Who issued this Curaçao licence, and does the certificate name the site you are on? In a typical case, a player sees a seal marked “Curaçao” in a casino's footer, clicks it, and a genuine certificate opens. The certificate is real, but it names a different domain and a different company. The seal proved nothing about the site the player was using.
A Curaçao licence is now issued directly by the Curaçao Gaming Authority (CGA) under a law in force since 24 December 2024, and the old master licences and sub-licences have ended. A licence covers a website only if the CGA's own certificate, opened on cert.cga.cw, shows that exact domain. The CGA does not decide individual player complaints.
Who issues a Curaçao licence today
The licensing authority is the Curaçao Gaming Authority (CGA), a foundation set up on 19 April 1999. Until the change in 2024 it was known as the Gaming Control Board. Its powers now come from the Landsverordening op de kansspelen (LOK), Curaçao's National Ordinance on Games of Chance, published as AB 2024, no. 157. According to the CGA, the LOK came into effect on 24 December 2024, and the Gaming Control Board became the CGA at that point.
Older documents may still show the former name, Gaming Control Board. That is the same body under a new name, not a second authority.
What matters is the scope. The CGA licenses and supervises operators, and each licence is tied to named domains. Every fact in this guide is as of 5 October 2026 and comes from the CGA's website, its press releases or its published policies.
What happened to master licences and sub-licences
Before the LOK, Curaçao used a two-layer system. A small group of master licence holders sat at the top, and operators offered online gaming as sub-licensees under a contract with one of them. That system has ended.
The former Gaming Control Board told sub-licensees to apply for a direct licence before 31 March 2024, and registration ran from 1 November 2023 to 31 March 2024. An operator that had not applied could continue under its sub-licence only until the master licence expired or the LOK entered into force, whichever came first.
One point follows for the reader. A website that in 2026 points only to a master licence or a sub-licence is pointing to a system that no longer exists. On its own, that does not prove the operator is unlicensed, but the claim is out of date and cannot be relied on. The next step is the licence certificate on the CGA website: if no CGA certificate shows the site's exact domain, treat the site as not licensed by the CGA.
This guide does not name the former master licence holders, because the primary sources behind it do not name them.
How to check a Curaçao licence, step by step
The check takes about two minutes and needs no account. It relies on the CGA's own certificate, because a seal is an image and anyone can copy an image.
- Find the CGA seal on the operator's website and click it. The page that opens should have an address starting with https://cert.cga.cw. Read the address bar instead of trusting the link in the footer.
- On the certificate, read three things: the domain name, the licensed operator and the current licence status.
- Compare the domain with the address of the site you are on, character by character. The CGA says that a certificate showing a different domain means the site is displaying a certificate that belongs to another operator, and that the site “should be considered unauthorized or fraudulent”.
- Look at the seal itself. The operator must show it exactly as the CGA issued it. According to the CGA, changes to its design, colour or format mean that the site is not authorised by the CGA.
- For orientation, open the CGA's registers and its public warnings list, both described below.
- Write down the date of the check and save a screenshot of the certificate. Both help if a complaint becomes necessary.
Check the domain, not the seal. The same logic applies to other regulators, and a separate guide explains how to check an online casino licence in the regulator's register.
Two certificates that are easy to confuse
The CGA's certification policy describes two different certificates. The Certificate of Operation Seal is issued exclusively to B2C operators, meaning companies that offer games to players. It belongs on player-facing websites and applications under registered domains.
The License Certificate Seal is issued to both B2B and B2C licence holders. It confirms that a company holds a CGA licence, and it belongs on the company's corporate website. A B2B company serves other licensed operators, so its certificate does not authorise a website for players. The policy adds that the two certificates are not interchangeable.
| Certificate | Who receives it | What it shows a player |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Operation | B2C operators only | This domain is an approved player-facing site |
| License Certificate | B2B and B2C licence holders | The company is licensed, but not that this site may serve players |
On a casino website, the right document is the Certificate of Operation carrying the site's own domain. A company's License Certificate, or one that belongs to a game supplier, says nothing about the site in front of you. The policy also describes continuous monitoring of B2C operators, covering the domain, the terms and conditions, responsible gambling measures and the safeguarding of player funds. That describes what the CGA does, not what a player is promised.
What the CGA's registers show – and what they do not
Anyone searching for a Curaçao licence list will find four overviews on the CGA website. As of 5 October 2026 they are the Landbased Casinos Registry (28 July 2026), the Online Gaming Licenses Registry (2 October 2026), the List of Certificate Holders (31 August 2026) and the Enforcement Register (15 September 2026).
Each is a dated snapshot, and the CGA says so. Although it makes every effort to be accurate, the overviews “do not guarantee the current validity of the licenses”, and no rights can be derived from them. A licensed operator may have changed status since the date on the file.
Use the registers for orientation only. The current status of a licence appears on the certificate described above. This guide does not state how many licences the registers list, because that figure could not be confirmed from the pages read.
What the licence gives you, and where it stops
The CGA licenses and supervises operators, but it does not settle disputes between a player and an operator. Its website states that the CGA “does not handle individual complaints against gaming providers”. Its complaints guidelines repeat the point: the CGA will not resolve or decide player complaints about gambling transactions on an operator's website.
A licence answers the question of who supervises the operator. It does not answer the next one, which is who will rule on a dispute.
The CGA's Player Complaints Policy Guidelines, version 1.1 of 18 June 2025, set out what an operator should offer. Their main points are these:
- A player may complain free of charge at any time up to six months after the bet was settled or the incident took place.
- The operator should confirm receipt within one week and reply within four weeks, with one extension of four weeks. Complaints about responsible gambling have faster steps: confirmation within two days and an attempt to resolve the matter within five working days.
- The player may take the matter to an independent alternative dispute resolution (ADR) provider free of charge, and the operator bears the costs. The operator must have a contract with at least one CGA-certified ADR entity.
- The operator's website must publish the complaints procedure as a separate link, including the time limits, the ADR contact and a statement that the CGA does not mediate in individual disputes.
These are guidelines for operators, not a guarantee of an outcome. This guide could not find a list of CGA-certified ADR providers, and the guidelines leave open whether an ADR decision is binding. A player may also contact the CGA about malpractice, breach of licence conditions or whistleblowing. That is a report to the regulator, not a complaint it will decide. For the wider picture, see complaint routes and ADR services by jurisdiction.
Three further limits are worth knowing.
- Age. You must be 18 or over, or older if the law where you live sets a higher minimum age.
- Self-exclusion. Curaçao has no national online self-exclusion register. Self-exclusion works only at the level of the individual operator, so it has to be requested at each site separately.
- Territory. A Curaçao licence says who supervises the operator. It does not say whether that operator may accept players from your country. Licences are national, not global, and how licensing differs between countries is covered separately. Check whether operators need a local licence where you live.
Fake seals and the CGA's public warnings
Some websites copy the CGA's name and seal. The CGA keeps a public warnings list on its website. As of 5 October 2026 its 2026 entries include TRUMPBET.CC (12 February 2026) and KEANUBET (20 February 2026), alongside other sites. In such warnings the CGA describes websites that falsely present themselves as licensed by the CGA and use its logo and digital authorisation seal to mislead the public.
These names appear here only because the CGA listed them, on the dates shown. This guide makes no judgement of its own about any website. A site missing from the list is not proven genuine either, because the list covers only sites the CGA chose to warn about. The domain check in the steps above works whether or not a site is listed.
The 2026 portal incident: what is known
On 17 September 2026 the CGA announced that it had identified unauthorised access to its online gaming portal, and said that any affected parties would be notified directly. A follow-up report says the account used had been registered in December 2025 under a false identity, and that the access ended when it was identified in September 2026. The same report states that the full extent of the material obtained had not yet been established.
Three points follow for players. The CGA has not said whether player data was involved. The certificate check works as before, on cert.cga.cw. And any message that mentions the CGA while asking for a payment or personal details deserves caution. That last point is general advice from this guide, not a warning from the CGA.
Where to complain and where to get support
A complaint starts with the operator. Use the complaints procedure on its website, keep every email, chat transcript and screenshot, and note the date of each. If the reply does not settle the matter, the next step is the independent ADR provider that the operator must name. Under the CGA's guidelines this step should be free for the player. The CGA itself will not rule on the dispute, and routes differ in every jurisdiction, as the guide to complaint routes and ADR services by jurisdiction shows.
If gambling has started to cause problems, Gambling Therapy offers free practical advice and emotional support to anyone affected by gambling, wherever they live. It is an online service run by Gordon Moody. The CGA also advises people outside Curaçao to look for help in their country of residence. This guide gives general information and is not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Curaçao licence the same as an old master licence?
No. The master licence and sub-licence system has ended. Since 24 December 2024 the CGA issues licences directly under the LOK. A site that still cites a master licence in 2026 refers to the old system, so the certificate on the CGA website is the document to open.
How do you check a Curaçao casino licence?
Click the CGA seal and confirm that the address starts with cert.cga.cw. Then read the domain, the licensed operator and the licence status on the certificate. The domain must match the site you are using exactly. If it names another website, the certificate does not cover the site.
Where is the list of casinos with a Curaçao licence?
The CGA publishes an Online Gaming Licenses Registry, dated 2 October 2026 when last read. It is a snapshot, and the CGA says no rights can be derived from it. For the current status of a specific site, open the certificate for that domain.
Does the CGA handle player complaints?
No. The CGA states that it does not handle individual complaints against gaming providers. A player complains to the operator first and may then use an independent ADR provider, which the operator must have under contract. A report to the CGA concerns misconduct by the operator, not the dispute itself.
How long do you have to complain to a Curaçao-licensed operator?
The CGA's complaints guidelines say a player may complain free of charge up to six months after the bet was settled or the incident took place. Because the period runs from a fixed date, it is sensible to write to the operator early and to keep a dated copy of every message.
What does it mean if the seal opens a certificate for another website?
It means the site is displaying a certificate that belongs to another operator. The CGA treats this as a sign that the website is unauthorised. Close the page and do not deposit. The certificate may be genuine, but it proves nothing about the site where the seal was shown.
Does a Curaçao licence mean you can play from your country?
No. A licence shows who supervises the operator, not where that operator may accept players. Rules differ from country to country. Check whether operators need a local licence where you live, and read the operator's terms for a list of countries it does not accept.
Sources
- Curaçao Gaming Authority, Online gaming (LOK in effect from 24 December 2024; no handling of individual complaints), accessed 5 October 2026
- Curaçao Gaming Authority, Certification policy (two certificates, domain rule, seal design), accessed 5 October 2026
- Curaçao Gaming Authority, License registers (Online Gaming Licenses Registry of 2 October 2026 and disclaimer), accessed 5 October 2026
- Curaçao Gaming Authority, Public warnings (2026 entries), accessed 5 October 2026
- Curaçao Gaming Authority, Player Complaints Policy Guidelines, version 1.1 (18 June 2025); the CGA licence portal that hosted the document was offline on 8 October 2026
- Gaming Control Board Curaçao, Information for sub-licensees (application before 31 March 2024), on the CGA licence portal, which was offline on 8 October 2026
- Curaçao Gaming Authority, Press release on unauthorised access to the online gaming portal (17 September 2026), accessed 5 October 2026
- Curaçao Gaming Authority, Follow-up on unauthorised access to the CGA online gaming portal (September 2026), accessed 5 October 2026
- Gambling Therapy, gamblingtherapy.org (free online support), accessed 5 October 2026
The facts about the Curaçao licence in this guide are as of 5 October 2026. If the CGA changes its rules or registers, the guide will change with them.