WILLEMSTAD - The Curaçao gambling sector seems to be in panic by publications in the media about the (first) results of the investigation of the journalistic research platform in Investico into the sector's illegal or non-illegal practices.
In a press release, the Curaçao Online Gaming Association (COGA) accuses the researchers of character assassination, emphasizing that it is Dutch journalists. “There are so many inaccuracies in the publications that there is no start to name them all. The publications are one-sided, tendentious, grievous, and cause great damage to the reputation of the online gaming sector but also to Curaçao in general,” said the interest group.
Investico is, just like Follow the Money, which previously reported about the Curaçao "Gokmafia", highly regarded because of the many revelations about abuses in, among others, the financial world. Media in Curaçao do not have a budget for investigative journalism if they would like to, because some are more mouthpieces than a critical follower of the gambling sector.
However, that Curaçao Master Licensors, Trust offices, accountants, and lawyers facilitate criminal organizations to launch out winnings from drugs, arms, and human trafficking through online casinos has been known for some time, but the Investico researchers have now demonstrated that the sector can count on active help from the government. There is nothing to fear from the Public Prosecution in Willemstad, which says the matter is "too complex".
Incidentally, there is also an indignation response in the Netherlands, when it became clear that a secretly introduced change in tax legislation has led to the letterbox firms established on Curaçao not paying taxes since 2020.