Kahnawake

The Kahnawake Gaming Commission (KGC) was established on 10 June 1996 and has been licensing and regulating online gaming since 8 July 1999. The Commission comprises three members appointed for two-year terms by the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake.

The Commission licenses and regulates interactive gaming, land-based poker rooms and raffles conducted within the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake. Online gaming operators that are licensed by the Commission must be hosted at Mohawk Internet Technologies, a data center located within the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake and managed by Continent 8 Technologies.

The Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake sits on 20 square miles near Montréal. It is its own sovereign nation.

The Kahnawake regulate all forms of online gaming, including casinos, poker, sports betting and bingo.

Like most jurisdictions, the Kahnawake must deem applicants and key personnel suitable for operating an online gaming business. In addition, software must be tested by either Technical Systems Testing, iTech Labs or Gaming Associates and audited annually by either eCOGRA, Technical Systems Testing, iTech Labs or Gaming Associates.

The KGC enforces strict anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CTF) rules, and all licensees must comply with comprehensive responsible gambling, fairness, and transparency standards. The KGC oversees two primary categories of licences: those for interactive (online) gaming and those for land-based gaming.

The Kahnawake also work with other jurisdictions, sharing information on licensees and trying to streamline the regulatory process. They have signed Memoranda of Understanding with Malta (2006) and Gibraltar (2010), and their MOU with Antigua and Barbuda allows for interjurisdiction licensing. The jurisdiction in which the operator holds its primary license is responsible for overseeing the operator's activities in both jurisdictions.

In February 2015, the Kahnawake Gaming Commission began allowing online operators to operate in multiple jurisdictions without applying for multiple licenses. Operators only have to prove that they have a license from a primary jurisdiction that itself has been subjected to in-depth inspection.

In September 2016, the KGC ruled that gaming sites based in Kahnawake will no longer be able to provide access to players located in the U.S. as a result of litigation with the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement. This restriction remains in effect as of 2025.

Kahnawake’s regulatory framework is recognized for its 0% corporate tax on gross gaming revenues and absence of additional gaming taxes, making it attractive for operator.