The decision comes with the backing of the Dutch government that supported Curaçao during the pandemic struggles. 

In 2018, Curaçao promised to tighten its oversight of gambling operators, but it brought very few changes. The new obligations for the region are presented in Country Package (Landspakket).

Curaçao will need to form a new independent regulator to oversee the licensing process, and the new regulator should become active by 1 March 2021. 

The gambling licensees might also have to pay higher taxes and fees. Currently, the license holders need to pay a 2% corporate profit tax and annual master license fee of ANG240,000 ($134,000), but Curaçao might increase the master license fee to a monthly ANG7,500.

According to Affiliate Insider, the operators also won’t be able to accept players from other regulated territories, including customers from the Netherlands, saying the licensees should “act in accordance with the laws and regulations of the countries they target.”

The plan to stop the unauthorised targeting of players should be established by September 2021, right when the Netherlands is planning to launch its own domestic gambling market.