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. The passports or any National ID\nof the principal officers of the applicant(s).\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Details of sports betting\/online sports betting which must include <\/p>\n\n\n\n

i.  Approximate odds to be used<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ii. Number and frequency of games\/sports<\/p>\n\n\n\n

iii. Prize and Prize structure<\/p>\n\n\n\n

iv. Operator game rules and participant code of practice<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Certificate of Incorporation<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Certificate to Commence Business<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Shareholders Agreement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Financial and marketing plan. Must include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

a.  Evidence of financial\ncapability to operate the business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

b. Capital budgets<\/p>\n\n\n\n

c. Five (5) year financial projection and the assumptions\nmade in considering the figures<\/p>\n\n\n\n

d. Marketing and Financial Plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please note that further\nto the Application made to the Commission, the directors and of the company shall be required to complete a Personality Note (PN) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) form which shall\nbe submitted to the Security Agencies for background checks and vetting. The Commission would thereafter introduce\napplicants to the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) and the Criminal\nInvestigation Department (CID) for criminal checks to be conducted. In the case\nof foreign applicants\/directors, introduction shall be made to INTERPOL,\nResearch Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration\nand the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC). The\nPN and AML forms will be supported by passport photographs of the directors and\nshareholders of the Company.The Commission may also carry out further due\ndiligence beyond Ghana\u2019s boarders on Applicant company\nhaving foreign shareholders and directors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The investigations no\ndoubt come at a cost and the Applicant shall be responsible for the cost of\ncarrying out whatever investigations that needs to be conducted by the\nCommission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, the following\nadditional requirements must be fulfilled:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Details of game software system\/information on software providers\n(i.e. Name and country of origin).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Illustration of the Applicant\u2019s gaming interface\/platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Detailed information on technical solution providers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Details of planned Corporate Social Responsibility (This is applicable\nto Sports Betting and Online operations only).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ARE THERE OTHER REQUIREMENTS TO BE\nCONSIDERED?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Not-withstanding, the Commission shall satisfy itself with, but not limited to the following:<\/li>
  2. The identity (ies) of new applicants<\/li>
  3. The business\nregistration documents.<\/li>
  4. Conduct further due diligence on senior managements\n<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
    • Details of game software system, information on software providers(i.e.Name and country of  Origin), Certification of software. Illustration\nof gaming interface\/platform, Detailed\ninformation on technical solution providers.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
      • Details of planned corporate social responsibility. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        WHAT IS THE MINIMUM AUTHOURSIED SHARE CAPITAL\nFOR A GAMING LICENCE?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        The required minimum\nstated capital for the different categories of licences issued by the Gaming\nCommission of Ghana are as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        (i) Minimum of 2,500,000 USD for Casino licence;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        (ii) Minimum of 2,000,000 USD for Sports Betting Licence<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        (iii) Minimum of 1,500,000 USD for the Route Operations Licence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        (iv) The other classes of licence are issued by the Commission to\norganizations who wish to carry out a Game of Chance for defined period of time\nor purpose. In this case, the required share capital will be determined by the\ntype of Company in question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        See also FAQs\non Requirements, Costs and Timelines for Registering a Company in Ghana<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        WHAT ARE THE\nAPPLICABLE COST TO BE CONSIDERED IN OBTAINING THE LICENCE?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        The applicable cost to\nbe considered in obtaining the Licence are as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        (i.) Cost of Investigations which is to be determined by the Commission\nin conjunction with the investing Agency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        (ii) Incorporation costs\nwhich is dependent on the share capital and the type of licence the company is\nseeking to obtain (See also FAQs\non Requirements, Costs and Timelines for Registering a Company in Ghana<\/a>)<\/em><\/strong>;\nand<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        (iii) Licence fee and\noperational fee. The licence fee and operational fee for the different categories\nof licence are as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n TYPE\n OF FEES\/LEVY<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n AMOUNT\n IN USD<\/strong>\n <\/td><\/tr>
        \n Casino\n <\/td>\n 50,000 or its cedi\n equivalent\n <\/td><\/tr>
        \n Sports Betting\n <\/td>\n 40,000 or its cedi\n equivalent\n <\/td><\/tr>
        \n Route Operations\n <\/td>\n 30,000 or its cedi\n equivalent\n <\/td><\/tr>
        \n Annual Operational Fee\n (CASINO)\n <\/td>\n 60,000 or its cedi equivalent\n <\/td><\/tr>
        \n Annual Operational Fee\n (SPORTS BETTING)\n <\/td>\n 50,000 or its cedi\n equivalent\n <\/td><\/tr>
        \n Annual Operational Fee\n (ROUTE)\n <\/td>\n 5,000 or its cedi\n equivalent\n <\/td><\/tr>
        \n Installation and\n Registration of Roulette Machine\n <\/td>\n 1,000 or its cedi\n equivalent\n <\/td><\/tr>
        \n Installation\/Registration\n of Tables in Casino\n <\/td>\n 1,000 or its cedi\n equivalent\n <\/td><\/tr>
        \n Installation\/Registration\n of Slot Machine Fee\n <\/td>\n 500 or its cedi\n equivalent\n <\/td><\/tr>
        \n Permit Fee for\n Importation of Gambling Machine\n <\/td>\n 500 or its cedi\n equivalent\n <\/td><\/tr>
        \n Registration fee for key\n employers\n <\/td>\n 500 or its equivalent\n <\/td><\/tr>
        \n Annual operational fee\n for key employees\n <\/td>\n 1000 or its equivalent\n <\/td><\/tr>
        \n Registration fee for\n support employees\n <\/td>\n 100 or its equivalent\n <\/td><\/tr>
        \n Annual operational fee\n for support employees\n <\/td>\n 50 or its equivalent\n <\/td><\/tr>
        \n New Branch opening fee\n <\/td>\n 1000 or its equivalent\n <\/td><\/tr>
        \n Annual branch operational\n fee\n <\/td>\n 1000 or its equivalent\n <\/td><\/tr>
        \n Service Charge for\n Promotional Gaming\n <\/td>\n 8% of the total prize of\n the promotion\n <\/td><\/tr>
        \n Bingo Operation\n <\/td>\n 2000 or its equivalent\n <\/td><\/tr>
        \n Administrative fee for\n promotional Gaming\n <\/td>\n 5000 or its equivalent\n <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

        (iv)\nProfessional fees for documentation and processing the incorporation and\nlicensing the gaming licence.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        Gaming business has been active in Ghana since 1960. The number of gamers in Ghana including Casinos, Sports Betting and other Games […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[294,295,275,296,278,297,195,196],"class_list":["post-5259","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-publications","tag-lotterylicence","tag-casino-licence-in-ghana","tag-casino-licence-in-nigeria","tag-gaming-licence-in-ghana","tag-gaming-licence-in-nigera","tag-ghana-gaming-commision","tag-online-sports-betting-licence","tag-sports-betting-licence"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/koriatlaw.com\/2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5259","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/koriatlaw.com\/2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/koriatlaw.com\/2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koriatlaw.com\/2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koriatlaw.com\/2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5259"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/koriatlaw.com\/2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5259\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/koriatlaw.com\/2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5259"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koriatlaw.com\/2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5259"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koriatlaw.com\/2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5259"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}