The Curaçao Gaming Authority (CGA) has said that some gambling operators nearing the end of their second provisional licence period will be allowed to continue operating while regulatory reviews are still ongoing. In a statement dated 23 December, the CGA said it has not yet made a final decision on whether to grant permanent licences to some operators whose provisional licences are close to expiring.

The CGA explained that the delay is due to the large amount of information it has received and the time needed to properly review it. “Given the high amount of information collected from the operators and the time needed for proper vetting thereof, the CGA has not yet reached a final decision on the indefinite license for a group of operators which expiry date of 2nd period of provisional license is nearby,” the authority said.

Provisional Licence Rules

Under the Landsverordening op de Kansspelen (LOK), the Curaçao Gaming Authority (CGA) can give a provisional licence that lasts for six months. This licence can be extended for another six months to allow the operator more time to meet all licensing requirements.

After this second provisional period, the CGA must decide whether to grant a permanent licence. This decision is made using the rules listed in Article 2.2, paragraph 2 of the LOK.

Current Status Remains Unchanged

The CGA said that operators currently being reviewed will not see any change in their licence status while the assessment continues. “The CGA assessment for this group is still in progress, and no final decision has been made at this stage,” the regulator said and added that, “until a final decision is rendered and communicated to the operator, the current status remains unaffected.”

The authority also said that each operator will be officially informed. This update is important for many offshore operators in Curaçao who are moving from the old licensing system to the new LOK rules.

Curaçao’s Role in Offshore Gambling

Curaçao has been an important centre for online gambling for many years. As part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the island is known for offshore business, helped by a strong services sector and friendly tax rules. Along with tourism, oil refining, logistics and financial services, online gambling has been a major part of Curaçao’s economy for over 30 years.

Curaçao began regulating gambling in 1993 and started issuing licences in 1996 under a system that had master licences and sub-licences. Master licences were issued for five years by the Ministry of Justice and allowed holders to operate gambling services and grant sub-licences to other companies, while sub-licences remained valid as long as the master licence was active. Although many companies were allowed to apply, only four master licences were ever issued.