The parliament of Curaçao is now considering a bill that would change gaming regulations in the jurisdiction, a Dutch island in the southern Caribbean.
According to iGaming Business, the island’s Ministry of Finance has notified current licensees of the potential changes, to be overseen by the incoming National Ordinance for Games of Chance (LOK).
As part of the new regulations, master licenses will no longer be extended or renewed; license-holders must apply for new licenses. In addition, after March 31, 2024, license-holders and sub-license-holders will no longer be able to register on the website of the Curaçao Gaming Control Board (GCB). That portal processes new applications under the existing legislation and also registers licensees.
Operators that have not applied for a direct license before March 31 may continue to operate under their sub-license until the master license expires or when the LOK is enacted, whichever comes first. Sub-licensees will then need to reapply for new licenses. Meanwhile, the GCB has renewed all gambling licenses in the market.
Also, starting in January, license-holders can display the GCB’s digital seal on their websites.
The changes were first announced in July 2022, and in January, the Dutch government announced that Curaçao was working on a “new schedule” in the interest of reform.
Minister of Finance Javier Silvania has spoken out in support of the new framework, calling it a “safety net” that would keep the jurisdiction off the grey list of corruption watchdog the Financial Action Task Force.
