Curaçao Gaming Authority (GCA) Under Criminal Investigation, Reports Claim

Dark clouds have gathered above the typically shiny island of Curaçao, with one of the world’s most respected igaming regulators, the Curaçao Gaming Authority (CGA), facing a potential criminal investigation. While the exact nature of the investigation remains unknown to the public, a letter from the Curaçao Financial Supervision Board (Cft) to Finance Minister Charles Cooper suggests that the institution is keeping a close eye on CGA and that the Public Prosecutor’s Office (OM) is also involved.

Within hours of the news leaking, both the Cft Chair, Drs. L.M.C. Ongering and Minister Cooper came forward to control the damage and downplay the situation. Ongering denied that a formal criminal investigation had been launched by framing the letter as part of normal communication between institutions. Cooper echoed this, insisting that the mention of the Public Prosecutor’s Office had been misinterpreted.

Bad Timing

But the damage, it seems, had already been done.

And it couldn’t have come at the worst moment for the regulator, who, following its transition from GBC to CGA, has been tasked with cleaning up the island’s gaming landscape and enforcing the new, more strict National Ordinance on Games of Chance (LOK).

The LOK is intended to replace the island’s decades-old master-license model with a single, transparent, government-run licensing system that would be more regulated and much more transparent. Under the LOK, the CGA is expected to bring order, oversight, and a new level of accountability to Curaçao to rival the likes of MGA and the Isle of Man. To put it bluntly, it’s supposed to build trust, and not raise questions.

Now? The CGA has to pull off all of that while also reassuring everyone, from operators to stakeholders, that it is not, in fact, being investigated.

Operators around the world have been watching closely, some nervously, as the island promises to raise the bar on anti-money laundering standards, responsible gambling protocols, and operational reporting requirements. In the meantime, GCA’s main competitor, Gaming Control Anjouan, rose through the ranks and became the preferred option for most new platforms hitting the scene. Especially for crypto-oriented casinos.

Mass Resignation

But wait, it gets worse. The CGA is also dealing with a leadership vacuum. Last September,  the regulator had all its members of the Supervisory Board resign in unison, which left the regulator without official oversight at a time when it needed stability more than ever. After a brief authority scramble, the responsibility landed with the Minister of Justice, Shalton Hato, which didn’t sit well with all the parties involved.

The mass resignation remains unexplained to this day, at least publicly. Speculation has ranged from internal disagreements to LOK rollout, but the CGA has done good-enough sweep-work to keep the reasons for departure in-house.

The Mission Must Go On

Despite all this, the CGA remains the central pillar of Curaçao’s regulatory future. The LOK rollout is moving forward. New licensing frameworks are being introduced. Like it or not, operators are transitioning into the new system, and the government is still pushing hard to elevate Curaçao’s global reputation to the level of MGA.

The question now is whether the regulator can regain control of the narrative or will the uncertainty slow the progress made in the last six months. With new rules, new oversight structures, and new expectations, the CGA needs to demonstrate improved transparency and stability, especially after a week of headlines no regulator would welcome.

For now, the official stance is clear: no criminal investigation, nothing to worry about. But whether the wider igaming world believes that is a different story. In any case, the coming months will show whether Curaçao’s regulatory revamp hits even more turbulence or finally finds smoother skies ahead.