Connect with us

Compliance Updates

Brace Yourselves: Curaçao’s New Gambling Law Is at the Door!

Published

on

brace-yourselves:-curacao’s-new-gambling-law-is-at-the-door!

 

Curaçao is approaching the finishing line of their online gambling reform, with the new law being sent to the parliament. Markus Björk at Slotsoo has been in touch with both the Ministry of Finance and several Curaçao operators to find out how they feel about this big change. Do European license providers have a reason to feel threatened by Curaçao casinos 2.0?

LOK Now Just Waiting for Parliament Approval

On December 19th, Curaçao’s Ministry of Finance informed that the new law has been officially submitted to the parliament. The National Ordinance for Games of Chance, commonly referred to as LOK (Landsverordening op de kansspelen), is expected to come into effect in the first half of 2024.

Finance Minister Javier Silvania, the front figure of the reform, shares his excitement about this historical moment:

“We are very happy to reach this final stage. The submission of the LOK to Parliament is not just a procedural step, but a leap towards transformative progress.”

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

No More Master Licenses or Middle Men

The current setup of the Curaçao casino license is very unique, with four master license holders being in charge of giving licenses to individual casino operators and ensuring their compliance to the regulations.

This has resulted in big quality differences, and if you were to ask ten EU players how they feel about Curaçao casinos you would get very varied replies. Another critique with the current system is that most of the financial gain goes to the four master license holders, while the island of Curaçao is left with light pockets.

LOK will put an end to master licenses and middle men and require all licenses to be applied directly from Curaçao’s Gaming Control Board. This means more uniformed quality and better control. The new law will also require gambling companies to have physical presence on the island, creating new job opportunities for the locals.

The Curaçao casinos we interviewed all welcome the new setup. Spinwise (Tsars Casino) sees some hurdles, but says it will be worth it in the long run:

“The prohibition of sublicensing by master licensees introduces a new financial dynamic for individual companies, albeit with associated fees. While adaptation to the new framework may pose short-term challenges, the long-term benefits are expected to outweigh these initial obstacles.”

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

The Curaçao License Will Remain Tax Free

Curaçao has been a popular license choice for casino entrepreneurs ever since its conception. Alpha Affiliates’ Chief Legal Officer Alexandra Shepelevich lists the three main benefits of the Curaçao license:
  1. No tax on winnings
  2. No restrictions on player nationality
  3. Strong regulatory framework
Curaçao will not try to change this recipe with the new law. The Gross profit tax will stay at 0% for all license holders no matter how big or small the revenue is. This is a stark contrast to most licenses in Europe.
A common concern among Curaçao operators is that the new system will cause a high barrier for entry, which some see as a positive thing. The new fees for a Curaçao casino will be approximately 50000€ a year (annual license fee 24600€ + monthly fee 12 x 2050€ + yearly domain fee 250€/each, numbers based on current ANG-EUR exchange rates).
Another strategy to keep unserious casinos away is the introduction of a digital seal, which will be made available on 1st of January 2024. The digital seal is issued by Curaçao’s Gaming Control Board and will help players confirm that the website has an active license.

Keeping the Balance Is Crucial for Success

Finance Minister Javier Silvania shares that they had a very inclusive approach when drafting the new law. They consulted all the stakeholders to make sure LOK will consider different perspectives and not just serve one group. The country of Curaçao, its citizens, the gambling industry, and the players should all benefit from the reform.

Many license jurisdictions that go through a re-regulation fall into the trap of legislating too much, without the government listening to the industry or the players enough. This leads to fewer license holders and lower channelization rates, as both the operators and the players search for more attractive solutions from other countries.

All the casinos that we spoked to agree that a good balance between regulations and operational freedom needs to remain. Mark Wellington, Rollino Casino’s Chief Compliance Officer, elaborates this point in his interview with Slotsoo:
“One current challenge is maintaining a balance between fostering innovation and ensuring strict compliance with regulatory standards. Striking this balance is crucial to support a dynamic and competitive industry while safeguarding player interests.”

We wish Curaçao good luck with their new start in 2024!

Belgium’s E Category License

Digitain Expands into Belgium with Regulatory License Approval

Published

on

digitain-expands-into-belgium-with-regulatory-license-approval

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Digitain strengthens its regulated presence in Europe by obtaining Belgium’s E Category License.

Digitain, the leading iGaming solutions provider, has announced that it has been officially licensed to operate in Belgium, marking a significant milestone in the company’s ongoing European expansion. This achievement highlights Digitain’s commitment to compliance, innovation, and delivering trusted solutions to its global partners.

Belgium is a highly regulated jurisdiction with strict standards to ensure fair play and responsible gaming. Securing this license further strengthens Digitain’s reputation as a reliable and compliant technology provider, enabling it to offer its award-winning solutions fully aligned with local regulations.

Digitain remains committed to expanding its regulated market presence, fostering partner success, and upholding the highest standards of compliance and data protection.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

The post Digitain Expands into Belgium with Regulatory License Approval appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Continue Reading

Compliance Updates

Spelinspektionen Develops New Risk Assessment for Money Laundering in the Swedish Gambling Market

Published

on

spelinspektionen-develops-new-risk-assessment-for-money-laundering-in-the-swedish-gambling-market

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Spelinspektionen, the Swedish Gambling Authority, has developed a new risk assessment for money laundering in the Swedish gambling market.

In this risk assessment, which replaces previous assessments, the various approaches that enable licensees to be exploited for money laundering, referred to as threats, have been updated to better reflect the current situation. The vulnerabilities of the gaming forms, i.e. circumstances that are assessed to be able to affect the possibility of a threat occurring, have also been revised.

The method for assessing risk has also been revised to harmonise the Swedish Gambling Authority’s risk assessment with the national risk assessment produced by the Coordination Function for Measures Against Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing and the supranational risk assessment published by the European Commission.

The Swedish Gambling Authority has previously assessed that there is a low risk of land-based commercial casino gaming being used for money laundering. The authority’s regulations have therefore exempted the gaming form from the application of the money laundering regulations and a number of provisions in the Gambling Act. In the Swedish Gambling Authority’s new revised risk assessment, the risk of the gaming form being used for money laundering is no longer assessed as low. As a result, the Swedish Gambling Authority has initiated regulatory work to review the exemptions from the requirement to apply the money laundering regulations and register players and agents. Interested parties will have the opportunity to submit comments on the regulatory changes in a forthcoming consultation.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

The post Spelinspektionen Develops New Risk Assessment for Money Laundering in the Swedish Gambling Market appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Continue Reading

Australia

NICC extends The Star manager’s term for six months

Published

on

nicc-extends-the-star-manager’s-term-for-six-months

Reading Time: < 1 minute

 

The NSW Government has amended the Casino Control Regulation to extend the term of The Star’s manager Nick Weeks, who will continue to have oversight of casino operations until at least 31 March 2026.

The government extended Mr Weeks’ term at the request of the NSW Independent Casino Commission (NICC) after the NICC declined to lift the suspension of The Star’s licence.

Mr Weeks will continue to hold the licence for The Star over the next six-month period, allowing the casino to operate gaming facilities while its licence remains suspended.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

The NICC first appointed Mr Weeks to the role of manager in October 2022, when The Star’s casino licence was suspended following the first Bell Review.

NICC Chief Commissioner Philip Crawford said there was still too much uncertainty surrounding The Star to consider reinstating its casino licence at this time.

“The NICC considers it appropriate to continue with the current arrangement so it can better assess the effectiveness of important remediation work and await the outcomes of other pressing financial matters concerning The Star,” Mr Crawford said.

“The NICC understands the many challenges The Star is facing and is closely monitoring The Star’s progress as it works to prove it is capable of regaining its casino licence.”

The post NICC extends The Star manager’s term for six months appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)
Continue Reading

Trending

Get it on Google Play

Fresh slot games releases by the top brands of the industry. We provide you with the latest news straight from the entertainment industries.

The platform also hosts industry-relevant webinars, and provides detailed reports, making it a one-stop resource for anyone seeking information about operators, suppliers, regulators, and professional services in the European gaming market. The portal's primary goal is to keep its extensive reader base updated on the latest happenings, trends, and developments within the gaming and gambling sector, with an emphasis on the European market while also covering pertinent global news. It's an indispensable resource for gaming professionals, operators, and enthusiasts alike.

Contact us: [email protected]

Editorial / PR Submissions: [email protected]

Copyright © 2015 - 2024 - Recent Slot Releases is part of HIPTHER Agency. Registered in Romania under Proshirt SRL, Company number: 2134306, EU VAT ID: RO21343605. Office address: Blvd. 1 Decembrie 1918 nr.5, Targu Mures, Romania