You have probably come across various horror stories about this or that online casino with a Curacao Online Casino License. I’m not here to dispute any of it. I’ve heard a few stories myself. To be honest, even the traders on Wall Street come across as saints by comparison in some cases.
I will never defend past transgressions, nor will I make excuses for any current wrong doings, but I hope I can shed some light on how the licensing system in Curacao works and how casinos holding theses licenses operate today.
And then, as a special treat, I will dispel some rumours and answer a few frequently asked questions at the end. But we’ll begin at the beginning and to through the different Curacao licenses and their origins. It all dates back to the sweet 1990’s.
Curacao’s Ministry of Justice issued four Master Licenses to four different operators in 1996. These days we all know that there are 100s, if not 1,000s, of casinos that claim to have a Curacao License. But if there are only four available, how is this possible?
First, let’s take a look at the four different Master Licenses:
Every online casino that claims to hold a Curacao License will in fact be the holder of one of these four sub-licenses since the master license holders have been allowed to issue them since the beginning. Does this mean that a casino with a “Curacao License” can’t be trusted?
First off, any sub-license is no different from its master license. The same rules apply when it comes to fair games, responsible gambling, privacy policy, and cookies. If these casinos weren’t trusted, why is it that they often have more game providers than casinos with different licenses?
Secondly, anti-money laundering legislation is global in the sense that it doesn’t matter which jurisdiction you’re operating your business from. You will still have to follow laws regarding money transactions online. It doesn’t matter which JAZ license the casino holds, they still have to follow the law or face the consequences.
All major payment providers are lining up to offer their services to casinos with a JAZ license, including e-Wallets specialising in cryptocurrencies. If this is not a seal of approval, I don’t know what is…
Lastly, there are many Curacao Licensed casinos that have won several of the biggest international online gambling industry awards, like, Best Online Casino Award in 2018 and Player’s Choice Award in 2019. These prestigious accolades aren’t just given out haphazardly to anyone.
I’m not gonna lie, it’s not the best. But then again, if you read what players complain about in various forums, you’ll find that it’s pretty much the same regardless of the casino license. So, rather than focusing on the license, read up more on individual casinos.
It is true, though, that Curacao Licensed casinos have worked hard on improving their image over the years. They are now doing their due diligence when it comes to getting to know their customers, they will also be asking for the dreaded source of wealth documents players always beef about providing. And they take active measures to combat money laundering, just like every other online casino no matter what license they hold.
I will keep it real with you. There’s one area where you could end up in a bit of a limbo on your own. When you gamble online there are many moving parts at play that you might not think to much about, and if any of them break down, your experience will be unsatisfactory.
Most players tend to forget that when you gamble online, online is a very important concept to understand. If any of these fail, it may cause a domino effect:
No online casino is out to get you. Not even those with Curacao Sub-licenses. They want your money, but they aren’t in the business of stealing it from you. That’s just bad for business. And if word gets out, and the casino’s reputation is at stake, they might even go out of business…
The casinos with Curacao Licenses or Sub-licenses are casinos that I have thoroughly gone through and reviewed. You see, I too have a reputation to uphold and what kind of an idiot would I be if I suggested players to go to casinos I know will rip them off.