Key Person Licence

A personal authorisation required for individuals who hold designated key roles or significant control within a licensed gambling operator.

Definition

A key person licence is a personal-level authorisation that regulators require for individuals occupying designated key functions within a licensee, such as the CEO, finance, compliance, AML, or those with significant ownership or control. The regulator assesses the individual's competence, integrity and financial soundness before approving them, and the licensee must keep the regulator informed of changes to who holds these roles. The mechanism ensures that the people actually running and controlling a gambling business, not just the corporate entity, are vetted and accountable. The precise label and list of covered roles differ between regimes.

Worked example

Before an operator can appoint a new head of AML in a jurisdiction that requires it, the individual must be assessed and approved by the regulator as a fit and proper key person.

Why it matters

For learners it shows regulation reaches individuals, not only companies. For professionals, key-person requirements make personnel changes a regulated event with notification and approval obligations.

Related

Note: Terminology and the exact set of covered roles vary by regulator; some use 'key function' or 'key person', others 'personal licence'.