Charitable Gaming - Bon Ku Ne

Charitable Gaming - Bon Ku Ne

Charitable Gaming - Bon Ku Ne


Charitable bingo and bon ku ne are licensed and regulated through the National Ordinance Games of Hazard II 1988 (Landsverordening Hazardspelen II 1988, PB 1988, no. 66) and the related Bingo– and Bon ku ne-decree (Bingo- en Bon ku ne-besluit, AB 1989, no. 13).

As of September 2017, the Curaçao Gaming Control Board (GCB) is charged with the authority to grant, suspend and revoke licenses for charitable bingo and to adapt the license conditions.
 

License Application

A charitable bon ku ne license can be obtained by downloading, filling in and submitting to the GCB the Charitable Bon ku ne License Application Form, including all required documentation.

Download Charitable Bon ku ne License Application Form.

Charitable Bon Ku Ne License FAQs


Charitable bon ku ne is a locally very popular game of chance with the following characteristics:
• a maximum of 13 players form a game or table,
• the players make use of a sheet depicting 3 playing cards with each different pictures,
• the game leader randomly selects and calls out playing cards,
• the players then cover the pictures called and depicted on their sheet with playing cards with identical pictures, and
• the players attempt to win the game by being the first to cover all three pictures on their sheet.

The (game) rules of bon ku ne and the criteria for the game material are legally determined by articles 10 to 13, article 14, sections one and four, and articles 15 to 22 of the Bingo- and Bon ku ne-decree (A.B. 1989, no. 13).

General license conditions:
• the proceeds of the game may only be used to realize social or cultural objectives,
• the players pay money to participate,
• prizes consist solely of goods.


• Associations and foundations that have legal personality and statutory objectives, that meet the legal requirements.

• Associations without legal personality, that are connected to an overarching organization with legal personality, and that have statutory objectives that meet the legal requirements.

Example: a parent committee (“komishon di mayornan”) is usually an association without legal personality, that via a school is connected to an overarching school board, that is a legal person. The school board’s confirmation thereof must be included in the license application package.

Yes. The maximum total amount of money that all participants together may bet for a licensed bon ku ne game is legally determined at NAf 2,000 per game (read: per table). Each table consists of maximum 13 players. The licensee may form multiple tables of 13 players. Each table has its own game leader and functions independently from other tables. The gross revenue of the event is equal to the amount of tables times the amount received per table.

Example: In the case of 13 tables of 13 players the maximum gross revenue amounts to
13 x NAf 2,000.- = NAf 26,000.-.

BINGO-STYLE BON KU NE (ONLY 1 GAME LEADER FOR ALL TABLES) IS AGAINST THE LAW!


This is calculated by dividing the maximum gross revenue per table of NAf 2,000 by the number of players per table.

Max. gross revenue per table / Nr. of players per table = Price per ticket.

Example:
NAf 2,000 / 13 = NAf 153.84*

*Rounded down to avoid exceeding the maximum gross revenue per table of NAf 2,000.

In a charitable bon ku ne the prizes may only consist of goods.


The processing fee for a charitable bon ku ne license application is NAf 100.

The license applicant must also submit 2 adhesive stamps (“plakzegels”) with the license application, one of NAf 10 for the application itself and one of NAf 20 for the license.


Together with the license application, the applicant should submit a draft print of the bon ku ne ticket. The bon ku ne tickets should, at a minimum, comply with the following:

• the tickets must be consecutively numbered;
• each ticket must show:
  - the license number, the text that is required by the GCB and the date of the license;
  - the name of the licensee;
  - the date of the bon ku ne;
  - the prizes.

A bon ku ne ticket that lacks above information potentially belongs to an illegal bon ku ne.


Yes. Bon ku ne tickets may not be sold to people younger than 18 years old. Should the winner turn out to be a minor, the prize will not be issued.

It is also prohibited to use minors for the ticket sales.


The licensee is obligated to maintain adequate financial accounting of the ticket sales and expenses, including the prizes issued. The GCB may verify compliance with this requirement during the event.