WILLEMSTAD – A German woman who previously won a lawsuit against Curaçao-based gambling company Raging Rhino is still waiting to recover more than €372,000 in gambling losses, despite legal efforts to secure the funds.
The case highlights ongoing legal complexities surrounding online gambling operations linked to Curaçao, particularly when it comes to enforcement of court rulings and cross-border claims.
The woman successfully argued in court that Raging Rhino had operated without the required license in Germany, making her losses subject to repayment. However, although she obtained permission in November 2025 to enforce the claim in Curaçao, the company filed an appeal, which remains pending.
In the meantime, Raging Rhino placed more than €500,000 into an escrow arrangement managed through a third-party foundation. The funds are held in a client account administered by the Curaçao law firm VANEPS.
In an attempt to recover her money, the woman secured a court order to seize the funds held in escrow. The foundation managing the account was required to declare whether it held funds on behalf of Raging Rhino and, if so, how much.
After the foundation failed to provide this declaration within its own stated deadline, the woman initiated summary proceedings, demanding immediate payment of the €372,000.
However, the foundation later submitted its declaration, stating that the funds could not be released. According to the foundation, the money in escrow cannot be paid out until it is legally established who is entitled to it. At present, it argued, Raging Rhino itself has no enforceable claim to the funds held in escrow, meaning there is no obligation to release any amount.
The court ruled that the woman had been within her rights to seize the account. Nevertheless, it also found that the foundation had ultimately complied with its obligation to provide the required declaration. As a result, the judge concluded that the funds could not be released through summary proceedings, noting that such a procedure is not intended to determine ownership of disputed funds.
Although the woman’s claim remains unresolved, the court did order the foundation to pay court fees of ANG 7,500 (approximately €3,612), due to the delayed submission of its declaration.
The case underscores the legal hurdles faced by players seeking to reclaim losses from offshore gambling operators and raises further questions about the role of escrow structures in ongoing disputes involving Curaçao-licensed entities.