Does a B2B supplier need a licence if its customers are all licensed?

In many regimes, yes. Operators are usually required to use licensed suppliers, and suppliers of critical components are licensed in their own right. The rules differ, so check before you assume.

Which is harder to get?

Neither is easy. The scrutiny differs: B2C focuses on player protection and the operator's finances, B2B on the integrity and security of what you supply. A complete, consistent file matters in both.

Can I change category later?

You can usually apply for an additional category or an extension, but it is a new process with its own checks. It is cheaper to plan for the products you will add than to re-apply.

Guide

B2C or B2B: which gambling licence do you need?

The category you apply under decides the application you file, the fees you pay and the scrutiny you receive. Here is how to decide.

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The difference in one paragraph

A B2C licence is for businesses that offer games or betting directly to players. A B2B licence is for businesses that supply platforms, games or services to licensed operators. Groups that do both hold both. The names differ between regulators and the categories inside them differ too, but the dividing line is the same everywhere: who is your customer?

B2C and B2B at a glance

Topic	B2C	B2B
Who it is for	Operators who offer games or betting directly to players	Suppliers of platforms, games or services to licensed operators
Examples	Online casinos, sportsbooks, poker and bingo operators	Game developers, platform providers, back-office and other critical supply
Whose customer is the player?	Yours	Your operator customer's
Where the scrutiny falls	Player protection, AML, fair games and the financial standing of the operator	Integrity and security of what you supply, and the operators you supply
Malta, indicative annual fees	From €5,000 to €25,000 minimum, depending on type	From €25,000 minimum

Indicative and for orientation; fees are those of the Malta Gaming Authority and the current fee schedule applies.

How to decide

Do you take bets or run games for players directly, under your own brand? You need a B2C licence.
Do you only supply software, platforms or services to operators who hold their own licences? You need a B2B licence.
Do you do both, in the same group? Plan for both licences and for keeping the two activities clearly separated.
Do you run a brand on someone else's platform? In most regimes the player-facing brand is the B2C operator, even if the platform provider holds a B2B licence. Confirm this for your jurisdiction before you commit.

Categories inside B2C

B2C is not one thing. Malta, for example, licenses business-to-consumer activity in four types depending on what you offer: games of chance, betting on external events, games between players, and controlled skill games. Which type you need decides the fee and the checks. The full table, with indicative fees, is in our guide on what an online gambling licence costs.

Mistakes we see

Assuming a supplier needs no licence because it never touches a player.
Supplying a B2C operator that is not licensed in the market it serves.
Choosing a licence type that does not cover a product you plan to add later.
Mixing B2C and B2B activities in one entity without a clear structure.

Questions about licence types

Often yes, but regulators look closely at how the two activities are separated. Many groups use separate entities for each. We advise on the structure that works for your jurisdiction.

Keep reading

Guide

Not sure which licence you need?

A short call is usually enough to tell you where your plan stands and what the sensible next step is.

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