The Curaçao Gaming Authority (CGA) has confirmed that its complete supervisory board resigned in mid-September, however pressured that the event wouldn’t have an effect on the regulator’s day-to-day operations or the implementation of the island’s new playing framework, the Landsverordening op de Kansspelen (LOK).
Transition of Oversight to the Justice Ministry
In an announcement issued this week, the CGA clarified that administrative duty for the gaming regulator had already been transferred from the Ministry of Finance to the Ministry of Justice on August 19, 2025. The transfer, the federal government defined, aligns with the broader shift in Curaçao’s regulatory focus below the LOK – from monetary administration towards compliance, enforcement, and anti-illegal playing measures.
Minister of Justice Shalton Hato now holds formal duty for gaming supervision. The federal government emphasised that whereas Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas was not too long ago briefed on sector updates, he doesn’t maintain ministerial authority over the CGA or the broader playing trade.
The clarification adopted widespread media studies suggesting that Prime Minister Pisas had taken direct management of the CGA after assembly with its administration staff, sparking hypothesis over potential political intervention in gaming oversight.
CGA Denies Disruption to Licensing and LOK Implementation
Responding to public hypothesis, the CGA acknowledged that each one licensing, compliance, and regulatory actions stay “totally operational.” The authority confirmed that the method to nominate a brand new supervisory board is already underway and insisted that no interruption has occurred in its supervisory features.
“The Curaçao Gaming Authority stays dedicated to making sure the integrity and reliability of the gaming sector in Curaçao,” the regulator mentioned in its official launch.
The regulator additional famous that the LOK, which was authorized by Parliament in December 2024 and got here into power shortly after, continues to be applied at once. The legislation changed the long-standing “grasp license” system with a extra structured licensing course of requiring all operators to reapply below stricter requirements.
Addressing Media Hypothesis
The CGA’s public relations advisor, Aideen Shortt, criticized what she described as “sensationalist headlines and fake-news articles” suggesting instability inside the regulator.
“Regardless of sensationalist headlines and fake-news articles, there isn’t a delay or deviation within the rollout of the LOK, and no disruption to the CGA’s licensing or compliance programmes,” Shortt mentioned in a LinkedIn submit.
She added that the resignation of the supervisory board was “an administrative course of following authorities transition,” emphasizing that supervision, enforcement, and licensing actions “proceed with out interruption.”
Shortt additionally urged media shops and readers to train warning towards spreading “supposed or unintended misinformation” concerning the regulator and its legislative rollout.
Political Tensions Surrounding the Resignations
Based on studies from the Curaçao Chronicle, the resignations got here throughout a interval of political pressure between Finance Minister Javier Silvania and different members of presidency. The prime minister’s assembly with CGA officers and the absence of Silvania at that session led to hypothesis that management of the authority had shifted towards the Prime Minister’s Workplace.
The CGA has since reaffirmed that it continues to function independently below the Justice Ministry’s supervision, guaranteeing continuity in its mandate to control and license each native and worldwide playing operators on the island.
The federal government has not but named replacements for the outgoing commissioners Shelwyn Salesia, Robert Reijnaert, and Ildefons Simon, however confirmed that the choice course of is in progress.
LOK Reform Alerts Regulatory Evolution
The LOK, handed by Parliament on a 13–6 vote, marks a big reform for Curaçao’s playing sector. It goals to strengthen compliance requirements, scale back grey-market publicity, and align the island’s licensing framework with worldwide finest practices.
Finance Minister Silvania beforehand described the brand new legislation as “a security internet towards offshore operators,” supposed to modernize oversight and enhance the island’s regulatory repute.
Regardless of management modifications and political debate, the CGA reiterated that each the licensing and supervisory frameworks below the LOK stay on schedule, signaling a continued dedication to transparency and sector integrity.
Sources:
Curaçao Gaming Authority Confirms Resignation of Supervisory Board, “Operations Proceed Uninterrupted, curacaochronicle.com, October 15, 2025.
