Is Curaçao finally getting Serious about Crypto Gambling Regulation?

[freedomgo]

Curacao license might not be the easiest access anymore for many casinos that want to start an online casino, as just recently there was news that they are strengthening their regulations and that includes the following

Taken from the news

https://igamingbusiness.com/legal-compliance/cga-curacao-crypto-gambling-regulations-mid-2027-deadline/

Key requirements for iGaming operators include:

Role restriction: Licensees may only accept crypto for gambling, not as exchanges, custodians or VASPs.
Blockchain analytics capability: Mandatory wallet screening, risk-scoring and transaction monitoring at deposit and withdrawal.
Asset controls: Fiat-backed stablecoins preferred; privacy coins, meme coins and wrapped tokens of unclear origin require assessment or exclusion.
Wallet segregation: Player, operational and treasury wallets must be kept separate; personal or UBO-linked wallets are banned.
Banned assets: Funds linked to mixers, tumblers or sanctioned addresses are prohibited outright.
The CGA mandates immediate prohibition of sanctioned wallets, mixers and operators acting as exchanges. Licensees must then adhere to the following timeline:

Within three months: Submission of a compliant crypto policy to the CGA portal.
Within six months: Completion of risk assessments, due diligence on VASPs and staff training on the new requirements.
Within 12 months (June 2027): Full compliance expected, including segregation of wallets, deployment of blockchain analytics capabilities, transaction reconciliation and maintenance of audit-ready records.

What do you think, can casinos still find another license provider that has lax implementation like the old Curacao? Because definitely not all of them can pass these requirements, especially those that offer no KYC or anonymous gambling

[Charles-Tim]

Gambling sites are going for Curacao license because it is cheap and still the gambling sites are covering many countries. This is another thing that should be discussed about.

What do you think, can casinos still find another license provider that has lax implementation like the old Curacao? Because definitely not all of them can pass these requirements, especially those that offer no KYC or anonymous gambling

Can you point to anywhere that compulsory KYC is mentioned? Maybe I was fast in reading it, but I did not see anywhere that mention compulsory KYC.

[xenomorfo]

Curacao license might not be the easiest access anymore for many casinos that want to start an online casino, as just recently there was news that they are strengthening their regulations and that includes the following

Taken from the news

https://igamingbusiness.com/legal-compliance/cga-curacao-crypto-gambling-regulations-mid-2027-deadline/

Key requirements for iGaming operators include:

Role restriction: Licensees may only accept crypto for gambling, not as exchanges, custodians or VASPs.
Blockchain analytics capability: Mandatory wallet screening, risk-scoring and transaction monitoring at deposit and withdrawal.
Asset controls: Fiat-backed stablecoins preferred; privacy coins, meme coins and wrapped tokens of unclear origin require assessment or exclusion.
Wallet segregation: Player, operational and treasury wallets must be kept separate; personal or UBO-linked wallets are banned.
Banned assets: Funds linked to mixers, tumblers or sanctioned addresses are prohibited outright.
The CGA mandates immediate prohibition of sanctioned wallets, mixers and operators acting as exchanges. Licensees must then adhere to the following timeline:

Within three months: Submission of a compliant crypto policy to the CGA portal.
Within six months: Completion of risk assessments, due diligence on VASPs and staff training on the new requirements.
Within 12 months (June 2027): Full compliance expected, including segregation of wallets, deployment of blockchain analytics capabilities, transaction reconciliation and maintenance of audit-ready records.

What do you think, can casinos still find another license provider that has lax implementation like the old Curacao? Because definitely not all of them can pass these requirements, especially those that offer no KYC or anonymous gambling

Mmmm yu say? in my opinion, for years they have, so to speak, had a powerful economic return from being "serene" towards regulation.
In my opinion it represented a very important income, if now they strengthen the regulations and the casinos run away? What happens to their income?

[Sanitough]

It is high time I guess, because there are many complaints about casinos that are not regulated properly. With lax implementation, this will become a safe haven for scammers.

But whether we like it or not, this is already the path we are going because crypto regulations are getting stricter globally. Those supposed no KYC casinos will eventually require KYC even the moment you sign up. Now it is still okay to play without KYC and later they will just ask once your account reaches the threshold or whatever requirements they set.

[Questat]

Can you point to anywhere that compulsory KYC is mentioned? Maybe I was fast in reading it, but I did not see anywhere that mention compulsory KYC.

I read the link and I did not see the KYC part there. I think this is already basic, but from my understanding, it does not say there that a user is required to go through KYC before being able to use the casino. But he is also right to say that some casinos are using no KYC casinos, but in general it is only at the beginning. Eventually, it is not really full no KYC because if you win, you will have to undergo KYC.

And this is the mistake of some users, they think it is really no KYC and when they are required to submit documents, they do not have them so their winnings are held hostage.

[aioc]

What do you think, can casinos still find another license provider that has lax implementation like the old Curacao? Because definitely not all of them can pass these requirements, especially those that offer no KYC or anonymous gambling

With all these stiff requirements by Curacao, the gambling community will benefit, now only casinos that can meet all these requirements and that will make casinos safer for gamblers, but these don't guarantee that they will not screw up gamblers,, and it's not going to be the major factor that we should look for in a casino.
It's still reputation and how they communicate and resolve issues that will matter for the gambling community.

[YOSHIE]

What do you think, can casinos still find another license provider that has lax implementation like the old Curacao?

As far as I know, there are several countries that can issue online gambling licenses the fastest, in general Curaçao, which many gamblers know, if Curaçao tightens online gambling licensing, I'm sure online gambling industry voters will run away to use licenses from other countries where the process is fast.
As I know, Malta, Isle of Man, Gibraltar, Anjouan, Comoros Islands, United Kingdom and others also guarantee licenses for online gambling sites, meaning that Curaçao is not the only one who can do that.

Where, like the countries I mentioned above, do not have strict regulations, like Curaçao, the point is that whether Curaçao is serious about issuing licenses to online casinos, it is not an obstacle for them, Maybe Curaçao now needs to update its licensing rules, most of the casino licenses issued by Curaçao have lots of complaints and problems, maybe it's time for Curaçao to take their reputation seriously.

[acroman08]

Is this a new regulation requirements update on Curacao? I remember a while back that they updated their requirements for casinos who wants to get their license, which made it harder for casinos to get their license, and expensive too.

What do you think, can casinos still find another license provider that has lax implementation like the old Curacao? Because definitely not all of them can pass these requirements, especially those that offer no KYC or anonymous gambling

I'm seeing a lot of Anjouan gambling license on online casinos lately, so that's probably the new license provider that casinos go to, since it's probably more lax than Curacao right now. I also remember reading before that getting Anjouan gamblign license is cheaper than Curacao.

[salad daging]

What do you think, can casinos still find another license provider that has lax implementation like the old Curacao? Because definitely not all of them can pass these requirements, especially those that offer no KYC or anonymous gambling

Anjouan Gaming - This license as of now may not be too strict, fees are cheap, the process is quite fast there could be leeway in terms of KYC, I see many crypto casinos using license providers from Anjouan Gaming.

You can read the article.
https://ggrsoft.com/blog/anjouan-igaming-license/

[obuoma]

The reason casinos go for Curacao license are many but the most obvious is because it is easy to obtain and also very  cheap compared to other countries. This does not mean that Curacao is not serious in their regulation and if they bring so many stringent measures that makes obtaining their license difficult and expensive,  casinos will look elsewhere for their registration and just imagine how much they will be losing as a result of that.

[freedomgo]

Gambling sites are going for Curacao license because it is cheap and still the gambling sites are covering many countries. This is another thing that should be discussed about.

With this new update, i doubt they will still go..

What do you think, can casinos still find another license provider that has lax implementation like the old Curacao? Because definitely not all of them can pass these requirements, especially those that offer no KYC or anonymous gambling

Can you point to anywhere that compulsory KYC is mentioned? Maybe I was fast in reading it, but I did not see anywhere that mention compulsory KYC.

It was not mentioned specifically, but understanding the regulatory requirements makes me believe that KYC is a very basic requirement. It is compulsory, but the timing might differ from gambler to gambler, as it probably depends on the amount wagered, the betting pattern and of course where the funds are coming from.

You know this money laundering thing, it is always attached to this.

Anjouan Gaming - This license as of now may not be too strict, fees are cheap, the process is quite fast there could be leeway in terms of KYC, I see many crypto casinos using license providers from Anjouan Gaming.

You can read the article.
https://ggrsoft.com/blog/anjouan-igaming-license/

Thanks, i think this one is the new thing now..

[Don Pedro Dinero]

Regardless of the scepticism expressed by some fellows, I believe that in future, having a licence – a lax one, so to speak – from tax havens will no longer work. Back in early 2010, I witnessed the shift in online gambling – the regulated, fiat-based kind – from tax havens to country-specific licences. In theory, this licensing system also applies to cryptocurrency casinos, but for the time being, casinos are getting away with Caribbean licences, and players from regulated countries always manage to find a cryptocurrency casino where they can place bets. But I think it’s only a matter of time before the day comes when, with cryptocurrency casinos too, you’ll only be able to register and deposit after completing KYC checks, and Caribbean licences will be worth very little indeed.

[Die_empty]

Anjouan Gaming - This license as of now may not be too strict, fees are cheap, the process is quite fast there could be leeway in terms of KYC, I see many crypto casinos using license providers from Anjouan Gaming.

You can read the article.
https://ggrsoft.com/blog/anjouan-igaming-license/

Gambling platforms will simply move to another licensor if Curacao makes the process difficult and expensive. Most gamblers don't care about the worth of the license; they just want quality services. I am also seeing an increase in the use of Kahnawake licenses. Operators could easily get the license within eight weeks and offer no corporate tax on gambling income.

The gambling industry requires effective regulation, and licensors have important roles to play. If Curaçao is restructuring the process of acquiring its license for effective regulations, then it's a welcome development. 

[DrBeer]

Curacao license might not be the easiest access anymore for many casinos that want to start an online casino, as just recently there was news that they are strengthening their regulations and that includes the following

Taken from the news

https://igamingbusiness.com/legal-compliance/cga-curacao-crypto-gambling-regulations-mid-2027-deadline/

Key requirements for iGaming operators include:

Role restriction: Licensees may only accept crypto for gambling, not as exchanges, custodians or VASPs.
Blockchain analytics capability: Mandatory wallet screening, risk-scoring and transaction monitoring at deposit and withdrawal.
Asset controls: Fiat-backed stablecoins preferred; privacy coins, meme coins and wrapped tokens of unclear origin require assessment or exclusion.
Wallet segregation: Player, operational and treasury wallets must be kept separate; personal or UBO-linked wallets are banned.
Banned assets: Funds linked to mixers, tumblers or sanctioned addresses are prohibited outright.
The CGA mandates immediate prohibition of sanctioned wallets, mixers and operators acting as exchanges. Licensees must then adhere to the following timeline:

Within three months: Submission of a compliant crypto policy to the CGA portal.
Within six months: Completion of risk assessments, due diligence on VASPs and staff training on the new requirements.
Within 12 months (June 2027): Full compliance expected, including segregation of wallets, deployment of blockchain analytics capabilities, transaction reconciliation and maintenance of audit-ready records.

What do you think, can casinos still find another license provider that has lax implementation like the old Curacao? Because definitely not all of them can pass these requirements, especially those that offer no KYC or anonymous gambling

I don't think we'll see another Curaçao-like jurisdiction emerge. What we're seeing is a global tightening of regulations governing cryptocurrency. The fiat world fully understands the threat that cryptocurrency poses to the fiat system and to the established "rules" of our world. Therefore, even if someone were to attempt to do something like that, they would likely face immediate pressure in the form of sanctions and other enforcement measures.

[swogerino]

I think whatever happens now in Curacao it means that there other countries who can provide a cheap license that also cover no KYC so casinos will always find a way. There are many other so called fiscal paradise countries that will offer the same service as Curacao if they choose to enforce the KYC thing, I can think of Panama or British Island to name a few, maybe they will be just a bit more expensive but they will fulfill the loophole left if Curacao starts not being a license paradise anymore.

[Potato Chips]

Interesting update OP.

I gotta wonder what would be the effect of this to us players. From the looks of it, they are slowly moving to stricter level of monitoring, so we could probably expect stricter KYC/AML triggers and obligations as well once this has taken fully in effect.

Meanwhile, there is still Anjouan Gaming as an alternative license casinos can use which should be much laxer. However who knows how long will that last.

[iv4n]

A double-edged sword. More regulations usually mean less privacy, more KYC checks, more restrictions... On the other egde, we can expect better handling of complaints and overall better protection against scam casinos.

So what do we want? More regulations & less privacy, or things to stay as they are? I am sure most people would love to see more regulations for casinos & their owners, but they would also like their privacy... It's hard to find a balance between the two in some cases like this one...

[leea-1334]

I feel like it is less about them getting clamped down hard (but that is a strong reason for sure) and more about the fact that nobody in this industry whether player or casino sees Curacao as a serious place to get your license from

I mean, when was the last time you heard a great casino that did not scam and only had Curacao license? Besides sportsbet