After the Curaçao Gaming Control Board (GCB) said on July 15 that its online license portal would reopen, the number of operators looking to get into the lucrative gaming sector has increased significantly. Cedric Pietersz, managing director of the GCB, disclosed that in order to meet the rapidly increasing demand, the regulator is now improving its licensing procedures.
Pietersz revealed to iGB last month that 740 applications for online gambling were submitted to the GCB in the first half of the year, before the application window closed in April. Within the next two months, the agency anticipates receiving 300 more applications after the portal reopens.
To manage this influx, Pietersz acknowledged that the board must upgrade its current infrastructure. The GCB, which oversees both land-based and online gambling activities, including lotteries and charity bingo, needs to improve its internal processes and resources. Currently, the board processes around 10 applications per week but aims to increase this capacity to between 20 and 30 applications.
Challenges and Delays Under New Framework
The transition to the new National Ordinance for Games of Chance, which began in September 2023 and is expected to be fully implemented by the fourth quarter, has also contributed to delays. Pietersz noted that while the shift to the new regime was intended to be swift and effective, the reality of managing numerous stakeholders has introduced complexities.
The new licensing framework, accompanied by a detailed nine-page guideline, has caused some confusion among applicants, particularly with the expiration of existing master licenses on August 31. Pietersz pointed out that many applications received so far have been of “suboptimal” quality, with incomplete documentation being a major issue.
To address these challenges, the GCB plans to enhance communication with applicants and expedite the review process. Additionally, the introduction of a new enforcement function aims to improve Curaçao’s reputation by penalizing unlicensed operators, thus reducing the attractiveness of the market to gray operators. The GCB retains the authority to escalate and revoke licenses from non-compliant operators, ensuring a more regulated and reputable gambling environment.
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