e-Management Group corporate services

e-Management Group (EM Group) does not make software. It handles the work around a gaming licence: setting up the company, applying for the licence and keeping both in good standing afterwards. The firm has worked in Curacao since that jurisdiction's early days as an iGaming hub, expanded to Malta in 2014, and also has offices in the Netherlands and Cyprus. Its commercial director is Arran McCarthy.

Curacao has reformed its licensing system. The old model, in which a handful of master licence holders issued sub-licences, has been replaced by direct licences issued by the Curacao Gaming Authority. Operators who held sub-licences had to reapply, and the new process asks for more than before: proper vetting of owners, AML and KYC procedures aligned with FATF guidance, and mandatory responsible gambling frameworks. Substance requirements also mean an operator needs a real local footprint, which is where office space and local staff come in.

EM Group presents the reform as a step that answers long-standing criticism of international licences and brings Curacao closer to global standards. That is a fair reading, and it cuts both ways: a Curacao licence now costs more effort to obtain and keep, even though it is still lighter than a Malta Gaming Authority licence.

• Licence applications are handled for B2C and B2B operators.
• Company formation, registered address and company secretarial work are covered.
• Bookkeeping and tax compliance are part of the service.
• The firm makes banking introductions.
• Employment and payroll can be outsourced to it.
• Physical office space is available, including its Livestrong Offices in Willemstad for operators that need real presence on the island.

The Malta licence is the other route. It gives access to European markets that accept MGA approval and carries institutional weight with payment providers and B2B partners. It also brings higher capital, staffing and reporting obligations, so an operator choosing between the two should model the full annual cost of compliance, not only the application fee.

B2C and B2B operators applying for, or reapplying for, a Curacao licence under the new system, and those weighing Curacao against Malta.

• Can you get a fixed scope and fee per stage of the licence process, given that corporate service costs add up quietly over the years?
• Who is responsible for which filing, given that the firm can prepare documents and maintain records but the licence holder carries responsibility for its own compliance?
• What relationships does the firm have with banks and payment providers, given that for a new licence holder opening accounts is often the slowest step of all?