WILLEMSTAD - By the end of 2022, the reform of the gambling policy in Curaçao must be fully completed. Then the Curaçao Gaming Control Board must be replaced by the Curaçao Gaming Authority. This is stated in a publication of the Caribbean Agency for Reform and Development (COHO).
Last week the Caribbean Body for Reform and Development published its summary Modernization of games of chance in Curaçao. The short document contains few details about the actual implementation of the reform. It mainly serves as a handle for the process, which consists of the following four steps. Those steps are defined in the summary as follows:
Drafting and adopting National Ordinance on Games of Chance 2021 (LOK 2021) (regulation)
Drafting and adopting National Decrees containing general measures (LB h.a.m.) for the implementation of the LOK (policy)
Institution of the Curaçao Gaming Authority instead of the Gaming Control Board in accordance with the LOK 2021
The implementation of LOK 2021
The National Ordinance on Games of Chance has now been drawn up and is awaiting approval from Parliament. As far as is known, the other steps have not yet been taken.
There is, however, a timeline, because the summary of the Caribbean Body for Reform and Development concludes with a schedule. The entire project should be completed in the fourth quarter of 2022.
The reform of the gambling policy in Curaçao is mainly being shaped by a new supervisor on online games of chance. This new body, the Curaçao Gaming Authority, must ensure that there is more control over license holders and that more tax money is collected. Now the Gaming Control Board in Curaçao still supervises online games of chance.
In Curaçao you have a small group of master licensees who provide thousands of sub-licenses. The best-known of these, Curaçao eGaming from the company Cyberluck, announced a new code of conduct earlier this year that should put a stop to sham constructions.
Reform of the gambling policy has been in development for years. Especially from the Netherlands there is pressure on the Caribbean island in that area, because many illegally operating online casinos have their license there. In 2020, reform of the gambling policy was made a condition for corona support from the Netherlands.
Last year, after an article by Follow the Money about the illegal casinos with a license from the island, the discussion flared up again. After parliamentary questions from the SP, Minister Dekker promised measures. The Dutch Gaming Authority, including in talks with CasinoNieuws.nl, has also been pushing for reform of the gambling policy in Curaçao for years.