WILLEMSTAD – Confidential records from the Curaçao Gaming Authority have exposed previously difficult-to-identify individuals behind several major online casinos, including Blaze and Qbet, according to an international investigation by Follow the Money.
One of those individuals is Dutchman Nick van Gorsel.
According to documents examined by FTM, the 30-year-old is one of two owners of Prolific Trade NV, the Curaçao company behind gambling platform Blaze.com.
Blaze attracted major attention in Brazil in 2023 following complaints from players who alleged winnings had not been paid. The allegations led to legal proceedings. Blaze denied the allegations and previously argued that attention on individual owners distracted from the quality, safety and fairness of its gambling services.
The leaked regulatory disclosures also offer an unusual glimpse into the wealth generated by the online gambling industry.
FTM reports that Van Gorsel declared assets of €800 million in a 2024 disclosure to Curaçao's regulator. He attributed his fortune to Blaze's success.
His co-owner, 30-year-old American entrepreneur Nicholas Beugg, declared assets of €500 million, according to the investigation.
Neither responded to FTM's questions sent to addresses contained in the regulatory records. Stefanie Knoester of Curaçao trust company eMoore, which acts as a director of Prolific Trade NV, told FTM that confidentiality obligations prevented her from confirming or denying the information.
The leak also identified Manila-based technology manager Joanna Tinaco Arenas as the ultimate beneficial owner of Novatech Solutions NV, the Curaçao company behind Qbet.com.
FTM reports that Arenas was also listed in 2024 as a manager at a Manila-area company providing support services to gambling businesses.
Qbet was one of the largest gambling websites operating illegally in the Dutch market until last year, according to the Dutch regulator cited by FTM, and generated tens of millions of euros in profit.
The Dutch Gambling Authority subsequently imposed a record fine of nearly €25 million on Novatech Solutions NV. Novatech appealed the fine.
Neither Novatech nor Qbet responded to FTM's questions.
The revelations illustrate why identifying ultimate beneficial owners has become one of the central issues surrounding Curaçao's gambling reform.
Source: Follow the Money/“Casino Secrets,” David Davidson, Sjors Hofstede and Lukas Kotkamp, with reporting by Dick Drayer in Curaçao.