The Curaçao Gaming Authority (CGA) on Tuesday confirmed the resignation of its entire supervisory board in mid-September, but insisted there would be no impact on the ongoing implementation of its new licensing and regulatory framework (LOK).
The CGA issued a press release following media reports earlier in the week that claimed Curaçao’s Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas had assumed control of the gambling regulator after the entire supervisory board had resigned.
In its update, the CGA confirmed the resignation of its supervisory board in September, but clarified that responsibility for the regulator had transferred to Minister of Justice Shalten Hato on 19 August. Previously, it fell under the ministry of finance’s remit.
The process to appoint new members of the supervisory board has begun and the CGA stated there would be no impact on the performance of the authority’s supervisory duties.
Additionally, the implementation of the LOK, which started in 2024, will continue. All licensing and supervisory activities are expected to continue uninterrupted.
“The Curaçao Gaming Authority remains committed to ensuring the integrity and reliability of the gaming sector in Curaçao,” the CGA press release read.
CGA PR advisor slams ‘fake news’
The CGA’s marketing and PR advisor, Aideen Shortt, hit out at media reports which claimed the administrative changes had impacted the rollout of Curaçao’s LOK framework.
On Tuesday, Shortt said in a LinkedIn post: “Despite sensationalist headlines and fake-news articles there is no delay or deviation in the rollout of the LOK, and no disruption to the CGA’s licensing or compliance programmes.
“The resignation of the supervisory board is an administrative process following government transition. CGA supervision, enforcement and licensing activities continue without interruption. The rollout of the LOK remains unchanged.
“Once again I find myself having to urge caution to all readers about intended or unintended misinformation and conjecture about the CGA and the rollout of the LOK legislation.”
The LOK marks new era for gambling in Curaçao
Last December, Curaçao’s Parliament approved and passed the LOK on a 13-6 vote.
The move ushered in a new era for gambling regulations on the island, with the intention of improving Curaçao’s previous reputation as a haven for grey market operators.
Under the new regime operators have had to reapply for new look licenses, as the previoud ‘master licence’ system was scrapped.
Minister of Finance Javier Silvania previously called the LOK a “safety net” against offshore operators.
The Curaçao Gaming Authority clarified the resignation of its supervisory board will not affect the rollout of the LOK.