The Strengths of Curacao Licensing in the Entertainment Sphere

Curacao is a popular option for the quick launch of iGaming projects and their comfortable scaling. The country is characterised by loyal requirements for applicants, minimal taxes, and support for cryptocurrency platforms.

You can order a permit at the CASEXE studio. Contact our manager and find out more about opening a start-up and running a gambling business in this jurisdiction.

Development of the Entertainment Market in the State

Curacao is the first regulator in the world to legalise the iGaming field.

Operators can open licensed online casinos in Curacao, organise a betting business, and launch a poker room or a lottery portal. All types of gambling are allowed in the country, including offline and online formats.

The main milestones in the development of the industry are as follows:

Types of Permissions for the Entertainment Field

There are 2 versions of gambling documents in Curacao:

Master License

The basic certificate is valid for 5 years with automatic renewal for the same period. It gives the right to issue sublicences on behalf of the holder. The execution of the document is in the competence of the Minister of Justice of the country.

Since 1996, general casino licences in Curacao have been issued to only four legal entities:

• Cyberluck Curacao N.V.;
• Gaming Curacao (GC);
• Curacao Interactive Licensing N.V.;
• Antillephone NV.

Sub-License

Master certificate holders can issue an unlimited number of sub-permits. A businessman who wants to buy a casino licence in Curacao usually receives this type of document.

Each holder of a general permit has the right to determine the gambling policy independently. These are the resolution of disputes between the provider and punters, the localisation of servers, the conduct of a system audit, and other technical and legal issues.

The availability of one sublicence allows entrepreneurs to operate with different gambling activities:

• games with a built-in RNG;
• live content;
• video poker;
• lottery draws;
• skill-based amusement.

The registration of a sublicence gives the right to open a bookmaker's office — a land-based or an internet one. It is valid without time limits since it is linked to the master document. Its owner does not have the right to issue additional permissions.

The government announced large-scale changes in business licensing issues:

• The new draft law proposes the issuance of independent papers.
• The B2C-type permission will be intended for organisers of gambling activities. The B2B-type document will be suitable for companies interacting with operators (manufacturers of gaming equipment, software suppliers, hosting providers, etc.).
• The entrepreneurs who have already opened turnkey casinos with a Curacao licence under the old rules will receive an 18-month transition period. During this time, it is necessary to obtain a new document according to a simplified procedure.

Where Is It Possible to Work with a Curacao Permit?

One of the key advantages of the licence is the acceptance of bets from players in many European, African, and Asian jurisdictions.

Depending on the attitude of the authorities towards gaming, several categories of countries can be distinguished:

A gambling licence obtained in Curacao will allow you to work in states of the 3rd, 5th, and 6th types.

An entrepreneur will gain the right to accept bets from players in most European jurisdictions. This region is characterised by a well-developed gaming field and a high standard of living. The local population makes bets with pleasure and considers gambling a pleasant pastime.

How to Obtain a Curacao Casino Licence?

The registration process takes 2–3 months. The country occupies a leading position in terms of document issuing speed and the level of service for gaming organisers.

Pre-Approval

An entrepreneur applies to CIGA and provides data on future activities:

• type of gambling (slots with a built-in RNG, live content, sports betting);
• regions of distribution;
• the domain used;
• the mechanisms for protecting confidential data and other information.

The pre-approval process takes 2–3 days.

Applying for Intellectual Property

Before obtaining a licence for a casino in Curacao, an entrepreneur must fill out a request following paragraph 7 of the National Ordinance on Offshore Games of Hazard.

The IP application form is submitted with supporting papers (originals or certified copies), including:

• passport and TIN of the licensee;
• constituent documents of the company (charter, extract from the tax office, and proof of opening a bank account);
• the resumes of employees who will hold key positions in the company;
• the certificate of no criminal record;
• the specification of software (financial modules, CRM systems);
• the confirmation of domain ownership;
• a business plan;
• protocols for identifying gamers using the KYC method, including mechanisms for checking the age and the presence (absence) of persons with signs of gambling addiction in the lists.

To open an online casino with a Curacao licence, the applicant must provide documents in English. All acts, extracts and certificates should have been received up to 90 days ago. Papers in other languages (for example, software specifications) have to be accompanied by notarized translations.

Evaluation of an Application and Issuance of Permission

The basic requirements for entrepreneurs are as follows:

• complete identification under the UBO procedure (disclosure of information on beneficiaries — the final recipients of a gambling business’ income);
• the provision of information about entertainment content (games, manufacturers, certificates, etc.);
• the verification of the applicant under Due Diligence (the policy of investment channel reliability);
• the confirmation of the company’s registration in the Curacao e-zone (a special area with reduced taxation).

Curacao gaming permits are issued along with a sublicensing document and an RNG certificate if an operator plans to place slot machines on a gambling site. After obtaining the papers, the businessman has 60 days to launch an iGaming project.

The Cost of a Curacao Licence

One of the main advantages of the jurisdiction is the reasonable price of a permission document:

• Entrepreneurs are required to pay a €1,500 registration fee. The amount is non-refundable if the application is rejected for any reason.
• How much does a casino permit cost in Curacao? The answer to this question depends on the requirements of Master License holders. It may include additional site certification, an independent system audit, etc. In practice, the total sum ranges from €4,500 to €12,500. This is less compared to other prestigious jurisdictions — Malta, the Isle of Man, and Gibraltar.
• If the government passes a gambling bill, the cost of the document will increase. Entrepreneurs will have to pay €4,000 for registration and €12,000 as an annual fee.

The Benefits of Launching an iGaming Project in the Jurisdiction

The main advantages of doing business in the country are as follows:

1. International recognition. Almost 70% of reputable gambling companies (software manufacturers, operators, hosting service providers, and others) work with Curacao permits. The country takes pride in its place in the gaming market. Punters and B2B partners know and trust businesses with local registration.
2. All gambling activities are allowed. Curacao online casino licences let operators manage poker rooms, accept sports bets, etc. The entrepreneur does not need to receive a separate document for each type of gaming. This is convenient and beneficial due to cost optimisation.
3. Minimum taxes. Enterprisers pay 2% of their net profit for the reporting period. Other deductions (for the withdrawal of capital, dividends, real estate ownership, VAT, etc.) are not provided. Curacao is one of the few countries where there is no tax on gross gambling income (GGR — the sum of gamers' bets minus their winnings).
4. Fast legalisation. The time needed for the consideration of an application is a maximum of 3 months. According to this indicator, the country is in the lead when compared with Malta, the United Kingdom, and other popular jurisdictions.
5. The availability of related infrastructure. Many consulting firms are registered in the state. They offer technical, legal, and marketing support for iGaming projects. The specialists help to understand the intricacies of doing business and paying taxes. The island offers powerful server storage and other IT infrastructure for site management.
6. Loyal attitude towards cryptocurrency. The first Bitcoin casino licence was issued in Curacao. The regulator treats settlements in digital tokens favourably. This attracts huge investments to the state.

The Main Things about Obtaining a Curacao Licence

Curacao is a requested jurisdiction for launching online casinos.

• The advantages of running a business in the country include minimal taxes, international recognition, fast paperwork, and an active gambling community. Entrepreneurs can obtain one sublicence for all types of activities at once (casinos, sports betting, lotteries, etc.).
• To get a permit, it is required to send a preliminary IP application, prepare a package of documents, and pay registration fees. Entrepreneurs undergo Due Diligence and UBO identification procedures and provide gamer verification mechanisms based on the KYC method.
• The cost of a permit depends on additional requirements of Master License holders. Usually, entrepreneurs pay €4.5–12.5 thousand for a document and €1.5 thousand for submitting a registration form.

The CASEXE aggregator studio provides comprehensive services for obtaining a Curacao licence.

We will help you with the preparation of papers, filling out an application, and passing an audit. You can order the creation of a business plan, which must be submitted to the regulator to obtain a permit, from us.

The CASEXE studio also offers its clients to buy profitable gambling solutions:

• a turnkey online casino;
• a Bitcoin project;
• a White Label platform;
• a VR slot site, and others.