Curaçao reopening gambling licensing portal

B2C and B2B operators have something to celebrate. The Curacao Gaming Control Board announced it would reopen applications for licence applications on July 15 2024. 

Previously, applications were closed on 30 April which was the deadline for sublicences. The initial deadline of 31 March has been pushed back by close to a month to fix challenges with applications. 

Updates licences are now available to B2C, B2B2C and B2B operators. However, applications submitted before 30 April will still receive priority and new applications will be processed thereafter. 

The Gaming Control Board chose the recent window because it coincides with master licences, which will not be renewed after expiring in August.

Implication of Updated Regulation

The National Ordinance for Games of Chance (LOK) has been in development since September 2023. Master licence expiring in January 2025 will expire automatically when the new regulation takes effect. 

In the meantime, while the LOK is still in parliament, new applications will be processed under the current National Ordinance on Offshore Games of Hazard (NOOGH) legislation. 

At ICE London in February Cedric Pietersz, the GCB managing director, said of the licensing process: “Imagine that you have a sub-licence of a master licence holder, whose licence expires on 31 August. That means if you don’t apply, and it’s 31 March, you can continue operating on your licence.”

“But after 31 August, which is the date of the expiration of your master licence, you will be operating illegally because you don’t have a sub-licence and you don’t have a licence from the Gaming Control Board,” he added. 

The current Curaçao minister of justice Javier Silvania has highlighted that the new regulation will provide a safety net against grey market operators by making gambling operations legitimate. She also told the parliament that the LOK would improve the reputation of the jurisdiction which, unfortunately, has been tied in with money laundering. 

The regulation is expected to take effect later this year. Once in effect, the Curacao Gaming Authority will be in charge of regulating and overseeing licences. 

History of Curacao

Since 1996, Curacao has been a part of the iGaming sector since the introduction of the Netherlands Antilles Online Gambling Ordinance (NOOGH). Once it took effect, it allowed the Ministry of Justice to issue Master Licences which enabled operators to sublicense their services to online gaming platforms.

Curacao’s regulatory flexibility made it a favourite for operators who wanted to capitalise on the expanding online gambling market. This is because it provides fast, low cost and straightforward licensing.