Curaçao Jurisdiction

Curaçao is one of the Caribbean island vacation destinations that doubles as a base of operations for online gambling companies. Curaçao is known as one of the most commonly used online gambling licensers since this island has been issuing e-licenses longer than most other jurisdictions (since 1996).

Curaçao Overview

Curaçao is an island forming part of the Netherlands Antilles, and is therefore a territory of the Netherlands. But one interesting aspect of Curaçao is that they also have the distinction of being considered their own country - a rarity among European Union nations. Of course, Curaçao's distance from other European countries may have something to do with this dual status - Curaçao is situated just north of Venezuela in the Caribbean Sea.

Because of the fact that Curaçao is able to operate their own government, they have also been able to offer favorable conditions to Internet gaming companies, including a company tax rate of only 2% on net profits. The Curaçao Internet Gaming Association (CIGA) presides over gaming activity in the country.

Curaçao Licensing Requirements

Applying for a license in Curaçao all begins with a prospective operator filling out an application provided by the Netherlands Antilles Chamber of Commerce. After the application has been turned in, the company must endure a 6 week-long investigation by the Department of Justice.

If the prospective operator manages to pass the investigation, they then need to pay a 60,000 (ANG) deposit. After the original deposit is taken care of, companies must then pay 10,000 (ANG) each month for the first two years of the licensing agreement.

Complaints and Dispute Resolution

Despite what their strict requirements for obtaining a gaming license would indicate, Curaçao takes little interest in player/casino disputes or mediation. In fact, their dispute resolution procedure basically consists of telling the player to sort it out directly with the casino! This is the main reason that we do not regard Curaçao as a first class online gambling licensing jurisdiction.

CIGA does not even offer an email address at their website. Unfortunately if you want to contact CIGA, you’ll either need to mail a letter to them or fax their office. Here is their contact information:

CIGA
E-Commerce Park
E-Zone Vredenburg
Curaçao Netherlands Antilles
 Fax: +5999 736 0631

Alternatively you can also contact Curaçao eGaming, which is the master licensing authority for gambling operations in Curaçao.