Curacao Gaming Authority Under Investigation by OM Over Gambling Sector Misconduct

The Curacao Gaming Authority (CGA), which supervises one of the largest online gambling markets, has become the subject of a criminal investigation by the Public Prosecutor’s Office (OM). This inquiry into alleged irregularities directly challenges the regulator’s capacity to implement the National Ordinance on Games of Chance (LOK). The legislation intended to overhaul the island’s outdated licensing framework.

While Antilliaans Dagblad praised the LOK reforms as a critical modernization effort for the territory’s 10,000+ licensed operators, the OM’s intervention now casts doubt on the CGA’s ability to deliver transparency.

Probe Expands to Regional Investigators

The Curacao Financial Supervision Board (Cft) formally acknowledged the criminal investigation in a November 27, 2025 letter, with chair Lidewijde Ongering confirming the developments. Prosecutors are acting on unspecified “signals of irregularities” with the CGA, the agency tasked with implementing gaming reforms under the LOK framework.

The Criminal Investigation Cooperation Team (RMT), comprising authorities from the surrounding islands and the Netherlands, has now joined the inquiry. While Ongering’s letter emphasized the Cft’s monitoring role, it provided no clarity on the precise nature of the allegations driving the Public Prosecution Service’s scrutiny of the gaming regulator.

Leadership Crisis

The CGA’s criminal investigation follows months of chaos in the institution, beginning with the abrupt September 2025 resignation of its entire Supervisory Board. This leadership vacuum prompted Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas to assume direct control in October, bypassing the scandal-plagued Ministry of Finance.

Observers link the investigation to systemic failures in implementing anti-money laundering (AML) reforms, with local reports citing mismanagement and operational flaws.

The regulator’s credibility crisis deepens amid leaked recordings of ex-finance minister Javier Silvania clashing with the head of the Tax Receiver’s Office, Alfonso Trona, revealing threats of exposing alleged corruption. The recordings fuel skepticism about Curacao’s capacity to establish transparent gaming oversight as pledged in the LOK reforms. Also, opposition politician Dr. Luigi Faneyte’s 400-page report detailing serious allegations against senior CGA officials compounds the authority’s qualms.

Trust at Stake

Analysts warn that confirmed irregularities could destabilize the LOK, jeopardizing the island’s standing as a credible iGaming jurisdiction on the global stage. While the probe is still in its early stages, its outcome may determine whether the LOK framework fuels genuine progress or systemic dysfunction.