What Gibraltar’s New Gambling Act Coming Into Effect Means For Players

On October 1, the Gambling Act 2025 officially replaced the legislation Gibraltar has had for the past 20 years. New licensing requirements, stricter regulatory oversight and new responsibilities for operators lie ahead in the 6-month transitional period. This doesn’t just affect local casino and sports betting brands. Operators licensed in Gibraltar have had the best of both worlds until now, with access to both the UK and access to much of Europe. That is all set to change.

The laws were a long time in the works, with Gibraltar outside the EU since Brexit. The new Act will not grant Gibraltar licensed operators single market rights to Europe, though Gibraltar will remain one of Europe’s “Tier 1” regulatory jurisdictions, alongside the UK, Malta and the Isle of Man. Yet the changes are going to bring new challenges to Gibraltar’s licensed brands, including the likes of 888 Holdings, bet365 and BetVictor.

October 1 New Legislation Start Date

The new Act was published in June, with a starting date of October 1st. From October, the six month transitional period opened, in which regulators will review existing licenses, pending applications and check all submissions. It will have to comply to the updates before re-issuing or updating gambling licenses. This means:

• Existing licences: Operators currently licensed under the 2005 Act can continue to operate, but they will be required to re-apply for licences under the new Act before the deadline.
• Pending applications: Any applications that were still in progress under the 2005 Act will be automatically assessed under the new criteria. This means operators that filed early may face additional information requests or compliance reviews to align with the updated rules.
• Regulatory Oversight: The Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner will review all submissions and ensure applicants meet the updated substance, AML, and consumer protection standards before re-issuing licences.

While legacy permissions will carry on until April 2026, this timeframe has been given for operators to get their products in order to meet the new regulations. Either they follow suit and apply for the new licenses before the soft launch finishes, or they will have to leave the Gibraltar market. No brands have formally announced they will exit or change their base of operation, but in the next 6 months anything can happen.

Key Changes in Gibraltar’s New Gambling Legislation

Gibraltar’s gambling legislation was in dire need of renewal, the new Act took the country off Europe’s high risk third country list. The laws

• Market Access: EU access is not offered by default, meaning operators will need to work on obtaining local licenses in each EU state to offer their gaming products
• Scope of Regulation: In 2005, the focus was on B2C operators (casinos and sportsbooks). Now, the regulation has extended to include B2B suppliers, affiliates and support services as well
• Substance Requirements: The 2005 prerequisites for operators have been adjusted to require local staff, infrastructure and compliant offices
• Player Protection: The original laws had more relaxed player protection initiatives, but the 2025 Act has a far more comprehensive set of requirements regarding responsible gambling and player protection

Political Tensions and EU Market Access

Gibraltar’s laws did not stop locally licensed companies from accessing the EU market. The right to single marketing passport rights was revoked following Brexit, but the new laws have not restored them or found a seamless solution to reinstate limited market rights. While it was not a surprising development, it is frustrating for international brands that are based in Gibraltar. They will still be able to serve their sports betting, slots, table games and other gaming products in the UK market, but they will have to obtain licensure elsewhere to crack Europe.

In Europe, the gambling laws have tightened considerably in the past few years, and the gray market of internationally based licensed operators is becoming more difficult to operate out of. More regulators are pushing to have locally licensed operators, or are just making the requirements overly complex for licensees with general EU access.

The Spanish DGOJ, Dutch KSA, France’s ANJ and Germany’s GGL are just a few of the markets that are becoming increasingly difficult to access without local licenses. There are still countries that accept EU-compliant online casinos and sportsbooks, but they are thinning.

Gibraltar will remain one of the Tier 1 gambling licenses, alongside the likes of:

• Malta MGA
• Isle of Man GSC
• UKGC
• New Jersey DGE

And their licensees will still be recognized in many countries across the world. But Europe will be a tricky one, and some of Gibraltar’s bigger brands will now have pulled out of Europe, with hopes of either securing more licensure, or perhaps rebasing their operations.

Biggest Brands that Hold Gibraltar Licenses

Gibraltar is home to some of the biggest operators and companies that run multiple brands. These will be directly hit by the new legislation, but some have multiple licensure, so they will still be able to serve gamers in Europe.

• Entain Group (Ladbrokes, Coral, bwin, PartyCasino)
• 888 Holdings (William Hill, 888Casino, Mr Green)
• Bet365
• BetVictor

These companies will now need to adapt their operations, ensure compliance with substance rules, and in some cases expand their local Gibraltar workforce to meet the Act’s standards. Legacy licenses will remain in place until the April 2026 deadline, by which time operators need to become compliant and apply for new licensure. Any pending licenses will be reviewed, and operators will need to meet the compliance standards of the 2025 Act.

What it Means for Players

For the time being, it doesn’t really mean any quick or major changes for players. Licensed operators will continue to provide their sports bets, slots, table games and other offerings, and service will resume. However, in the longer run there will be stronger player protection rolled out, with more responsible gambling controls and AML to ensure the licensed brands are safer.

Perhaps the only major changes that players will feel are that some brands may exit Gibraltar if they cannot live up to the new standards, or find an alternative gambling jurisdiction where they can re-enter Europe and retain the benefits of the previous, more relaxed, laws of Gibraltar. Bigger brands are not likely to jump ship, but stay put in Gibraltar, especially as it has reclaimed its Tier-1 status after it was pulled from the high risk list.

As Gibraltar becomes a more selective licensing hub, it will no doubt keep its status among gambling regulators, and continue to be one of the best and most respected authorities in the iGaming market.