GCB ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING AUTHORISATION RIGHTS AND GCB PORTAL ACCESS AND USE REQUIREMENTS

On the 10th of January the Curaçao Gaming Control Board (GCB) issued important updates regarding authorisation rights for accessing and using the GCB Portal. In response to misconceptions surrounding account access and responsibilities, the GCB’s decided to clarify the terms “Licensee Account” and “Census Account.”

Licensee Account:

A Licensee Account is designed for Curaçao-incorporated entities seeking a gaming licence under the National Ordinance on Offshore Games of Chance (NOOGH) and activated when a Letter of Authorisation is submitted to the GCB. The authorised representative, appointed by the lawful representative, serves as both the portal administrator and the individual responsible for the gaming licence application.

Key points

• The authorised representative can create user accounts as authorised by the lawful representative.
• Master Licensors obliged to participate in the Census may open a Census Account but cannot apply for a licence through it unless appointed as the authorised representative.
• If an authorised representative intends to use domains from a previous Census, the GCB can transfer them, subject to a number of conditions.

Mandatory Sublicensee Registration under NOOGH:

Master Licensors must register Sublicensees and associated domains on the GCB portal, ensuring visibility over current operations. Cooperation for the Census is mandatory and failure to do so may lead to the cessation of operations for impacted Sublicensees by 31st March 2024.

Important details

• Limited proof of authority is required for Census Representatives.
• The Master Licensor’s digital signature on the Census Letter of Authority suffices for authority confirmation.
• Full cooperation for the Census is mandatory, with consequences for non-compliance by 31st March 2024.
• The License Account takes precedence over the Census Account in the absence of a prior Census.

Additional Notes:

• Any Licensee Account applicant can apply for one or more licences under a single account.
• Ultimate Beneficial Owners (UBOs) can have multiple Licensee Accounts for separate operations through different Curaçao entities.
• The portal enables multiple persons to access a single Licensee or Census Account, with strict parameters for portal administrators.

Footnotes:

• The GCB has the right to seek further due diligence for doubts about the validity of legal authority.
• The GCB may disable inactive domains and can be requested to delete domains in case of ownership change.
• Templates for the Letter of Authority and Census Letter of Authority will be available on the portal from 15th January 2024.

As these updates take effect from 15th January 2024, applicants are encouraged to familiarise themselves with these clarified guidelines.