The Best Curacao Licensed Online Casinos | 2019

Curacao Gaming License – Lagging Behind but Still Essential

Having been around for over two decades now, Curacao eGaming definitely has enough experience to its name. There are better-licensing bodies out there, this isn't something anyone is trying to hide. When it comes to convenience though, the jurisdiction scores full points. Perhaps this is why so many betting and casino sites online bear the eGaming watermark. Their 'one license' policy is definitely saving operators a huge amount of time, that's for certain! Of course, this comes with certain drawbacks too and we are here to find out everything there is to know about Curacao Gambling.

We have dived right in with our best casinos Curacao list above. As mentioned previously, online casinos with this license are in abundance. When you consider the leeway online gambling operators within this jurisdiction are given, finding a trustworthy site is hard. This makes our top list more important than ever. There are some good ones out there and we suggest you check out our casino reviews on each.

If you're a new player then you're also going to want to pick up a welcome bonus along the way. There's an abundance of first deposit bonuses up for grabs. We all know how hard some casinos licensed here can make it to find the fine print. Luckily, we have included all the bonus terms including wagering requirements in our reviews.

New Curacao Casinos Online

New casinos can raise some doubts at the best of times due to their lack of experience. Combined with a license from a less trusted jurisdiction, we can expect this to be a cause for concern. Rest assured that being a new casino isn't necessarily a bad thing though. We have hand-picked some of the best new curacao casinos online and have detailed reviews to prove it. The good news about these sites is that they are looking to impress. New players are bombarded with first deposit offers both in the form of deposit and no deposit bonuses. If you are looking to pick up a welcome bonus just be sure to check out the full terms such as wagering requirements. You may find some wager-free ones too!

History of eGambling Curacao

Over two decades ago, Curacao was considered part of the Netherlands Antilles. The Caribean island was actually the only country offering iGaming licenses at the time. Curacao eGaming was first set up in 1996 to regulate the licensing process. In 2002, the Curacao Gaming Commission was also able to decentralise from the Gaming Control Board. With the island's independence came about a massive boom in online gambling. This is mainly down to the fact that they were able to set up their own set of rules and regulations. They are now able to offer a one-size-fits-all license which to many is as convenient as things get.

Curacao eGaming has had a good amount of controversies over time. What with its hands-off approach and numerous piracy scandals, their reputation has been tainted. The good news is that they did start to clean up their act. For instance, 2014 saw new regulations come into place within sports betting.  

Today the country relies heavily on the internet gambling industry. Operating with their own government, they are able to offer extremely favourable conditions for offshore gaming. Companies are able to benefit from a tax rate of 2% on net profits. This, alongside the simplicity of their license application process, is what is driving the demand for this particular license.

How to Get a Gambling License in Curacao

The first thing you'll need to understand is that the Justice Minister of Curacao is the only entity that can grant an e-gaming license. In fact, this is done under CIGA, the official online licensing authority. This type is referred to as a Master License and currently, there are only four third-party organisations that have been awarded this. We have listed Master Licensees below.

• Antillephone NV
• Curacao Interactive Licensing N.V
• Gaming Curacao 
• Cyberluck Curacao N.V. 

Online gambling operators are able to apply for what is referred to as a Sublicense from any of the above. The difference between a Master and Sublicensee is that the latter is not able to grant licenses to other casino sites. As mentioned previously, this jurisdiction follows a 'one-for-all' approach which means that there is only one type of license to apply for. This is much simpler than an MGA license which has 4 different classes to choose from. Be it online slot machines and jackpots, poker, sports betting, lotteries and even games of skill like Rummy, this license covers them all. The same Sublicense covers peripheral activities like game providers, affiliates and also white-label companies. This really is a one-stop-shop!

Curacao Gambling License Requirements

In order to be eligible, applicants will need to fulfil specific Curacao Gaming License requirements.  We have come up with a list of criteria that applicants will need to have in check in order to become approved.

• Integration with a local company - Only companies from the Caribean island can apply for a sublicense.
• Ownership of physical hardware - Applicants must show proof of having invested in hardware on the island. The minimum requirement is hosting a client database on the server.
• Local bank account - This is also a requirement for Crypto casinos. Payments must take place utilising the local currency.
• Investment in E-wallets and other Payment Solutions
• A detailed business plan - operators must also show how they intend to promote KYC compliance. They must also show their responsible gaming efforts to promote anti-money laundering and reduce under-age betting.
• A clear criminal record - Owners must show proof of having no criminal charges
• Proof of sufficient capital - Operators must show that they are able to finance their business plan. They will need to show all of their past accounts.
• Ultimate beneficial owner identification

These are the main requirements that will need to be fulfilled. Certain Master Licensees may ask for further documentation, especially when it comes to bitcoin casinos. Fulfilling the criteria above is actually the most time-consuming part of the application process. For instance, forming a local company can take up to 5 weeks. Once you have all the documentation in hand, becoming approved should be plain sailing and only take a few weeks.

Where Can a Curacao Gambling License be Used?

This is where things can get quite tricky. Legally, there are only a few restricted countries and this actually includes the jurisdiction itself as well as other Caribbean islands such as Aruba. Other big players that this license rules out include the USA, the UK, the Netherlands and also Singapore. The bigger issue comes into place when you look into payment solutions. For instance, countries such as Canada and Australia will need a local license for PSPs. This is where bitcoin casinos come into effect but we'll look at this in more detail later in our payments section.

Curacao Gaming License Price

The favourable Curacao gambling tax mentioned previously can already give you an idea of why this license is considered as the cheaper alternative.  The actual cost of Curacao gaming licenses is also less when compared to others but keep in mind that there are a number of external fees to be considered too.

Firstly sub-license fees usually work out to somewhere in the range of €/$4,000 -€/$5,000 per year. In addition to this, applicants must pay a one time fee for submitting their proposal. Other costs include an e-zone application charge which must be paid annually. Because operators will need to set up a local company, fees for incorporation, management and administration also need to be considered. Additionally, there's the hardware fee mentioned previously as well as costs for hosting. Once you take all underlying costs into consideration, becoming licensed can take anywhere between €/$20,000 -€/$30,000. This is still relatively low when compared to other jurisdictions.

Curacao Gambling License Authority - Is it Reliable?

Curacao eGaming does have somewhat of a tainted past. This is due to numerous past controversies associated with money laundering and pirated games. It was these scandals that lead to the UK disassociating themselves with casinos in Curacao. Luckily, they have cleaned up their act in recent years. As seen previously, it is still much easier to obtain this type of license when compared to others. They also still employ a hands-off approach which could lead to potential issues in the reliability of casino sites. To help get a better idea of security, we'll compare it to the other two major licenses, namely MGA and UKGC.

Curacao Gambling Commission VS. UKGC

• Responsible Gambling - Online casinos for UK players must adhere to strict regulations to ensure the protection of vulnerable parties. Curacao casinos find themselves on the other side of the spectrum and there have been instances where these seals were found to be fake.
• Casino Games - UK players can rest assured that online casinos are working with the most reliable software providers out there. Casino sites must also show proof that their games are RNG tested. Casinos in Curacao have had issues with pirated games in the past.
• Payment Methods - Most UK casinos work with the best PSPs out there including the likes of PayPal. Curacao licensed casinos are known to work with bitcoin.
• International Reputation - UK players are only able to play at UKGC online casinos. Curacao licensed casinos will accept players from almost any country.
• Anti-Money Laundering - Casino sites in the UK have the best track record out there. A Curacao license is considered a place holder and nothing else which means there is little monitoring.

Curacao eGaming License VS. MGA

• Responsible Gambling - Although Malta-licensed online casinos are not up to the same level as the UK, they are still streets ahead of the Curacao License. Whilst the latter adopts a hands-off approach, online casinos in Malta are subject to regular audits.
• Casino Games - Again, MGA online casinos work with trustworthy game providers only. They are more lenient than the UK Gambling Commission but still better than Curacao that works with practically all software providers.
• Payment Methods - Whilst not able to offer PayPal, online casinos in Malta still work with quality banking solutions. Curacao casinos need a PSP license for a number of their target countries. This becomes a big issue in places like Australia.
• International Reputation - The MGA license is not as reputable as a UK one but it is still considered trustworthy. Curacao offers none.
• Anti-Money Laundering - Malta casinos have had issues in the past but have really cleaned up their act lately. Casino sites in the Caribbean jurisdiction are showing no signs of improvement.

Cryptocurrency Paving the Way for Casinos in Curacao

Technically, Curacao licensed casinos can work with some of the most reliable payment providers out there. These include the likes of Skrill, Neteller as well as others. Proof of investment in PSPs is actually one of the license requirements. The issue comes into place when you look into the countries targetted. Although the license allows casino sites to accept players from countries like Australia and Canada, a PSP license is needed. Banks will actually block transactions in some instances which is why Aussie players encounter so many difficulties in online deposits and cash-outs.

Many sites with this license have in fact turned to bitcoin as an alternative. Since the player remains anonymous, there it is easier to transact by means of crypto. Of course, this comes with a whole new grey area of its own and it can raise further doubts amongst players. In fact, many casino sites actually offer bitcoin specific welcome bonuses to try and combat this. The good side to this is that e-wallets like Neteller aren't eligible for most deposit bonuses. Then there are the no deposit bonuses, these are particularly popular at bitcoin online casinos.

Top Software Providers in Curacao Gambling

Players at Curacao eGaming sites shouldn't encounter any issues when it comes to casino games. Licensed online casinos are able to work with some of the top providers out there including Microgaming, NetEnt, Betsoft and iSoftbet. As was the case with payment methods, country restrictions to apply though. For instance, players from Canada won't be able to play NetEnt casino games whilst in Australia Microgaming is restricted. You will find some casinos still offering NetEnt slots, video poker and table games in restricted countries.  We would definitely suggest you steer clear of these sites. There have been issues in the past with piracy and we wouldn't want you to end up having issues when you want to cash funds.

With the rise of crypto-casinos, we have also seen providers like BGaming and SoftSwiss become popular here. Real-Time Gaming is also big with Curacao-licensed casinos and a good option for Aussie players. For those players who want something more than slot machines and progressive slots, live dealer games are also available. Some online casinos will even offer games by industry leader Evolution Gaming.  We have also seen the rise of live casino providers like Lucky Streak to help open up the doors to countries like Australia.

Pros and Cons of Curacao Casinos

New customers looking to sign up to a Curacao casino site may have some concerns. We have highlighted this throughout this license review. This said, there are some good sides to the license. Moreover, not all sites are looking to abuse the 'hands-off' approach. Stick to any of the ones we listed and you're in for a great eGaming experience. There are also some great welcome bonuses to pick up on your first deposit. Just be sure you read the full bonus terms such as minimum deposit limits and wagering requirements. Of course, this is all listed out clearly in our casino reviews. In the meantime, we'll leave you with a list of pros and cons, to sum up everything we have looked into.

Curacao Casinos FAQs