Regulatory
CGA (Curaçao Gaming Authority)
Reviewed by iGaming Times editorial teamLast reviewed 16 October 2026
What is CGA?
Curaçao's gambling regulator, formerly the Gaming Control Board, which took its current name when the National Ordinance on Games of Chance (LOK) came into force on 24 December 2024 and now licenses operators directly in place of the master and sub-licence system.
Key takeaways
- The Curaçao Gaming Authority replaced the master and sub-licence system with direct licensing and supervision of operators.
- Under the old model a few master licence holders sold sub-licences onward with minimal oversight, weakening the jurisdiction's reputation.
- The reform's credibility depends on visible enforcement against licensees, not on the statute alone.
Why it matters
For most of its history Curaçao issued a small number of master licences whose holders sold sub-licences onward with minimal oversight. The result was a jurisdiction that supplied a very large share of the world's offshore gambling at low cost, with weak complaint handling and little effective enforcement, and whose licence became shorthand in other markets for an operator that could not obtain one elsewhere.
The reform replaces that with direct licensing, an identified regulator, and obligations on anti-money laundering, player funds and complaints. Whether it changes the jurisdiction's reputation depends less on the statute than on visible enforcement against licensees, which is the test every reforming offshore regulator faces.
It matters beyond Curaçao because operators licensed there serve players in markets that have not licensed them, so the credibility of the regime affects channelisation arguments elsewhere.
The bottom line
Curaçao has replaced a sub-licensing arrangement with an actual regulator. The reputation follows enforcement, not legislation.
Sources
- Online Gaming - Curaçao Gaming Authority
CGA elsewhere on iGaming Times
In the news
- Curaçao's Regulator Confirms Its Licensing Portal Was Open to a False Identity for Nine Months24 September 2026
- Curaçao Licensed the Companies Behind Stake and 1xBet With Ownership Questions Unanswered, Leaked Files Show23 September 2026
- A Hacker Says She Watched Curaçao's Regulator for Nine Months and Will Publish Every Owner22 September 2026
Frequently asked questions
What is the Curaçao Gaming Authority?
The Curaçao Gaming Authority (CGA) is the regulator that licenses and supervises gambling conducted in or from Curaçao. Formerly the Gaming Control Board, it took its current name and role when the National Ordinance on Games of Chance (LOK) came into force on 24 December 2024, replacing the old master licence and sub-licence system with direct licensing.
What changed when Curaçao ended the master licence system?
Under the previous regime a small number of master licence holders sold sub-licences onward, and sub-licensees faced little direct oversight. The LOK replaced that with licences granted directly to each operator, an identified regulator, and obligations on anti-money laundering, player funds and complaint handling. Some provisions of the old offshore ordinance still apply under the LOK's transitional rules.
Why does the Curaçao Gaming Authority matter outside Curaçao?
Operators licensed in Curaçao serve players in many markets that have not licensed them, so the credibility of the regime affects banking and supplier diligence and the channelisation arguments regulators make elsewhere. Whether the reform changes the jurisdiction's reputation will depend on visible enforcement against licensees rather than on the legislation itself.