WILLEMSTAD – The Curaçao Gaming Authority (CGA) is facing criticism from an independent researcher in the Netherlands who has raised concerns about the effectiveness of its regulatory oversight, financial controls, and protection of European consumers participating in online gambling.
In an email addressed to the authority on Friday, November 6, 2026, the researcher, identified as Mustafa, argues that the issues extend beyond individual disputes between gamblers and online casino operators. He maintains that they concern broader weaknesses in Curaçao's gambling regulatory framework and the authority's responsibility to protect consumers.
The researcher has called for an independent examination of the CGA's own conduct and supervisory responsibilities, warning that questions about its regulatory effectiveness will also be presented to other competent authorities.
The correspondence, which includes a response from the CGA's complaints department, highlights the researcher's dissatisfaction with how concerns about online gambling operators and regulatory accountability are addressed.
Researcher Questions Financial Controls and Consumer Protection
In his email, Mustafa alleges that Curaçao's gambling regulations and supervisory practices contain serious weaknesses, particularly regarding financial controls and consumer protection.
He argues that insufficient regulation and enforcement could expose young people and vulnerable consumers in the Netherlands and other European countries to financial and other risks associated with online gambling.
According to the researcher, the responsibility for addressing these concerns should not rest exclusively with individual gambling operators.
He believes the regulatory authority itself must also be subject to scrutiny.
"Your authority is also part of the problem," Mustafa wrote, alleging that the CGA's regulations and oversight suffer from significant shortcomings.
He further argued that weak regulation and inadequate enforcement should not leave young and vulnerable European consumers bearing the consequences.
The allegations represent the researcher's assessment and have not been independently established in the correspondence.
Researcher Says Evidence Will Be Submitted to Authorities
Mustafa indicated that he has collected evidence supporting his concerns and intends to make the material available.
He also stated that questions previously submitted to the CGA would be forwarded to the relevant authorities.
The researcher warned that the issues would not disappear without further examination and that the CGA would be asked to account for the matters he has raised.
He specifically called for the authority's own responsibility to be examined critically and independently.
However, the email does not include the underlying evidence or identify the gambling operators, transactions, or specific regulatory failures involved.
Consequently, the allegations cannot be independently verified from the correspondence alone.
CGA Explains Its Complaints Procedures
The email exchange includes a response sent by the Curaçao Gaming Authority's complaints department on November 6.
In that response, the authority explained that its complaints email address is intended for complaints concerning the CGA itself, disputes or claims involving gambling operators, and other concerns relating to operators under its supervision.
The CGA stated that complaints about its own conduct or actions must include a clear description of the matter.
Such complaints are handled under Article 12.17 of the National Ordinance on Games of Chance, known in Dutch as the Landsverordening op de kansspelen.
The authority also clarified that it is not legally mandated to mediate or resolve individual disputes between players and gambling operators.
Instead, gambling operators are required to maintain their own complaints-handling procedures.
When a dispute remains unresolved, operators must provide players with access to an independent Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) provider without charging the player.
Complaints May Lead to Regulatory Action
Although the CGA does not adjudicate individual player complaints, it acknowledged that information submitted by complainants may help identify possible violations of gambling laws or regulatory requirements.
According to the authority, such information can contribute to supervisory or enforcement measures when appropriate.
The CGA also emphasized that it cannot provide updates or comment on ongoing investigations, supervisory activities, or enforcement actions involving gambling operators.
Its response did not address the specific allegations of structural weaknesses raised in Mustafa's subsequent email.
The correspondence therefore does not establish whether the authority has examined the researcher's concerns or whether any investigation has been initiated.
Questions About Curaçao's International Gambling Oversight
The exchange draws attention to the challenges facing Curaçao as an international online gambling licensing jurisdiction.
Operators licensed or supervised in Curaçao may provide services across international markets, creating questions about the relationship between Curaçao's regulatory responsibilities and consumer protection requirements in other jurisdictions.
The researcher argues that European consumers should not be left exposed to potential harm because of weaknesses he believes exist in Curaçao's regulatory system.
However, the correspondence does not establish that the CGA has violated its legal obligations or that any particular operator has engaged in unlawful conduct.
Those questions would require examination of the evidence, applicable laws, and the authority's supervisory actions.
For now, Mustafa is demanding greater accountability and an independent review of the CGA's regulatory performance.
The authority's published response in the email exchange outlines its formal complaints procedures but does not constitute a substantive answer to the broader allegations.
Whether the researcher will submit his evidence to other authorities, and whether those submissions will result in formal scrutiny of the CGA, remains to be seen.