Javier Silvania, Curaçao’s Minister of Finance has outlined the advantages of the country’s incoming gambling guidelines, describing the Nationwide Ordinance for Video games of Likelihood (LOK) as a “security salvage” struggling with grey-itemizing.
The Nationwide Ordinance for Video games of Likelihood (LOK) will revolutionise how gambling is conducted in Curaçao. In preparation for the LOK, the island’s Gaming Wait on an eye on Board (GCB) opened the licence application portal on 1 September.
Earlier this week, Hilary Stewart-Jones turned into named as a brand new consultant to the GCB.
The market is currently in a transition period, with applications for licences being well-liked from 15 November. Successful candidates will be issued with an meantime Curaçao licence and given an additional six months to put up requested documents.
Silvania successfully-known the advantages of the LOK. He defined that Curaçao is in risk for grey-itemizing if anti-cash laundering (AML) methods are now now not up to the stamp.
Grey record woes
Silvania successfully-known that Gibraltar had been positioned on the Financial Act Process Force’s (FATF)’s grey record, with its presence as a “main gambling hub” factoring into this decision.
“Namely the FATF criticised the manager’s failure in ‘applying sufficient fines for anti-cash laundering failings’”, he persisted. “AML is a key requirements of financial evaluations, one among which Curaçao will be field to next three hundred and sixty five days.”
“And let me be very determined about it, the chance of us being positioned on the grey record on account of our lack of AML guidelines within the gambling sphere is precise, and it is a long way caring.”
If Curaçao is positioned on the grey record, Silvania talked about the island might per chance face a litany of things. These encompass restricted or prohibited alternate from determined governments and local corporations going by affected executive revenues.
“We fully and categorically obtain to take the steps needed to prevent grey-itemizing and the LOK offers the protection salvage that we desperately want.”
Affect on the economy
The new regime goals to crimson meat up and now now not disturb the sizzling express of play, Silvania defined, regarding those feeling in doubt about the adjustments forward.
“To those that obtain apprehensions about this guidelines – I hear you,” he talked about. “Changes are always met with skepticism, namely after they impact prolonged-established practices. On the other hand, for the complete operators available our intent is now now not to disrupt, but to elevate.”
Turning to the implications of the new system on Curaçao’s economy, Silvania talked about the advantages felt by the island and its population are now now not equal to the amount of income coming by it.
Evaluating the island to Malta, he defined that Curaçao saw €250,000 (£216,643/$263,032) in licensing revenues in 2022. This turned into when compared to the €82m reported by the Malta Gaming Authority.
“This distinction in numbers offers a sobering insight into the various trajectories and priorities of these two jurisdictions,” he added.
Advantages for work and employment
Alternatives for employment will be improved once the new guidelines is enacted, Silvania persisted.
“The intent of our efforts to revitalise the legislative panorama is to bag Curaçao as a centre of excellence in the gambling industry,” he talked about.
“This pushes the envelope for employment opportunities and of path there many folk and corporations available who put now now not know of the opportunities which might per chance be coming their system.”
