Curacao Gambling License
Established iGaming Hub with Streamlined Licensing and Evolving Regulations.
ADVANTAGES
Well-Established Licensing Hub
Curaçao has been one of the longest-running jurisdictions for online gambling, known for its straightforward, business-friendly licensing. A Curaçao eGaming license grants the ability to offer all types of iGaming services (casino, betting, lottery, etc.) under a single license, and it is recognized by many industry partners worldwide.
Minimal Regulatory Friction
Curaçao’s regulatory approach has traditionally been pragmatic and less intrusive. While due diligence and compliance are required, the ongoing reporting and restrictions are lighter than in many jurisdictions.
Quick and Cost-Effective Setup
The Curaçao licensing process is relatively fast and affordable compared to European jurisdictions. Historically, operators could obtain a sublicense in a matter of weeks. Now, under the modernized system, direct licenses are still obtainable within a few months. Initial costs and tax burdens are low, with Curaçao’s eGaming companies enjoying a favorable tax rate and modest annual fees.
Reformed for Greater Credibility:
Curaçao is currently overhauling its gambling laws to align with international standards, introducing a new independent Gaming Control Board and a system of B2C and B2B licensing.
WHY CURACAO?
Curaçao has long been a top choice for iGaming entrepreneurs due to its combination of accessibility, practicality, and wide acceptance. Choosing Curaçao means joining a community of hundreds of operators who have successfully launched casinos and betting sites from this Caribbean jurisdiction over the past two decades.
REQUIREMENTS
Local Company and Substance
A Curaçao eGaming license can only be issued to an entity incorporated in Curaçao. This requires:
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A Curaçao-incorporated company with a registered office on the island
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At least one local managing director who is a resident of Curaçao
NUR Legal provides a trusted local director as part of our services. You must also appoint a local authorized representative to handle official correspondence—often this is the managing director or a corporate services provider.
To remain in good standing, your company must maintain annual compliance, including Chamber of Commerce registration and filing tax returns, even if there is no taxable income.
Personal Fit and Proper Criteria
Curaçao regulators assess the integrity and competence of all ultimate beneficial owners (UBOs holding 10% or more), directors, and key officers. Each person must submit:
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Notarized identification documents
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Proof of residential address
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Curriculum vitae
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Police clearance certificates
Individuals with histories of fraud, financial crime, or ties to problematic gambling ventures can be rejected. Additionally, regulators may conduct interviews (often via teleconference) with key principals to evaluate their understanding and readiness to operate compliantly.
Particular scrutiny is given to the designated Compliance Officer. Curaçao expects this individual to be knowledgeable in AML obligations and able to liaise with the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). If you do not yet have a suitable candidate, NUR Legal can appoint an external Compliance Officer temporarily.
Financial and Corporate Requirements
Curaçao does not set a formal minimum capital threshold, but you must demonstrate adequate capitalization to operate responsibly. This may involve:
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Showing available funds in a company bank account
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Providing a parent company guarantee
Our service package covers initial government fees, including:
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Application fees
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First-year licensing fees
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Annual contributions (such as to the eGaming development fund, if applicable)
Additionally, Curaçao entities must register with the local FIU for AML reporting and with the tax authorities. While eGaming profits typically benefit from Curaçao’s favorable 2% tax rate, you are still required to file annual accounts and maintain tax compliance.
NUR Legal also ensures that your corporate governance arrangements meet the standards set by the Central Bank of Curaçao and St. Maarten, which oversees international financial services.
Compliance and Technical Setup
Curaçao’s modern licensing regime emphasizes transparency and accountability. Applicants must establish:
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An AML/CFT compliance program in line with FATF recommendations
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KYC and age verification procedures
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A Responsible Gaming policy (including self-exclusion features and problem gambling information)
From a technical standpoint, you will need to demonstrate systems security and fairness. Software and random number generators (RNGs) must be tested or certified by an independent lab within a defined period after operations begin.
Importantly, you must maintain a transaction log server or accessible database in Curaçao for regulatory inspection. NUR Legal assists in setting this up with you.
Additionally:
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You must integrate basic fraud detection tools
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You may not offer gambling services to prohibited markets (e.g., Curaçao residents or countries under sanctions)
Compliance with these restrictions is mandatory to maintain your license.
Ongoing Obligations
While not strictly part of the initial application, understanding your continuing obligations is essential, as regulators may require you to demonstrate preparedness. These obligations include:
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Monthly reporting of gaming statistics to the Gaming Control Board
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Annual audited financial statements prepared by a registered Curaçao accountant
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Ongoing AML compliance, including the submission of suspicious activity reports to the FIU
Your ability to comply relies on having a robust back-office system capable of generating reports on player balances, bets, winnings, and related data.
To support this, NUR Legal prepares a detailed operations manual describing how you will fulfill these requirements, which demonstrates your operational readiness to the regulators.
PROCEDURE
To qualify for a Curaçao gambling license, several key requirements must be met, reflecting both the traditional ease of Curaçao and the new standards being put in place
1. Incorporation of Curaçao Company
To apply for a Curaçao eGaming licence, you must first establish a local Curaçao entity. NUR Legal will facilitate the incorporation of a Curaçao Limited Liability Company (N.V. or B.V.) specifically structured for gaming operations. This includes drafting specialised Articles of Association that meet the gaming licence criteria and appointing the required local representatives. By law, a Curaçao company must have a local managing director who is a resident of Curaçao – we arrange for a trustworthy local director service (as indicated in our service package, a local Managing Director is provided). We also secure a registered office address in Curaçao and register the company with the Chamber of Commerce and tax authorities (annual fees for these are handled as part of our package).
2. Preparation of Licensing Documents
Once the company is set up, we compile the licence application. Under the new licensing regime, applications are submitted to the Curaçao Gaming Control Board (GCB) via their online portal. NUR Legal assists in drafting all necessary documents, including a Corporate Structure diagram, detailed business plan, and various policy documents. Specific to Curaçao, you will need an Anti-Money Laundering Manual (to comply with NOIS/NORUT regulations on reporting unusual transactions), an Internal Control System document, and game fairness and security policies. We also help prepare personal due diligence files for each Ultimate Beneficial Owner (UBO) and key personnel: notarised passport copies, bank references, police clearance certificates, and personal financial statements. These KYC documents are critical as the GCB will conduct background checks for suitability. Our team ensures nothing is missing or inconsistent – a common cause of delay we proactively avoid.
3. Application Submission
We assist you submitting the completed application through the official channel. At this stage, the application fee (and first-year licence fee, if applicable) is paid. According to the transitional guidelines, Curaçao has been converting the old sublicense system into direct licences from the GCB, and a one-time application fee is required. We also include proof of Central Bank registration if needed and proof of starting capital in a Curaçao bank (Curaçao doesn’t mandate a large capital deposit, but showing some operational funds locally can strengthen the application). After submission, the GCB will acknowledge and begin its review. NUR Legal tracks the progress and provides any follow-up information immediately.
4. Regulatory Review & Due Diligence (approximately 2–3 months)
The GCB (or interim Gaming Authority if established) performs due diligence on the company and persons. This includes verifying the source of funds for the venture and checking all UBOs against international sanctions or criminal databases. Compliance checks are also done to see that your proposed operations have the necessary components: for example, that you have a qualified Compliance Officer in place (Curaçao will expect someone with AML expertise designated – NUR Legal assists in either training one of your staff or outsourcing this role). During this phase, NUR Legal remains the liaison, answering any GCB questions. For instance, the GCB might ask for clarification on your target markets or request additional information on software providers. We handle these queries. Note that as part of due diligence, a fit and proper test is applied to the local managing director as well, but since we provide a vetted local director, this will not be an issue. The process also now involves demonstrating your technical readiness – typically via an Operational Plan detailing IT infrastructure and an outline of your software’s certification path.
5. Licence Grant & Setup Completion
Upon a successful review, the Gaming Control Board issues your gambling licence (now typically a B2C Operator Licence). NUR Legal assists in final steps such as obtaining the required seal/stamp of the licence on your website and registering you with the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU Curaçao) for AML reporting obligations – this is included in our service (Annual FIU registration). We also ensure you pay any annual fees (Curaçao has an annual licence fee, and we have included many recurring fees in our package, such as the annual supervisory fee to the Central Bank). At this point, you will also finalise arrangements for hosting: Curaçao requires certain core gambling data to be stored or accessible on-island. We can connect you with local hosting solutions if not already arranged. Finally, we help you appoint a local Compliance Officer if not already done (which is separate from the Managing Director; this person ensures ongoing adherence to AML, responsible gaming, and reporting). With all in place, your Curaçao-licensed operation is ready to launch globally. We provide you with a compliance calendar and guidelines so you can confidently operate within the scope of your new licence.
OUR OFFERS
NUR Legal provides an end-to-end service package to streamline the complex Curaçao licensing process.
For those still evaluating the regulatory landscape, we recommend getting a comprehensive Legal Opinion that assesses answers all of your questions in legal aspect before moving forward.
For clients ready to proceed, we deliver a full-scope package that includes everything necessary to start your gambling business.
Full package Licensing
Obtaining a Curaçao license is complex, but our firm provides end-to-end legal and consulting support to streamline the journey.
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Local company incorporation with registered Curaçao office and trusted local director
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Authorized representative appointment and ongoing corporate compliance support
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Personal fit and proper assessment preparation for all UBOs and key officers
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Collection and notarisation of personal documentation and police clearances
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Assistance with regulator interviews and Compliance Officer role fulfilment if needed
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Financial capability demonstration and capitalisation strategy
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Coordination of government application fees and first-year license payments
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FIU and tax authority registrations with guidance on low-tax regime compliance
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Corporate governance alignment with Central Bank requirements
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Drafting AML/CFT compliance program and KYC procedures per FATF standards
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Preparation of responsible gaming policies and age verification processes
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Setup of transaction log server accessible in Curaçao for inspections
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Technical compliance with RNG/software certification and security protocols
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Guidance on market restrictions and prohibited jurisdictions monitoring
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Integration of fraud detection systems and compliance controls
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Operations manual preparation covering reporting and record-keeping
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Support with monthly gaming statistics reporting to the Gaming Control Board
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Assistance in annual audited accounts submission and ongoing AML filings
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Regular legal monitoring and advisory on regulatory developments
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And more — full-spectrum Curaçao licensing and operational compliance services
LEGAL FRAMEWORK
Curaçao’s iGaming legal framework has historically been rooted in the National Ordinance on Offshore Games of Hazard (Landsverordening Offizielle Kansspelen), under which a set of master licenses were issued back in 1996. Those master license holders (like Curaçao eGaming) then issued sub-licenses to individual operators. However, starting in 2024, Curaçao is implementing a new system under the National Ordinance for Games of Chance (LOK), shifting to direct regulation by a centralised authority (the Gaming Control Board, GCB) and eliminating the old master-sublicense model. This is a significant modernisation: new applicants now apply straight to the GCB, and existing sub-licensees must transition to the new license by defined deadlines .
Under the reformed framework, there are distinct license categories: a B2C Operator License for companies offering games to players, and a B2B Supplier License for service providers (like platform providers, game studios, etc.). Each B2C licensee can conduct multiple types of gambling (casino, sports, bingo, etc.) as authorised in its license scope. Licenses are typically valid for 5 years (this is a proposal under the new law, replacing the “indefinite but subject to revocation” nature of the old sub-licenses), with annual compliance fees and reviews. Importantly, the law now mandates holistic compliance with international standards – including anti-money laundering (Curaçao has adopted the NOIS and NORUT directives requiring operators to report unusual transactions) , consumer protection (ensuring fair games and truthful advertising), and funds segregation (player funds security is getting more attention).
One of the immediate effects of the new regime is greater credibility: Curaçao is becoming an officially white-listed jurisdiction in more eyes, which should help licensees in maintaining bank accounts and payment processing, areas that were sometimes challenging under the old perception of Curaçao. The Gaming Control Board is also connecting with regulators in other countries, meaning Curaçao licensees might find it simpler to get other licenses or certifications using their Curaçao compliance record as a springboard.
During this transition, the GCB set deadlines (for example, originally March 31, 2024, extended to April 30, 2024) for existing operators to apply under the new system . This demonstrates the commitment to moving all operators to the regulated net. The GCB has also introduced an online portal for applications, bringing efficiency and transparency.
From a day-to-day operational standpoint, Curaçao licensees now have clearer rules to follow. They must have know-your-customer procedures (verify player identity at certain deposit thresholds), provide tools for responsible gaming (self-exclusion, limits), and ensure that all games are provably fair or certified. Advertising cannot be deceptive and must avoid targeting minors. The regulator can issue fines or suspend licenses for non-compliance; previously, enforcement was lax, but under the GCB we can expect more active supervision.
OUR SERVICES
Ready to pursue a Curaçao gambling license? Contact us for tailored legal guidance and a smooth licensing process in Curaçao.
At NUR Legal, our services encompass:
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Regulatory Consultation
Assessing the best jurisdiction and license type for your business.
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Documentation Assistance
Preparing and reviewing all necessary documents.
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Application Management
Handling the submission and liaison with regulatory bodies.
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Post-Licensing Support
Ensuring ongoing compliance and addressing any regulatory updates.
