WILLEMSTAD - The Gaming Control Board (GCB) has granted 107 licenses to casinos operating in the online gambling sector, Finance Minister Javier Silvania announced recently. This comes amid a significant increase in demand for licenses under the new online gaming policy (LBH).
According to the GCB, 700 applications for new licenses have been submitted since mid-March, causing a peak in requests and prompting the need for additional processing capacity and system optimizations. The surge in applications highlights the growing interest in Curaçao's online gaming industry.
However, the transition to the National Ordinance on Games of Chance (LOK), which will provide enhanced regulatory and enforcement tools, may face some delays. Despite this, the GCB has assured that current policies will remain in place to ensure a smooth transition when the LOK is fully implemented.
Under the new regulations, all existing master licenses will expire, and a transitional arrangement will automatically convert them into provisional six-month permits. These permits can be extended if the license holders comply with the updated LOK requirements.
With the expiration of licenses issued under the old law approaching in August, license holders are now under pressure to quickly demonstrate compliance with the new regulatory framework to continue their operations.