Transformative Gambling Bill in Curaçao: A Milestone in Regulation and Control

Curaçao’s gambling landscape is on the brink of transformation!

A pivotal bill, promising to redefine the rules of the game in the gambling industry, has been tabled in parliament.

Imagine a regulated, transparent, and more accountable gaming environment in Curaçao.

Keep reading to uncover the essential milestones of this historic legislation and its profound impact on operators and players alike.

The Curaçao gambling regulation bill, a significant legal proposition, has been presented to the country’s parliament. This bill seeks to restructure the operational dynamics of gambling within the nation.

The Ministry of Finance has issued vital notifications to current licence holders under the existing law, NOOGH. These communications outline crucial milestones to ensure a smooth transition to the new legislative framework, the National Ordinance for Games of Chance (LOK).

A major overhaul is in the works with the introduction of the LOK, set to revolutionize gambling regulation in the region. This re-regulation will include changes to existing licence types and fee structures for operators.

A notable update pertains to the Prospective Renewal of Current Gaming Licences (Master Licensees). Going forward, no new extensions or renewals of Master Licenses will be granted. Master Licensors will be able to operate and allow sublicensees to do so until the current renewals expire or when the LOK is enforced, whichever is earlier.

Upon the enactment of the LOK, or when less than 12 weeks of the current renewal remain, Master Licensors must promptly inform the GCB about the contracted sub-licences.

Post this period, Master Licensors aiming to continue operations must wait for the LOK implementation and apply for a new licence.

What are the milestones?

1. Registration of sub-licences on the Curaçao Gaming Control Board (GCB) portal and subsequent applications for a direct licence under the current legislation will cease after 31 March 2024.
2. The portal, operational since 1 September, facilitates new applications and licensee registrations.
3. Unregistered sub-licensees, as of 31 March, will not be permitted to operate.

Transition to the new framework, or “grandfathering,” will apply only to direct licence holders under the NOOGH as of 31 March.

Operators not applying for a direct licence from the GCB before the deadline can operate under their sub-licence until the master licence expires or when the LOK becomes effective, whichever is sooner.

Additionally, the GCB has renewed all gambling licences in Curaçao. These renewals will end between August 2024 and January 2025.

From 1 January 2024, licence holders are allowed to display a Digital Seal on their websites, a mark of legitimacy issued by the GCB.

The journey to this regulatory milestone began in July 2022, with the Dutch government noting Curaçao’s “new schedule” for reform in January. At iGB L!VE, Sixiènne Jansen, a legal advisor to Curaçao’s ministry of finance, elaborated on the new regulatory timeline. Javier Silvania, the minister of finance, highlighted the LOK’s importance in avoiding grey-listing by the Financial Action Task Force.