Curaçao Reopens Online Gambling Licensing Portal

The Curaçao Gaming Control Board (GCB) has announced the reopening of its online portal for B2C and B2B license applications starting July 15, 2024. This move follows the closure of the previous application window on April 30, 2024, which was the final deadline for submitting sublicense applications after an extension from the original deadline (pdf) of March 31, 2024, to address application issues.

Revised Application Process

The GCB has stated that while new applications are now welcome, those submitted before the April 30 deadline will remain the priority. This means that the processing of new applications will commence only after all existing filings have been handled. This prioritization is crucial as a backlog of applications had built up during the previous window.

Master Licenses and New Regulatory Framework

This latest reopening of the application window coincides with the expiration of many master licenses in August, which will not be renewed. Furthermore, master licenses set to expire in January 2025 will automatically lapse on the day the new regulatory framework, known as the National Ordinance for Games of Chance (LOK), comes into force. The LOK, in development since September 2023, aims to modernize and strengthen the regulatory environment for gaming in Curaçao.

Until the LOK is enacted, applications will be processed under the current National Ordinance on Offshore Games of Hazard (NOOGH) legislation. The LOK is anticipated to be implemented later this year, at which point the Curaçao Gaming Authority (CGA) will assume the role of regulator and oversee the issuance of licenses.

Application Guidelines and Changes

In March, the GCB published a nine-page document outlining the guidelines for license applications, which includes minor updates for the new window. One notable change is that the portal no longer requires an authorization letter. Applicants must ensure that their details are accurately ed, and the GCB retains the right to conduct due diligence on the portal s.

Ministerial and Future Outlook

Curaçao’s Minister of Justice, Javier Silvania, has highlighted the potential of the LOK to act as a safeguard against grey market operators and enhance the jurisdiction’s reputation, which has faced scrutiny for issues related to money laundering. The LOK is expected to provide a more robust regulatory framework that s legitimate gaming operations and curbs illegal activities.

Silvania also emphasized the importance of this regulatory overhaul in a recent statement to the Curaçao parliament, noting that the LOK would help to rebuild trust in the jurisdiction’s gaming sector.

As the GCB works diligently to process all licenses as quickly as possible, operators holding sub-licenses under expiring master licenses will need to secure new licenses to continue operations legally. The GCB has also introduced the concept of a “Certificate of Operation” as a temporary measure for those with applications in progress but not yet completed.

The reopening of the GCB portal marks a significant step in Curaçao’s ongoing efforts to modernize its gaming regulatory framework and ensure a well-regulated and transparent environment for gaming operators and players alike.

Source:

REOPENING OF THE GCB ONLINE PORTAL FOR APPLICATIONS (pdf), Curacao Gaming Control Board, July 11, 2024.