WILLEMSTAD – A new ruling by the Common Court of Justice is expected to intensify demands for greater transparency and political accountability within Curaçao’s online gambling industry.
The Court ruled that responsibility for online gaming licenses and related public information requests lies with the government and the responsible minister rather than with the Governor of Curaçao.
The legal case was initiated by investigative journalist Nardy Cramm, who sought access to documents concerning gaming licenses, permits, mandates, and supervision of the sector through a public disclosure request.
The Court determined that gambling licenses must be issued through national decrees signed by both the Governor and the responsible minister, but emphasized that political accountability ultimately rests with ministers.
The ruling is considered significant because questions about responsibility, oversight, and transparency have surrounded Curaçao’s gambling sector for years.
Curaçao became one of the world’s largest online gambling licensing jurisdictions under the old offshore gaming law introduced in the 1990s. The system relied on a small number of master license holders who could distribute sublicenses to hundreds of international gambling operators.
Critics argued that the structure created insufficient oversight and limited transparency about who operated under Curaçao licenses.
International regulators, including authorities in Australia, previously raised concerns about Curaçao-licensed gambling websites targeting prohibited jurisdictions.
In response to mounting pressure, Curaçao introduced sweeping reforms through the new National Ordinance on Games of Chance (LOK), which came into force in December 2024. The reforms centralized licensing authority under the Curaçao Gaming Authority and ended the sublicensing system.
The new framework also introduced stricter compliance requirements involving anti-money laundering measures, player protection, corporate transparency, and international regulatory cooperation.
The Court’s latest ruling now provides additional legal clarity about who must answer politically and administratively for decisions involving the sector.
Observers say the judgment could become important in future disputes involving license approvals, regulatory oversight, and access to government information concerning one of Curaçao’s most internationally scrutinized industries.