WILLEMSTAD – Curaçao has introduced binding requirements for remotely identifying and verifying customers, adding another layer to the island’s ongoing overhaul of its gambling and financial compliance framework.
The new Provisions for Identification and Verification without Physical Contact took effect on August 21 and were developed jointly by the Curaçao Gaming Authority (CGA), the Central Bank of Curaçao and Sint Maarten (CBCS) and the Financial Intelligence Unit Curaçao (FIU).
Although particularly relevant to Curaçao’s large online gambling sector, the requirements are not limited to gaming companies. They apply to service providers falling under the National Ordinance on Identification when Rendering Services, known as NOIS.
The rules establish how businesses may verify the identity of customers who are not physically present. Valid passports, identity cards, driving licenses and other documents designated by the Minister of Finance can be used as identification.
Technology can also play a major role in the process. Providers may use document-scanning technology and video verification, while automated systems must be capable of confirming that the person undergoing verification is physically present rather than using a photograph, recording or other means of impersonation.
Companies using automated biometric systems must ensure that the technology is tested against internationally recognized standards. Systems must also maintain audit trails, protect information through encryption and be subjected to security testing.
The requirements are part of Curaçao’s broader efforts to strengthen controls against money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing.
Businesses introducing remote onboarding for the first time must comply with the requirements before implementing their systems.
Companies already using remote identification technology have been given until May 1, 2027 to become fully compliant. They may continue operating their existing systems during the transition period, but must be able to demonstrate that they are actively working toward compliance.
The responsibility remains with the Curaçao service provider even when identity verification is outsourced to an external technology company.
Failure to comply could result in administrative or criminal sanctions, including fines, penalties and, in serious cases, revocation of a license or imprisonment.
The development is particularly significant for Curaçao’s gambling industry, which has been undergoing extensive regulatory reform following the replacement of the island’s former master-license and sublicense system with direct supervision by the CGA.
The new digital verification requirements indicate that Curaçao’s reform is now extending beyond licensing into the day-to-day compliance systems operators use to identify their customers and assess financial crime risks.