Curaçao Gaming Authority Licence (LOK 2024): What Replaced Curaçao eGaming

A Curaçao casino licence today is issued directly by the Curaçao Gaming Authority (CGA) under the National Ordinance on Games of Chance (Landsverordening op de kansspelen, LOK), in force since 24 December 2024. On our crypto list, BitStarz (OGL/2024/165/0185), mBit Casino (OGL/2024/1307/0748), Stake (OGL/2024/1451/0918) and the Canada-facing 7Bit site (OGL/2023/147/0081) hold CGA licences. To check one, click the casino’s seal: it must open cert.cga.cw and show the exact domain, operator and licence status.

“Curaçao eGaming” was one of the four old master licence holders that sold sub-licences before that date; the master and sub-licence model no longer exists. The CGA does not mediate individual player disputes, so your route is the casino first and then a CGA-certified ADR body. After unauthorised access to its licensing portal, confirmed in September 2026, the CGA launched a new interim online gaming portal on 19 October 2026.

What replaced the Curaçao eGaming licence?

A direct licence from the Curaçao Gaming Authority replaced it. Under the old law, the Landsverordening buitengaatse hazardspelen (LBH), four master licence holders, including Curaçao eGaming (1668/JAZ) and Antillephone N.V. (8048/JAZ), issued sub-licences to casino operators. Since the LOK entered into force on 24 December 2024, the CGA licenses every operator itself, and new licences carry OGL numbers.

The four old master licence holders were:

• Antillephone N.V. (licence 8048/JAZ)
• Curaçao eGaming (licence 1668/JAZ)
• Gaming Curaçao (GLH)
• Curaçao Interactive Licensing (5536/JAZ)

A casino could plug into one of these master licences quickly and cheaply. For players, the weakness was obvious: the government regulator did not license the casino itself, and the master licence holder had little incentive to police the hundreds of brands paying it fees. That is why older reviews, including the earlier version of this page, describe Curaçao as easy to obtain and light on oversight.

Applications now go through the CGA’s online portal, which first opened in November 2023. Former sub-licensees had to apply in their own name, and many received provisional licences during the transition.

Who issues a Curaçao licence today, and under which law?

The Curaçao Gaming Authority, formerly called the Gaming Control Board, issues every Curaçao online gaming licence under the Landsverordening op de kansspelen (LOK), published as P.B. 2024, no. 157 and in force since 24 December 2024. It grants B2C licences to operators serving players and B2B licences to game and platform suppliers, after vetting ultimate beneficial owners and key persons such as compliance officers.

The CGA also licenses land-based casinos, lotteries and charity bingo on the island, but online gaming is the part that matters to crypto casino players.

What did the first year of the LOK produce?

By 17 December 2025, the CGA had granted 604 provisional licences under the LOK, 551 to B2C operators and 53 to B2B suppliers, and had rejected 139 applications, according to its one-year overview reported by Curaçao Chronicle. Provisional licences were due for reassessment for indefinite status in 2026, so many casinos still operate on a transition-era licence.

• An integrated AML/CFT policy in force from 9 January 2025, with a compliance officer requirement.
• A responsible gaming policy published on 17 April 2025 and an updated complaints policy on 18 June 2025.
• ADR guidelines published on 8 September 2025.

Provisional is the key word. A licence that shows “assessment in progress” in the register is not the same as a finished, indefinite licence, and you should read it that way.

How much does a Curaçao gaming licence cost?

For a B2C online casino, the CGA fee sheet lists a EUR 4,592 application fee, an annual licence fee of EUR 24,490 paid to the National Treasury and an annual supervisory fee of EUR 22,960 paid to the CGA, a total of EUR 47,450 a year, plus EUR 250 per registered domain. That is far more than an old sub-licence cost, and well above Anjouan’s EUR 17,828.

Licence fees tell you something about who can afford to hold one. Under the old system a sub-licence was cheap, which is one reason so many small brands appeared under Curaçao seals.

How do I check whether a casino’s Curaçao licence is real?

Click the CGA Certificate of Operation seal in the casino footer. Under the CGA’s certification policy it must redirect to cert.cga.cw and show the exact domain you are on, the licensed operator and its current licence status. If the certificate shows a different domain, the CGA says the site is using another operator’s certificate and should be treated as unauthorised or fraudulent.

1. Read the footer. A current statement names the operating company, its company number, the Curaçao Gaming Authority and an OGL licence number. A footer that mentions only “Curaçao eGaming” or an 8048/JAZ number without the CGA is out of date.
2. Click the seal. It must open cert.cga.cw. The CGA also says a seal that differs in design, colour or format from the one it issued means the website is not authorised.
3. Match domain and company. The domain on the certificate page must match the site letter for letter, and the operator must match the company in the casino’s terms, for example Gareton B.V. and OGL/2024/165/0185 for BitStarz.
4. Read the status. Check the licence status on the certificate and, in the CGA licence register on cga.cw, look for “provisional”, “assessment in progress” or a lapsed date.
5. Check the version you use. Some brands run different licences for different countries. 7Bit’s Canada-facing site shows Kika Technology B.V. and a CGA licence, while most international visitors see a Tobique Gaming Commission licence instead.

Be careful with emails that use the 2026 portal breach as a pretext. No legitimate casino or regulator will ask you to “re-verify” your account through a link in an unsolicited message.

Is the CGA licensing portal working after the 2026 breach?

Partly. The CGA confirmed unauthorised access to its online gaming licensing portal on 17 and 22 September 2026, and the portal was still offline on 2 October 2026. On 19 October 2026 the CGA said it had launched a new interim online gaming portal. Throughout, its position has been that existing licences remain valid, and seal validation runs on cert.cga.cw.

The CGA’s 19 October press release says a security researcher accessed the externally managed portal without permission between December 2025 and September 2026 and published data belonging to licence holders. The CGA has reported the incident to authorities in Curaçao, Germany and the Netherlands and commissioned an independent technical investigation.

For players, the practical point is simple: if a seal or register page does not load, you cannot independently confirm that licence at that moment. Treat that as a reason for smaller deposits, not as proof either way.

How do I complain about a Curaçao-licensed casino?

Complain to the casino first, in writing, using its own complaints procedure. If it does not resolve the dispute, take it to one of the 7 CGA-certified ADR bodies (list dated 31 August 2026); the casino’s terms should name the one it uses. The CGA does not mediate individual disputes, although you can still report a possible breach of licence rules to it.

1. Use the casino’s complaints procedure and keep screenshots and transaction IDs (for crypto, the transaction hash).
2. If the casino does not resolve it, go to the CGA-certified ADR body named in its terms.
3. If you think the operator is breaking its licence conditions, report it to the CGA as well, so it can act on the licence.

Independent complaint sites can add public pressure, but they have no legal power over a CGA licensee.

What does a Curaçao licence protect, and what does it not?

A CGA licence means a named regulator licenses the operator directly and can suspend or withdraw the licence, owners and key persons are vetted, AML/CFT controls and a complaints procedure are required, and seal certification checks that player funds sit in a segregated or federated account. It does not make the casino legal in your country or give you a regulator that rules on your dispute.

For crypto players, the AML side matters most in practice. CGA licensees run identity checks, and a casino may ask for ID before a large withdrawal even if it let you deposit with only an email address. Read the KYC section of the terms before you deposit, and see our provably fair guide for checking game fairness independently of the licence.

Which casinos on our list hold a Curaçao Gaming Authority licence?

Four casinos on our crypto list show a Curaçao Gaming Authority licence: BitStarz (Gareton B.V., OGL/2024/165/0185), mBit Casino (Scores55 Tech B.V., OGL/2024/1307/0748), Stake (Medium Rare N.V., OGL/2024/1451/0918) and 7Bit Casino’s Canada-facing site (Kika Technology B.V., OGL/2023/147/0081). None of them accepts players from the US or the UK.

Cloudbet, which we review but do not list, states CGA licence OGL/2024/328/0599 held by Halcyon Super Holdings B.V. Other crypto casinos we cover hold different licences: BC.Game, FortuneJack, Winz.io, Tenobet, Dracula Casino and Kingdom Casino show Anjouan licences, while Foxy Gold, Koru Casino and most international versions of 7Bit are licensed by the Tobique Gaming Commission.

How does Curaçao compare with Anjouan, Tobique and Malta?

None of the four regulators issues a binding ruling on an individual player dispute; the MGA still takes complaints about operator conduct. Curaçao’s CGA now licenses operators directly and checks fund safeguarding at seal certification, Anjouan offers a fixed complaint clock with operator-paid ADR, Tobique writes 100% segregated balances into its code, and Malta runs the strictest, EU-based regime with a public register.

For the operator side of the same comparison, including fees, tax and application time, see our Curaçao vs Anjouan vs Malta licence guide. The Malta Gaming Authority page covers the EU option in more detail, the licence hub lists every regulator we track, and how we rate casinos explains how licences feed into our scores.

Is a Curaçao casino safe for crypto players?

Safer than under the old sub-licence system, but not in the way a UK or Malta licence is. The 2024 reform put a real regulator behind each licence, with named owners, AML rules, fund-safeguarding checks and the power to withdraw it. What it does not give you is a regulator that takes up your case, and the 2026 portal breach shows the system is still being rebuilt.

Our practical advice: pick an operator with a long record and a licence you can match on the seal, read the withdrawal limits and KYC terms before depositing, keep deposits small until a first withdrawal has gone through, and set your own deposit limits. If gambling stops being fun, the casino’s self-exclusion tool and Gamblers Anonymous (gamblersanonymous.org) are good first steps.

Curaçao licence FAQ

Is Curaçao eGaming still a valid licence?

No. Curaçao eGaming was one of four master licence holders under the old LBH law, issuing sub-licences under number 1668/JAZ. Since the LOK entered into force on 24 December 2024, the Curaçao Gaming Authority licenses operators directly with OGL numbers, and the master and sub-licence model has ended.

How do I check if a Curaçao casino licence is real?

Click the seal in the casino footer. It must open cert.cga.cw and show the exact domain you are on, the licensed operator and the current licence status. A certificate showing a different domain means the site is using another operator’s certificate, which the CGA treats as unauthorised or fraudulent.

Does the Curaçao Gaming Authority handle player complaints?

No. The CGA does not mediate individual disputes. Complain to the casino first, then to one of the 7 CGA-certified ADR bodies (list dated 31 August 2026); the casino’s terms should name the one it uses. Possible breaches of licence rules can still be reported to the CGA.

What does OGL mean in a Curaçao licence number?

OGL numbers, such as OGL/2024/165/0185 held by Gareton B.V. for BitStarz, are the licence numbers the Curaçao Gaming Authority issues under the LOK. Old numbers such as 8048/JAZ or 1668/JAZ belong to the former master and sub-licence system and are no longer current.

Are Curaçao casinos legal in my country?

A Curaçao licence only covers the operator in Curaçao. Whether you may play depends on the law where you live, and many countries require their own licence. Every Curaçao-licensed casino on our list excludes the US and the UK, so check the restricted-country list in the terms first.

How much does a Curaçao gaming licence cost?

The CGA fee sheet lists a EUR 4,592 application fee, a EUR 24,490 annual licence fee and a EUR 22,960 annual supervisory fee for B2C operators, a total of EUR 47,450 a year, plus EUR 250 per domain. An Anjouan licence, by comparison, costs EUR 17,828 a year.

Was the Curaçao Gaming Authority hacked in 2026?

The CGA confirmed unauthorised access to its online gaming licensing portal on 17 and 22 September 2026, and the portal went offline. It says existing licences remain valid, and on 19 October 2026 it launched a new interim online gaming portal. Seal checks run on cert.cga.cw.