Leadership Changes in Curaçao as They Clamp Down on Gambling Regulations

The Dutch Caribbean newspaper, Antilliaans Dagblad discovered this information when reviewing the Chamber of Commerce’s trade registry. Prime Minister of Curaçao, Gilmar Pisas, was rumoured to have assumed the board’s duties, but the CGA released a statement denying that Pisas stepped in. Aideen Shortt, a Gambling Industry Consultant, shamed “...sensationalist headlines and fake-news articles…” surrounding the matter.

This change in leadership has coincided with the recent scandal involving the former Finance Minister, Javier Silvania, whose previous role involved overseeing responsible gambling regulations. The controversy surrounding Silvania is an ongoing issue. He has been criticised for his mismanagement of licensing procedures, inappropriately addressing longstanding regulation issues and alleged corruption. His accuser, Alfonso Trona – senior civil servant in the tax department – is said to be sitting on potentially explosive documents revealing preferential treatment of local businesses including hotels and casinos. Responsibility for the CGA was moved in a reshuffle earlier this year. On 19 August (a month before the resignations)  the CGA was moved from Finance and placed under the leadership of the Ministry of Justice and its minister, Shalten Hato. This shift in leadership aligns with the Curaçao government's stated plans for a clampdown on compliance, supervisions and the fight against illegal activity in the gambling industry. 

Uncertainty emanating from Curaçao caused confusion for Irish players. A large proportion of online casinos in Ireland operate under a CGA licence. The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI), Ireland’s own regulatory board, is still in its formative period after it was officially established earlier this year. Once the GRAI becomes fully operational, it is likely that Irish players will see fewer CGA licensed casinos, as the off shore licence will be replaced by a GRAI licence. However, there is still a long way to go until this comes to fruition, meaning Irish players using CGA online casinos might be caught in the crossfire of the tightening of restrictions. Despite the current turbulence in the CGA’s transition to leadership under the Ministry of Justice, it is planned that Irish players should have safer gaming experiences until the GRAI licensing comes into effect.