When a Curacao License Isn’t Enough: How New Casinos Are Upping Their Compliance Game

What Is a Curacao License?

The Curacao License is a gambling license issued and enforced by the government of Curacao. As one of the first gambling authorities in the world, it came into existence in 1996, but the current structure with master and sub-licenses was formalised in 2002.

Advantages of the Curacao License:

• Application speed: Casinos can expect a quicker process to receive licenses. The Curacao licenses take roughly 4-6 weeks to be processed, which is significantly quicker than others. In the case of the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC), this same process typically takes up to 16 weeks.
• License costs: Casinos operating under Curacao’s system only need to apply for a single license that covers all forms of interactive iGaming, including both casino products and sports betting. The total cost is typically around £22,000, which is significantly less than the £42,000 required for a UKGC license.
• Cheaper tax implications: A Curacao license has attractive tax policies attached to it, like lower corporate tax rates and no VAT. Casinos that are licensed in the UK are governed by the Remote Gambling Duty, which comes with a corporation tax set at 21% on profits. Meanwhile, Curacao corporate income tax is set at just 2% on all profits.

The Limitations of a Curacao License

Once a leading authority in the world of online gambling, the Curacao licenses no longer hold the same status it once had. It is considered to be one of the more lenient bodies in comparison to the likes of the UKGC and the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA).

Curacao’s licensing body comes with quick perks, but as a long-term solution, it has fallen behind alternative options. These are some of the biggest limitations for casinos that opt for a Curacao license.

• Headquartering requirements: To host a site, servers must be physically present in Curacao. With the nation being based in the Caribbean Sea, this generally tends to be a long way away from where casinos want to offer their services.
• Limited support to players: In the past, the Curacao Gaming Control Board didn’t intervene in disputes between players and operators.
• No enforcement of responsible gambling tools: Casinos with a Curacao license are not forced to implement responsible gambling tools, which means they are not required to enforce measures such as deposit limits or self-exclusion options. This makes the platform more lenient, but also means players need to be careful and manage their own gambling habits.

Why is a Curacao License Sometimes Not Enough?

As the years go by, more established or prestigious regulators like the UKGC and MGA have increased their standards and revamped their laws to monitor incoming operators and those already licensed by them. This shift comes in response to rising player expectations, with users demanding more transparency, safety, and fairness, especially after years of scams and unreliable platforms.

In contrast, Curacao has not followed the same path. The jurisdiction continues to face reputational issues due to concerns over fairness, security, and payout reliability, which remain key worries for today’s more informed casino players.

Their relaxed laws have led to controversies, such as with BC.GAME, who were hit with a €840,000 (£707,000) fine, for accepting UK players despite losing its UK license.

In response to this, the CGA introduced an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) to resolve disputes before they escalate to court. The role of this consultation process is to provide independent and impartial advice to handle player complaints. However, they won’t be able to investigate a dispute beyond the evidence given to them by those involved.

How New Casinos are Raising the Bar on Compliance

New casinos are very aware of the potential implications if they don’t get things right. To avoid the same regulatory fines imposed on the Entain Group in 2022, new casinos are putting in place new and innovative measures to ensure their companies can have a long and illustrious lifespan.

Stricter Global Standards

There have been several standards that have been implemented across the world in recent years to ensure fairness, security, and responsible gambling in the online casino space:

• Regulatory pressures: Regulatory bodies like the UKGC and others are consistently pushing for higher standards, applying greater pressure on casinos to update their processes to avoid potential fines or having their licenses revoked. Introducing practices like Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC), operators are on a constant mission to update their processes to align with legislation demands.
• Expanding trust and reach with multi-jurisdictional licenses: A lot of new casinos are applying and obtaining licenses from more than one jurisdiction, with the main aim of appealing to a wider audience whilst reaching more regulated markets. A notable example of this is CryptoCasino. Launched in 2024, the casino holds both a Curacao license and one from the Anjouan Gaming Authority.
• Protecting players and their data with AML and GDPR: Protecting players and their data has always been the most crucial role a casino can play. That’s why the AML and General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) were introduced to give a clear framework for casinos to follow that would prevent fraud or data protection breaches from occurring.
• Robust KYC and transparent terms: New casinos are starting to ramp up their KYC measures through automated identity verifications, clear data encryption and storage measures, and wider responsible gambling tools, along with AML screenings to screen players against global watchlists.
• Third-party audits and fairness certifications: Casinos are looking out for further approval, testing their services with third-party audits and independent bodies like eCOGRA to ensure that they are up to scratch.
• Leading by example: LeoVegas is a perfect example of a casino that fits the bill. The casino often has third-party audits, users must verify their identity and provide clear evidence of their funds before withdrawals, showing how user data is collected and stored to meet GDPR expectations.

Technology as a Compliance Tool

The way casinos use technology today compared to the past is like upgrading from a basic lock to a high-tech security system. By introducing modern technology, the aim is to reduce suspicious activity, help resolve difficult disputes, and keep a record of player behaviour.

In the past, there were few effective systems in place to monitor these areas, but innovations like blockchain verification, artificial intelligence, and machine learning are now being used to enhance protection for both players and operators.

Types of technology that are used in casino compliance:

• Know Your Customer (KYC): Completed via ID checks, facial recognition, and matching user data.
• Anti Money Laundering (AML): Software is in place to detect suspicious transactions and monitor player behaviour.
• Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning (AI/ML): Processes are in place to monitor for problem gambling behaviours and detect fraudulent or money laundering patterns.
• eCOGRA: Used to independently audit games for fairness and randomness, helping casinos meet legislative expectations.
• Random Number Generators (RNG): To ensure games are fair and results are unique, proving that wins can’t be pre-determined.

What This Means for You as a Player

Spotting a trustworthy casino can feel daunting. You’re often flooded with so much information that it can become impossible to know what sounds good and what doesn’t. With that in mind, I have listed out some of the key things our team looks out for as casino experts.

• Operating under multiple licenses
• Displays independent testing badges (eCOGRA)
• Clear payment information & fast withdrawals
• Account verification is required
• Responsive and transparent customer support