Curaçao Gaming Authority (CGA): register, licences and requirements
The Curaçao Gaming Authority (CGA) is Curaçao's sole gambling regulator, founded in 1999 as the Gaming Control Board. Since the 2024 National Ordinance on Games of Chance (LOK) it licenses B2C online-gaming operators and B2B suppliers directly, replacing the old master/sub-licence model. Its register lists 665 licences issued (571 B2C, 94 B2B) as of September 2026, and it also supervises land-based casinos, lotteries and AML/CFT compliance.
How to check a firm on the CGA register
The registers are static PDF lists, not a search form: an applicant scrolls or Ctrl+F's the licensee's company name or CGA/OGL licence number in the Online Gaming License Registry PDF. An active entry shows status 'Indefinite' (permanent) or 'Assessment in progress' (still-valid provisional licence under review); 'Expired' or 'Revoked' entries are no longer valid, and the CGA itself warns the lists do not guarantee current validity.4
- index page linking to the online gaming licence registry, the certificate-holder list and the enforcement register4
- Online Gaming License Registry: every B2C (gaming) and B2B (supplier) licence ever granted, with licence number, licensee, issue/expiry date and status7
- list of certificate holders (goods/services suppliers to B2B/B2C licensees, LOK art. 5.17)4
- public enforcement register of CGA enforcement actions4
At a glance
| Official name | Curaçao Gaming Authority (Stichting Gaming Control Board (founding foundation name, now operating as Curaçao Gaming Authority)) |
|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | Curaçao |
| Type | Gaming regulator |
| Headquarters | Willemstad1 |
| Founded | 19992 |
| Website | cga.cw3 |
| Public register | Official public register4 |
| Licence types in the Atlas | 2 |
What CGA supervises
The CGA is Curaçao's sole gambling regulator: it licenses and supervises online gaming operators (B2C) and suppliers (B2B) under the 2024 National Ordinance on Games of Chance (LOK), plus land-based casinos, lotteries and charity gaming, and supervises the sector's AML/CFT compliance.3
Licences CGA issues
Lesser-known services for applicants
Pre-application meeting / pre-assessment
The regulator does not publish this.
Innovation hub
The regulator does not publish this.
Regulatory sandbox
The regulator does not publish this.
Application portal: CGA License Management Portal, https://portal.cga.cw/: used to apply for a B2C or B2B licence, pay fees/invoices, and submit change requests5
Fee schedule: "License Fees under the National Ordinance on Games of Chance ('LOK')", CGA publication v2.0 (15 Oct 2025): sets application, annual and administrative fees6
Compare with other regulators: pre-application meetings · sandboxes and innovation hubs.
Statistics
- 665 total entries in the CGA Online Gaming License Registry (571 tagged B2C, 94 tagged B2B), as of 21 Sep 20267
- Of those 665 entries: 207 are marked 'Indefinite' (permanent), 279 'Assessment in progress' (still-valid provisional, under review), 60 'Expired' and 50 'Revoked' (mostly at the operator's own request), as of 21 Sep 20267
Fees and timelines
| Licence | Fee | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Online Gaming Licence (B2C operating licence) under the LOK | application | EUR 4,592 one-time (plus EUR 150 per UBO/qualified interest holder, EUR 2,551 per listed UBO)6 |
| Online Gaming Licence (B2C operating licence) under the LOK | annual | EUR 47,450 total (EUR 24,490 License Fee to the National Treasury + EUR 22,960 Supervisory Fee to the CGA), payable in full by 15 January6 |
| Supplier Licence (B2B platform/software licence) under the LOK | application | EUR 4,592 one-time (plus EUR 150 per UBO/qualified interest holder, EUR 2,551 per listed UBO)6 |
| Supplier Licence (B2B platform/software licence) under the LOK | annual | EUR 24,490 Supervisory Fee to the CGA (no separate National Treasury fee for B2B), payable in full by 15 January6 |
| Online Gaming Licence (B2C operating licence) under the LOK | annual | EUR 128 administrative fee per changed or added UBO or qualified interest holder6 |
| Licence | Statutory deadline | Observed |
|---|---|---|
| Online Gaming Licence (B2C operating licence) under the LOK | Two-phase review (integrity/financial stability, then LOK regulatory requirements); each phase decided within 8 weeks, extendable by up to 4 weeks per phase: up to about 24 weeks in total5 | not published |
| Supplier Licence (B2B platform/software licence) under the LOK | Same two-phase process as the B2C licence: each phase decided within 8 weeks, extendable by up to 4 weeks per phase5 | not published |
Changing the owner of a licensed firm
Prior approval required. Prior written CGA permission ('Critical Change Consent', licence condition art. 4) is required before a licensee changes or adds a UBO, a qualifying-interest holder (≥10% of capital or voting rights), a director or other key person, a domain, or amends its articles of association. The administrative fee is EUR 128 per changed/added UBO or qualifying-interest holder; no assignment/transfer of the licence itself is possible: only a change of the licensed company's own ownership.9
Buying a company that already holds one of these licences is often faster than applying. See ready-made licensed companies · gaming betting.
Laws CGA applies
Recent and upcoming changes
- 2024-12-24: the National Ordinance on Games of Chance (LOK) took effect; the Gaming Control Board was redesignated the Curaçao Gaming Authority and became sole regulator, ending the old LBH master/sub-licence system.8
- 2025-08-19: political-administrative responsibility for the CGA moved from the Minister of Finance to the Minister of Justice.10
- 2025-09 (mid-September): the CGA's Supervisory Board (Raad van Commissarissen) resigned; the government began appointing replacement members.10
- 2026-01-23: the LOK's local-substance requirement (art. 5.12: resident key persons and own office) was postponed; operators need not comply before 2027-04-01.11
- 2026-09-17: the CGA disclosed unauthorised access to its online gaming portal; the incident was contained but the investigation's full scope was not yet established.12
Contacts and public register
Address: Scharlooweg 172-174, Willemstad, Curaçao1
Website: cga.cw3
Check whether a firm is licensed: official register4 · official register7 · official register4 · official register4.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Curaçao Gaming Authority (CGA) license?
The CGA licenses online gaming operators facing players (B2C) and suppliers of gaming-related software or services (B2B) under the 2024 National Ordinance on Games of Chance (LOK). It also licenses land-based casinos, lotteries, charity bingo and charity bon ku ne, and supervises the whole sector's AML/CFT compliance.
How much does a Curaçao online gaming licence cost?
The one-time application fee is EUR 4,592 for both B2C and B2B licences. Annual fees are EUR 47,450 for a B2C operator (License Fee plus CGA Supervisory Fee) and EUR 24,490 for a B2B supplier (Supervisory Fee only), per the CGA's official fee schedule.
Can I still buy an old Curaçao 'master licence' or 'sub-licence'?
No. The master/sub-licence (LBH) system ended when the LOK took effect on 24 December 2024. Every operator now needs its own direct CGA licence (B2C 'OGL/CGA' number); old sub-licences were converted into provisional LOK licences or lapsed.
How can I check whether a Curaçao gaming licence is genuine and active?
Search the CGA's published Online Gaming License Registry PDF for the company name or licence number. An active licence shows status 'Indefinite' (permanent) or 'Assessment in progress' (valid provisional, still under review); 'Expired' or 'Revoked' entries are no longer valid licences.
Does a change of ownership need CGA approval?
Yes. Under licence condition article 4 ('Critical Change Consent'), a licensee needs prior written CGA permission before changing or adding a UBO, a 10%+ qualifying-interest holder, a director or key person, or a domain. The administrative fee is EUR 128 per person; the licence itself cannot be transferred, only the company's ownership can change.
Does the CGA offer a sandbox or pre-application meetings?
No such programme is advertised on the CGA's own site or its licensing portal FAQ as of September 2026; unlike some fintech regulators, the CGA does not publish a formal pre-application, innovation-hub or sandbox service.
Sources
- cga.cw: contact · retrieved 2026-09-24
- cga.cw: about us · retrieved 2026-09-24
- cga.cw · retrieved 2026-09-24
- cga.cw: 133i348441001 · retrieved 2026-09-24
- portal.cga.cw · retrieved 2026-09-24
- portal.cga.cw: aZPlS7pIPL5pJubskS3bNhtWjOXPNAawyRrFClRf (PDF) · retrieved 2026-09-24
- gamingcontrol.spin-cdn.com: 20260921 20260921 ogl license registry (PDF) · retrieved 2026-09-24
- cga.cw: online gaming · retrieved 2026-09-24
- portal.cga.cw: license conditions indefinite term online gaming license · retrieved 2026-09-24
- gamingcontrol.spin-cdn.com: 20251015 cga press release 14 oktober 2025 final dutch eng p (PDF) · retrieved 2026-09-24
- gamingcontrol.spin-cdn.com: 20260123 postponement of local substance requirement 1769167 (PDF) · retrieved 2026-09-24
- gamingcontrol.spin-cdn.com: 20260917 press release cga 17092026 (PDF) · retrieved 2026-09-24
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