Stand-alone casinos are not allowed in Curacao. Casinos are required to be an amenity of a hotel that is focused on the international market for tourism.

Yes. In Curacao a minimum of 150 hotel rooms are required for a casino license request to be deemed admissible. In principle, a casino should run primarily on the foreign tourists that are accommodated in the hotel.

Yes. There is a limitative list of 6 hotels with at least 45, but less than the required minimum of 150 hotel rooms. These are the so-called grandfathered-in hotels, that already operated a casino, when the 150 hotel room minimum was introduced. These 6 hotels are the Kura Hulanda Hotel, Hotel Otrobanda, Hotel San Marco, Trupial Inn Hotel, Airport Hotel and the Wave Hotel.

No. At a minimum, tables and slot machines are required. Legalization of casinos was partly driven by the employment opportunities that it would create. Table games require more employment than slot machines.

To operate a casino legally on Curacao, a Casino License is required. All regulation issued by the Curacao Gaming Control Board are an integral part of the casino license. Furthermore, all financial stakeholders and stakeholders that (can) exercise material control, being natural or legal persons, up to the Ultimate Beneficial Ownership (UBO), are required to apply for and obtain a Personal License that is explicitly tied to a specific Casino License.

To obtain a Personal License the applicant is required to submit a duly prepared Personal License Application Form as well as a duly signed Privacy Waiver to enable the GCB to perform the necessary fit-and-proper checks. Professional, financial and criminal background checks are performed by the GCB as well as by relevant partners like Interpol, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Curacao Police Force etc.

There are no costs related to the casino license application, other than the potential costs for the applicant related to the preparation of the application.

Curacao casino legislation does not recognize renewal of casino licenses. Every 3 years a new Casino License Application must be submitted and processed.

The GCB has the authority to suspend or even revoke casino and personal licenses.