With the new Landsverordening op de Kansspelen (LOK) law officially enacted, industry stakeholders are showing renewed interest in Curacao as it transitions to a new normal.

Among the many stands at the recent ICE Barcelona exhibition, one seemed to attract a constant stream of visitors despite being tucked into a corner of the vast new conference venue. With the new LOK having passed parliament in late December of last year, the Curacao Gaming Authority (CGA) took the opportunity to present these new rules to industry stakeholders eager to understand the implications of the changes.

Under the new framework, all existing NOOGH-licensed operators as of December 24^th, 2024, have been automatically granted a provisional LOK license for a six-month transition period, ending on June 24^th, 2025. This provisional status can be extended for an additional six months, provided that operators meet specific compliance requirements outlined on the CGA portal. At ICE Barcelona, representatives from the CGA engaged with operators, investors, and regulators, explaining the transition process and the steps required to remain compliant under the new framework.

New applicants will need to follow the LOK application process, which is set to reopen in the coming weeks. Existing applications already in progress remain unaffected and will proceed under previous conditions. The clarity provided at ICE Barcelona helped ease concerns among potential applicants, with many expressing interest in obtaining a Curacao license under the revised regulations.

Curacao’s updated fee structure for both B2C (business-to-consumer) and B2B (business-to-business) licenses has been outlined as follows:

Application Fees:

B2C & B2B License Application: €4,592

Additional fees apply per stakeholder:

€150 per Ultimate Beneficial Owner (UBO) from the second UBO onwards

€128 per qualifying position holder

€2,551 per UBO listed on a stock exchange

Changes or additions of UBOs/qualifying interest: €128

B2C Domains: €250 per domain

Annual Licensing Fees:

B2C License: €24,490 per year

B2C Supervisory Fee: €22,960 per year

Total B2C Annual Fees: €47,450, payable pro-rata on issuance and by January 19th annually

B2B Annual Supervisory Fee: €24,490

For 2025 fees, provisional LOK license holders as of December 24th, 2024, will be invoiced half of the annual licensing and supervisory fees at the end of January or early February. Payments will be required before full provisional licensing is confirmed. These fee structures and compliance requirements were a major topic of discussion at the CGA stand at ICE Barcelona, where many stakeholders sought clarification on the financial obligations tied to the new framework.

The CGA has introduced a set of policies and compliance guidelines to align with international standards, including:

Compliance Officer Role (issued December 2nd, 2024)

Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Measures (issued January 10th, 2025)

Responsible Gaming Guidelines (currently in consultation phase)

Know Your Customer (KYC) Procedures

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and Complaints Management

Training and Qualification Standards

Technical and Security Standards

Local Hardware Requirements

Records and Reporting Obligations

The CGA has also designated approved entities for critical services, ensuring that licensed operators comply with local infrastructure and security requirements. At ICE Barcelona, these updated compliance measures attracted strong engagement, as operators sought to understand the evolving obligations they would face under the new regulatory regime.

Operators are permitted to continue operations during the application process if they can verify their status via a Certificate of Operations. This ensures continuity for existing license holders while regulatory updates are phased in. The CGA’s presence at ICE Barcelona helped reinforce this message, giving industry players confidence that Curacao’s licensing system remains robust and reliable despite the changes.

The LOK reforms represent a major step toward modernizing Curacao’s gaming industry, enhancing oversight, and reinforcing compliance with international best practices. These changes are expected to increase credibility among global regulators and operators, making Curacao a more structured jurisdiction for online gambling businesses. The heightened interest seen at ICE demonstrates that industry players recognize the significance of these reforms and are eager to align with the new framework.