Dutch Government Tightens Restriction on Curacao
Published August 1, 2016 by Lee R
Concerns of illegal activity spurred a movement in the Dutch government to tighten guidelines in Curacao.
The Dutch government continues to move towards tightening Curacao regulation, with the extent all there is to be determined.
Dutch Concerns
Increased regulation is coming on the heels of Netherlands Acting Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations Stef Blok's response to the Parliamentary question of Curaçao-licensed operators serving Dutch gamblers and concerns regarding ties of Curacao gambling activity to organized crime.
Formal Inquiry
Standing in for Minister Plasterk as he recovers from heart surgery, Blok re-iterated the Dutch government's position in an anticipated response to two sets of question submitted in Parliament by Socialist Second Chamber Member Ronald van Raak of the Socialist Party (SP) which arose last May out of concerns for ties of Curacao gambling activity to organized crime.
Crown Intervention
Blok confirmed to the Daily Herald his and State Secretary of Security and Justice Klass Dijkhoff's intent to move forward with a plan to block Dutch gamblers from sites belonging to Curaçao licensees.
The plan expands the precedent set by Dutch gambling authority Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) towards Curaçao-licensed operators marketing to the Dutch public, curbing what the KSA called the “transgressions” of unlicensed entry operation within Dutch market borders by licensees from protectorate Curacao.
Short Leash
The fine line between Dutch jurisdiction and the autonomy of companies licensed through the Curacao government was addressed squarely by Blok, who said oversight of Curaçao’s online gambling operators remained in the hands of, and the responsibility of, the government and prosecuting office of Curaçao. Blok acknowledged the Curaçao government's “national ordinance” to regulate online gambling activity while recognizing the willingness of the Curaçao prosecutor to take action to protect the integrity of the local government from unscrupulous actions in the gambling industry.
No Way In
Curacao is a fairly attractive market of entry, with dozens of prominent mid level operators led by Pinnacle. However, for those expecting to gain access to the lucrative Dutch market via this protectorate, this news represents a reminder that the Dutch government is fully aware of the Curacao presence and potential for entry, and is committed to preserving all activity and regulation within its borders to the auspices of its own licensing authority of its own regulatory body and government.
