Curacao Gaming Control

ABOUT THE CURACAO GAMING CONTROL BOARD

The GCB is in charge of the regulations regarding the land-based casino industry since founded in 1999. In December 2013 its task was extended by the Curacao Government to include regulation of the entire gaming industry from and in Curacao. Since 2017 the GCB is also in charge of granting, amending, suspending and revoking licenses relating to charitable bingo, lottery and Bon Ku Ne activities.

In February 2019, the GCB is also placed in charge of CFT/AML supervision of the entire gambling industry operating from Curacao, including horse racing. At the same time, the responsibilities of the Curacao Gaming Control Board gets expanded to include not only land-based casinos but the gambling industry as a whole.

Regulatory areas include bingo, the national lottery, land-based casinos, the lottery of goods, Bon Ku Ne and online gambling. In Curacao, online gambling is legalized since the National Ordinance on Offshore Games of Hazard came into force in 1993.

LICENSING REQUIREMENTS

The Curacao Gaming Control Board divides its task into five including licensing, enforcement, collection of fees for licensing, CFT/AML supervision and the promoting of responsible gambling.

Curacao Gaming Control Board Gambling License

In accordance with the Wetboek van Strafrecht or criminal code, offering online casino games or any land-based or online gambling operations without a valid license from or in Curacao is a felony punishable via up to two years imprisonment, a fine of NAf 25,000 or revoking of certain rights.

The licensing process is one of the primary responsibilities of the Curacao Gaming Control Board, also including the prevention of criminal elements infiltration such as financing terrorism or money laundering activities.

Licensing control include regular probity checks through internal tools and assessment to ensure all licensed operators of gambling site regulations part of holding a Curacao jurisdiction gaming license are adhered to. The fit and proper test include testing of master license holders ability of expertise, such as appropriate funding sources and planning to position gambling activities to be success full according to the gambling jurisdictions specifications.

Online Gambling Law Enforcement

The gambling authority of Curacao is responsible for the compliance and enforcement of the regulations and legislations of all casinos holding gambling licenses. Non-compliance relevant to regulations and legislation could result in permanent or temporary revocation of the gambling operators license, fines or sanctions.

The Curacao Gaming Control Board obtains the powers to enforce compliance with regulations and laws until the finalization of the impending process to appoint a unified gambling regulator. This includes the responsibility to collect licensing fees from online casinos and land-based casinos holding a gambling license in accordance with the National Ordinance Casino Sector Curacao.

Online Casino CFT/AML Supervision

The Curacao Gaming Control Board supervises compliance with all regulations and legislations pertaining to the combatting of terrorism financing and anti-money laundering. This includes CFT/AML issues regarding the guidelines and regulations, such as compliance audits, identifying training opportunities and enforcing compliance within the gambling sector.

Any unusual transactions must the reported, this is determined via objective or subjective indicators. The subjective indicators depend on the opinion of the online casino licensed operators. Should this lead to the belief that the circumstances coincide with any of the indicators, reporting of such is mandatory.

Objective indicators rely on the facts, such as the player’s name appearing on lists, while it also includes any transaction that has a value equal to NAf5,000 or more in any currency, regardless of the form of payment. Amongst others, this includes transfers from a bank of Curacao casinos to an international or local bank account. Accepting or releasing funds held in deposit at the player’s request, selling tokens or paying out prize money.

Promoting Responsible Gaming

The Curacao e Gaming Authority or licensing authority also promotes responsible gaming with the main focus on minimising the risks of addiction to gambling or gambling-related harm. This is one of the most important tasks of the GCB works closely together with other organizations aiming to combat gambling addictions such as the FMA.

Self-Exclusion

A self-exclusion program is available to casinos with a Curacao License for problem gamblers, which offers an opportunity to players with gambling problems the opportunity to accept help at land-based casinos in Curacao, or to be included in the FMA and GCB self-exclusion database.

Gambling addiction treatment, counselling and self-exclusion questionnaires are included to prevent short term and long term risks in different languages. Self-exclusion makes it possible to stop gambling for a period of at least 18 months, while it is the duty of Curacao Gaming license holding casinos to take reasonable steps to ensure players stick to their self-exclusion agreement. Although, unlike the UK Gambling Commission and the Malta Gaming Authority, the Curacao gaming control board makes it up to the player to stay within the self-exclusion agreement.

COMPLAINTS AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION

Complaints can only be filed against casinos regulated and licensed by Curacao e gaming, there is confusion in terms of Curacao Anttillephone and Curacao e Gaming, both entitled by the Government of Curacao. These are separate gambling authorities or commissions and the one does not have any authority over the other.

Registering a complaint requires uploading documents after checking the licensing details via the logo displayed on the footer of the casino site. By scrolling down on the verification page of the license players can find the complaints section.