When people think of gambling regulation they picture the casino or betting brand a player signs up with. Behind that brand sits a supply chain. One company may build the slot game, another may run the account and wallet platform, a third may stream live-dealer tables, and a fourth may set odds. If any of them manipulates outcomes, mishandles data or serves illegal markets, the operator’s licence alone cannot protect players. That is why a growing number of regulators license business-to-business (B2B) suppliers directly. For a broader view of how markets are structured, see gambling licensing models.
What counts as a “supplier”?
Definitions vary, but most regimes focus on “critical” supply: anything that determines the outcome of a game or the integrity of player funds and data. Typically that includes:
- Game developers and aggregators, covering slot and table-game content and RNG software
- Remote gaming platforms, covering player accounts, wallets, game integration and reporting
- Live casino studios, meaning real dealers streamed to operators
- Sportsbook technology, covering odds feeds, trading and risk management
- Hosting and data providers, where they control regulated systems
Payment processors, KYC vendors and marketing affiliates are often regulated differently, or only through the operator’s contractual obligations.
How key jurisdictions approach it
| Jurisdiction | Supplier regime | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Gambling software operating licence; host licences in some cases | Anyone who makes, supplies, installs or adapts gambling software for use in Great Britain needs a licence |
| Sweden | Separate licence for manufacturing, supplying, installing or modifying gaming software | Mandatory since 1 July 2023; licensed operators may only use licensed suppliers |
| Malta | B2B “critical gaming supply” licence from the Malta Gaming Authority | Malta is a major base for platform providers and studios |
| Canada (Ontario) | AGCO registration of gaming-related suppliers | Applies to suppliers to iGaming Ontario’s operators, and to some marketing affiliates |
| United States | State-level supplier or vendor licences | Varies by state; New Jersey and Pennsylvania run detailed vendor licensing |
| Italy, Spain, Denmark | Mainly certification of systems and games rather than a standalone supplier licence | Testing by accredited laboratories, technical approval by the regulator |
| Brazil | Technical certification of systems and games by accredited test labs | Introduced with the federal market launch in 2025 |
Two regulatory philosophies
1. Licensing the company. The UK, Sweden, Malta, Ontario and US states look at who runs the supplier. They check ownership, financial standing, criminal records and compliance systems, and attach ongoing duties such as reporting and change notifications. This gives the regulator direct leverage: it can fine, suspend or revoke the supplier’s licence.
2. Certifying the product. Many European regulators concentrate on the product. A game or platform must be tested by an approved laboratory against technical standards (RNG quality, correct return-to-player, game rules, logging) before an operator may use it. The regulator controls the supplier only indirectly, through the operator.
Many markets now combine both approaches. A licensed supplier must still submit each new game for testing.
Why supplier licensing has grown
The black market
Unlicensed gambling sites cannot easily build their own games. If the major studios and platforms are licensed in regulated markets, regulators can make it a licence condition not to supply unlicensed operators targeting their residents. Sweden’s 2023 supplier licence was explicitly framed as a channelisation tool. For more on enforcement, see payment blocking and ISP blocking.
Game design and harm
Supplier regulation is also how game-design rules are enforced. The UK’s online slot stake limits (£5 per spin, £2 for 18–24-year-olds since 2025) and Germany’s €1 slot stake cap with a five-second minimum spin time depend on suppliers building compliant versions of their games. See stake and deposit limits by law and our explainer on near-misses and game design.
Integrity and money laundering
Platform providers handle player wallets and transaction data. Regulators want assurance that these systems produce reliable records for anti-money laundering monitoring and tax reporting.
The cost of compliance
For suppliers, multiple licences mean multiple fees, audits and reporting regimes. A studio active in a dozen regulated markets may maintain a dozen versions of the same game to meet local rules on stake limits, spin speed, autoplay and RTP display.
Practical obligations for licensed suppliers
The details vary, but suppliers typically must:
- Hold games and systems to published technical standards, and re-test after material changes
- Notify the regulator of changes in ownership or key personnel
- Keep version control and audit trails showing exactly which game build is live
- Not supply operators that are unlicensed in the market concerned, where that is a licence condition
- Cooperate with investigations and provide data on request
What this means for players
Supplier licensing works in the background, but it underpins the claim that a regulated game is fair. If a game says its return to player (RTP) is 96%, testing and supplier oversight are what make that figure credible. Our guide to RTP explained covers what the figure does and does not mean. RTP is a long-run average and never a prediction of any one session.
For businesses, supplier licensing adds cost and time to market entry. It is now a standard part of planning, covered in our business section. Companies should take jurisdiction-specific legal advice before supplying any new market.
Frequently asked questions
What is a B2B gambling supplier?
A business that provides products or services to gambling operators rather than to players. Examples are game studios, remote gaming platforms, live-dealer studios, sportsbook odds and risk-management providers, and random number generator technology.
Does supplier licensing matter to players?
Indirectly, yes. It helps ensure that the games you play have been tested, that return-to-player figures are accurate, and that the companies behind the software have been vetted.
Do payment providers and affiliates need gambling licences?
It depends on the jurisdiction. Payment firms are usually regulated under financial-services law. Some US states and Ontario require affiliates or marketing suppliers to register with the gambling regulator.
Important: This article is general information, not legal, financial or medical advice. Rules change — always confirm with the relevant regulator. If gambling is causing you harm, free support is available.