Curaçao’s regulator is caught in turmoil as the Prime Minister steps in

• Curaçao’s Prime Minister, Gilmar Pisas, may now be involved directly with the jurisdiction’s gambling regulator
• This comes after the Supervisory Board of the Curaçao Gaming Authority came together in mid-September
• The reasons for the leave are not yet clear, with local reports not able to confirm beyond doubt that Pisas is now controlling the regulator

The entire Supervisory Board of the Curaçao Gaming Authority (CGA) tabled their resignations last month, with Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas now reportedly stepping in to now supervise the regulator.

CGA now reportedly supervised by the Prime Minister

Details about his hands-on involvement in the jurisdiction’s regulator are subject to speculation and local reporting, with no clear confirmation as of the time of writing.

Curaçao has long been a popular destination for gambling operators, which attracted jobs, tourists, and boosted consumer spending, but the recent tightening of gambling rules has prompted companies to seek their luck elsewhere, unhappy with the new regulatory regime.

The Curaçao Gaming Authority was formed as part of the broader regulatory overhaul and the introduction of the Landsverordening op de Kansspelen(LOK), which dismantled the Gaming Control Board.

This change was necessitated by growing concerns about the jurisdiction’s practices in awarding licenses and often to companies with loose AML and questionable player protection measures. LOK was supposed to address this and supposedly has, but the abrupt resignation and lingering questions about the minister’s leave a lot to be desired.

Commissioners Shelwyn Salesia, Robert Reijnaert, and Ildefons Simon tendered their resignations in mid-September, prompting a swift response from Pisas, who convened an emergency meeting, and may have now stepped in at the helm of the regulator, a precedent.

Speculation about political reasons for the abrupt leave

However, the reasons behind the leave of the Supervisory Board remain subject to speculation. Some of these revolve around rumors about the Minister of Finance, Javier Silvania, as well as the ruling party, and are further fueled by a refusal by the Prosecution Service and Parliament to investigate the minister.

As to Curacao, the jurisdiction may be generating anything between €20m and €30m from gambling, making the normal operation of its watchdog a particularly important issue.

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