Costa Rica

Company Incorporation

Step 1. Initial Consultation

A company incorporation process begins with a consultation. Our goal is to understand the unique specifics of your iGaming project and your long-term business goals. 

We analyze key factors that are crucial to your success, such as your planned platform type, whether it is an online casino, sportsbook, or poker room, your target audience, and your financial goals.

This detailed analysis is what allows us to advise you on the most suitable legal structure and jurisdiction for your company. This crucial initial step will directly determine your company’s liability protections, tax benefits, and overall future growth opportunities.

This is a usual part of our work. We search for a solution that will work for you, regardless of the jurisdiction you plan to set up a company in.

Step 2. Preparing Documents

Once the legal structure is chosen, we move to the next mandatory step: preparing all the necessary documents. That is where our team supports you, from filling out forms to ensuring that the documents meet Costa Rican legal standards. 

The usual set of documents include copies of passports or IDs for all shareholders and directors, a notarized power of attorney, if you will not be in the country to sign the documents yourself, confirmation of the company’s share capital if needed, designated official email address for the company. 

As of a recent legal reform, new companies are no longer required to have a legal corporate name. Instead, your company will be officially identified by a unique legal identification number (Cédula Jurídica), which is assigned automatically upon registration. 

Step 3. Get Your Final Documents and Launch

With all documents finalized and notarized, MGL handles the official and final step of your company’s incorporation: registration with the National Registry of Costa Rica. 

Our team takes full responsibility for managing the entire registration process. This includes submitting all the legally required paperwork, paying all government fees, and managing any communication and follow-up with the Registry on your behalf. The registration process is typically complete in just 1–3 business days. 

Our speed is a direct result of our streamlined work, which includes an average reply time of only 30 minutes.

However, our service does not end with the identification number. To ensure your company is fully operational, we assist you with the post-incorporation steps. This includes registering your company with the General Tax Office to comply with all tax obligations and with the Social Insurance Fund of Costa Rica to comply with the local labor laws.

In Costa Rica, there are two of the most common types of entities: Sociedad Anónima and Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada. While the majority of iGaming companies, registered in Costa Rica, choose them, there are other, less frequently used types, such as partnership and sole proprietorships.  

Sociedad Anónima (SA)

The Sociedad Anónima or the SA is similar to a public limited company. This type of entity is a good choice for bigger businesses, especially if you plan to have multiple investors and sell shares. But there is no established minimum share capital. 

The SA company is managed by at least two shareholders and a Board of Directors, including a President, Secretary, and Treasurer, who may be foreigners. Since it is a local type of a PLC, personal assets of shareholders and directors are protected. 

Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada (SRL)

For startups and mid-size businesses, the Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada (SRL) might be a better fit.

The SRL operates as Costa Rica's version of a Limited Liability Company, requiring at least two partners. Their ownership is divided into quotas, not shares. These quotas are harder to sell or transfer without the other partner’s approval.  

Just like a SA, a SRL provides the same liability protection. This means your liability is limited to the amount you invested.