Curaçao Gambling License in 2026: CGA Licensing Under the LOK

Curaçao is still one of the most used licensing jurisdictions in online gambling, but the license you get today is not the one most articles describe. Since the National Ordinance on Games of Chance (Landsverordening op de Kansspelen, LOK) took effect on 24 December 2024, the old system of four master licensees selling sub-licenses has gone. The Curaçao Gaming Authority (CGA) now licenses each operating company directly, vets its owners and managers, and expects real presence on the island.

This guide sets out what that means in 2026: the fees, the company and staffing you need, how the CGA reviews a file, and where a Curaçao license can and cannot be used. For an overview of all routes, see our gambling license services.

Curaçao gambling license: key facts for 2026

Annual fees are invoiced pro rata when the license is issued and then in full by 15 January each year.

What changed under the LOK

Before the LOK, an operator typically contracted with one of four master license holders and received a sub-license. The master holder carried the regulatory relationship; the operator often had little contact with the regulator and no real presence on the island.

The LOK replaced that model:

• Direct licensing. The CGA licenses the applicant company itself after vetting its ultimate beneficial owners (UBOs), directors and key persons.
• No sub-licenses. Existing sub-license holders had to apply in their own name; the transitional “orange seal” ended on 15 October 2025.
• Substance on the island. The license holder must be a Curaçao company with a resident managing director, a physical office and approved compliance staff.
• Formal compliance framework. AML/CFT regulations became mandatory on 10 April 2025, followed by a responsible gaming policy (April 2025) and a compliance and enforcement policy (July 2026).

If a provider still offers you a Curaçao “sub-license” in 2026, treat it as a warning sign.

License types

• B2C license — for operators that contract with players: online casinos, sportsbooks and other gaming products. Full player-protection and AML obligations apply.
• B2B license — for critical suppliers such as platforms, game studios and aggregators that supply licensed operators.
• B2B certificate — for suppliers whose activities meet the conditions for certification rather than a full B2B license. Classification depends on what the supplier actually does.
• Provisional license — the CGA may grant one during the second review stage, at its discretion and subject to conditions.

Costs: fees versus the real budget

The CGA fees are transparent, but they are only part of the first-year cost. A realistic B2C budget also includes:

• Formation and administration of the Curaçao NV or BV;
• Office lease and local managing director;
• Compliance officer and MLRO (in-house or approved outsourced);
• Platform and game certification by an accredited test lab;
• Legal and professional fees for the application file;
• Payment processing and banking onboarding.

Our company formation and structuring and banking and payment preparation services cover the parts the CGA fees do not.

Local presence requirements

• A Curaçao NV or BV with its statutory seat on the island;
• A resident managing director (an individual, or a Curaçao corporate director);
• A real office — virtual offices are not accepted;
• An independent compliance officer and an MLRO, both approved as fit and proper;
• From 1 April 2027, at least one full-time key person physically working in Curaçao (the managing director does not count), with further local-staff requirements phased in afterward.

How the CGA application works

1. Eligibility and structure (weeks 1–2). Map the ownership chain to the UBOs, confirm the activities that need licensing and set up the Curaçao company and office. Start payment-provider onboarding in parallel.
2. Prepare the file (weeks 2–4). Corporate documents, personal declarations for UBOs and key persons, source of funds and wealth, AML/CFT and responsible gaming policies, technical documentation and test certificates.
3. Submit through the CGA portal (week 4). Pay the application and due-diligence fees.
4. Preliminary review (about 8 weeks). Identity and integrity of the people involved, ownership, financial position and source of funds.
5. Compliance review (about 8 weeks). Legal, technical and operational requirements for the license category. A provisional license may be granted at this stage.
6. Issue and readiness. License issue, domain verification and the conditions for going live.

Both review stages can be extended by the CGA, mostly when files are incomplete or answers are slow.

Documents to prepare

• Certified ID, proof of address and police certificates for UBOs and key persons;
• CVs, bank and professional references;
• Source-of-funds and source-of-wealth declarations with evidence;
• Incorporation documents, articles, shareholder register;
• Managing-director engagement and office lease;
• AML/CFT program, KYC and enhanced due diligence procedures, sanctions and PEP screening;
• For B2C: responsible gaming policy, complaints procedure, platform architecture, RNG and platform certificates, domain list and country restrictions;
• For B2B: description of services, game or system certificates and the list of operator clients.

Which markets can a Curaçao licensee serve?

A CGA license authorizes activity under Curaçao law; it does not make gambling lawful in other countries. Licensees must block the jurisdictions listed in their license conditions and any market where the activity is not permitted. In practice the list includes the United States, the Netherlands, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Australia, Curaçao itself and FATF high-risk jurisdictions — and the operator remains responsible for checking every target market. Regulated markets such as Romania or Malta require their own licenses.

Tax

• International GGR: no local levy calculated on gross gaming revenue from international players.
• Local stakes: 34.5% on wagers placed in Curaçao (residents are generally barred as players).
• Profit tax: 15% up to XCG 500,000 of taxable profit and 22% above, subject to the applicable rules.
• Global minimum tax: a separate 15% regime applies only to groups with consolidated revenue of at least €750 million.

Tax can also arise elsewhere through the place of effective management or a permanent establishment, so review the group structure before you apply.

Curaçao or another jurisdiction?

• Nevis has a flat €28,000 annual fee, no relocation requirement and an 8–12 week process.
• Kahnawake requires hosting with Mohawk Internet Technologies and suits operators that want North American hosting.
• Malta is an EU regulator, with higher costs and longer timelines, and can be easier for some banks and partners.

Choose the license that fits your target markets, payment partners and budget, not the cheapest headline fee.

How Gambling Consulting Expert can help

We assess your ownership and target markets, set up the Curaçao company and local presence, prepare the CGA file and manage the review through to issue — and we tell you early if another jurisdiction fits better. Request a Curaçao licensing assessment.