Gibraltar Grants First Prediction-Market License

Gibraltar issued its first prediction-market license in April to Predictstreet and expects additional authorizations, with a second license likely to be announced within weeks, Justice Minister Nigel Feetham told the Consensus 2026 conference in South Beach, Fla.

Predictstreet has been named an official FIFA World Cup prediction market. Feetham made the licensing remarks while promoting Gibraltar as a base for peer-to-peer prediction exchanges and said other operators have already expressed interest in obtaining Gibraltar authorization.

Gibraltar offers a 1% gambling tax that is capped at £425,000 and does not charge VAT on marketing or gambling services. Officials note that about 80% of bets placed in the United Kingdom are processed by servers in Gibraltar. Long-established operators with a presence in the territory include bet365, William Hill, Ladbrokes, Entain and Flutter Entertainment.

Feetham cautioned that a Gibraltar license does not automatically grant legal access to every European market, particularly after the UK left the EU, but he said the license can provide credibility that helps firms seek approvals elsewhere.

Regulatory scrutiny of Gibraltar has eased in recent years. The Financial Action Task Force removed Gibraltar from its gray list in 2024, and Gibraltar was removed from an EU gray-list designation in 2025 after reforms. As of late 2025, 54 operators were doing business from Gibraltar.

Under the Gambling Act of 2025, which took effect this year, existing licensees must reapply by October 2026 and demonstrate compliance with stricter rules covering marketing, affiliate relationships, anti-money-laundering controls and other operational areas.

Prediction markets remain a regulatory gray area in parts of Europe and are a contested subject in the United States. Feetham said Gibraltar will pursue a cautious licensing approach, approving platforms that meet regulatory and anti-money-laundering standards. He added, “We would rather have quality over numbers.”

Gibraltar’s economy, with roughly 34,000 residents, depends heavily on gambling and related services; the industry produces nearly a third of the territory’s tax revenue. Feetham indicated the government will continue to evaluate applications carefully to preserve regulatory standards.