The gambling market in Estonia
Investors who decide to perform
gambling activities in Estonia deal with a market that is currently developing and presenting new opportunities. The country did not have any
gambling activities during the time in which it was part of the Soviet Union. These types of activities began to flourish starting with 1994-1995.
Estonia has gambling rooms and casinos as well as online gambling sites which are rapidly developing. This last type of gambling has only been legalized since 2010. Estonia has an Association of Gambling Operators and any company registered in the country that activates in this field and has valid licenses can join the Association.
The gambling legislation in Estonia
The
Estonian Gambling Act and the
Gambling Tax Act are two legislative documents used to regulate the
gambling industry in the country. They were preceded by other laws like the Lotteries Act. The
Gambling Tax Act regulates the
Estonian taxes imposed on those who organize
gambling activities.
The gambling tax in Estonia is imposed on:
- gambling tables and machines;
- amounts received from the sale of lottery tickets;
- winning pots if the value of the pots exceeds 10.000 euros;
- different types of amounts received as participation feeds or stakes in games of chance or skill.
Gambling operators in Estonia are subject to the same taxation principles and they must submit gambling tax returns. Our company formation specialists in Estonia can help you submit these necessary tax returns to the Tax and Customs Board.
Licenses for performing gambling activities in Estonia
In order to
open a company in Estonia that operates in the
gambling field, the investor needs to obtain a
gambling licence. This is mandatory both for companies incorporated in Estonia as well as for
branches or subsidiaries of EU or non-EU companies. The necessary licenses are the
activity license and the
operating license. The Tax and Customs Board in Estonia is the authority that receives the applications for these types of licenses.