WILLEMSTAD – While the Curaçao Online Gaming Association (COGA) states that the Curaçao Gaming Authority (CGA) remains solely responsible for regulatory supervision, important questions remain unanswered about the role of Maltese company Random Consulting Limited and the agreement reportedly involving millions of guilders.
COGA’s statement clarifies that the formal supervisory authority belongs to the CGA. However, it does not explain which specific tasks Random Consulting performed, how those services were defined in the contract or how the reported payments were justified.
The discussion centers on an agreement with Random Consulting, which has previously stated that it provided support related to licensing, compliance, supervision and enforcement during the modernization of Curaçao’s online gaming framework.
The sector organization itself is a stakeholder in the debate. COGA was established in 2022 and says it represents approximately one hundred licensed online gaming operators. The association also represents trust offices that manage a large portion of gaming companies established in Curaçao.
Because of its role within the industry, COGA’s statements represent the perspective of sector participants and do not independently establish the exact division of responsibilities between the CGA and Random Consulting.
The organization considers the announced investigation into payments and procedures a separate matter that should be addressed through the appropriate political and institutional channels. According to COGA, the investigation should not affect the operation of the new licensing system.
However, several issues remain unresolved, including the content of the contract, the legal basis for the agreement, oversight of the external supplier and whether the compensation was proportionate to the work delivered.
It is also still unclear who, on behalf of the former Gaming Control Board or the government, initiated, approved and authorized the agreement.
The Council of Advice previously warned that supervisory and enforcement powers cannot simply be transferred to a private party without a clear legal basis. Determining whether that boundary was respected requires access to the underlying contracts, working agreements and decision-making authorities.
The ongoing independent investigation announced by the government is expected to examine these issues, including the agreement, payments and the work performed by Random Consulting. Until those findings are available, the exact role of the Maltese company within Curaçao’s gaming reform remains a matter of public debate.