WILLEMSTAD – The Curaçao Gaming Authority (CGA) has permanently discontinued the externally managed licensing portal affected by a major data breach and is preparing to introduce a temporary replacement on Monday, October 19, 2026.
The decision is confirmed in a press release issued by the regulator on October 18, outlining the steps taken following the discovery of unauthorized access to confidential information in its online gambling licensing system.
According to the CGA, the breach was discovered on September 17, prompting an internal investigation and immediate measures to strengthen digital security.
The affected portal was subsequently taken offline to allow an external technical investigation.
Rather than restoring the existing platform, the authority decided to abandon it permanently.
On October 7, the CGA announced that it would discontinue the portal and terminate its use of the external provider's regulatory services.
The regulator is now preparing a temporary platform to allow licensing and supervisory activities to continue while it develops a new system that it intends to manage itself.
The temporary portal is scheduled to become operational on October 19, although the authority emphasizes that it must first undergo security testing.
According to the press release, the internal system, digital seal and license register are ready for security assessments by independent specialists.
The client-facing portal, however, still requires adjustments before its own security testing can begin.
The regulator says the replacement system must be checked for vulnerabilities that could permit unauthorized access, while also ensuring that the platform functions properly for gambling operators and CGA employees.
The temporary portal is intended to support the processing of license applications and other regulatory matters previously handled through the compromised system.
The CGA also plans to restore access to its license register and digital seal system.
The digital seal is designed to indicate that an online gambling website holds a license issued by the Curaçao regulator.
The authority stressed that the closure of the previous portal does not invalidate licenses already issued.
Licensed operators remain subject to their existing legal and regulatory obligations, regardless of the platform used to administer their licenses.
The decision to replace the portal represents a significant operational change for an authority that has been expanding its responsibilities under Curaçao's reformed online gambling framework.
The previous platform was introduced as part of the regulatory restructuring that began in 2023 under the direction of the Ministry of Finance.
At the time, the regulator, then known as the Gaming Control Board, relied on external specialists because the reform required technical expertise in online gambling licensing and supervision.
The original intention was to transfer the system to internal management at a later stage.
The security breach has now accelerated the decision to move away from the external provider.
However, the October 18 press release does not identify the provider, disclose the financial implications of terminating its services or specify the cost of developing the replacement system.
It also does not confirm that all components of the temporary portal have passed their final security assessments.
The CGA maintains that the transition is necessary to restore confidence in the licensing process and ensure continuity in the supervision of Curaçao's online gambling industry.
Whether the new platform can begin operating as scheduled will depend on the completion of the remaining technical adjustments and security checks.