Curaçao Permanently Shuts Gaming Portal Following Major Security Breach

Curaçao’s gambling regulator will permanently retire its existing online gaming portal after months of unauthorized access exposed weaknesses in the licensing platform, while existing licences and regulatory obligations remain in force.

The Curaçao Gaming Authority (CGA) has confirmed that its current online gaming portal will not return to service, marking a permanent move away from the platform following a serious cybersecurity incident. The regulator is now preparing a replacement regulatory system while maintaining licensing, compliance and supervisory functions through alternative arrangements.

The decision follows an investigation into unauthorized access first disclosed in September. According to the CGA, access was obtained through the customer-facing section of the licensing portal using an account registered under a false identity in December 2025. The unauthorized account remained active until September 2026, when it was identified and disabled.

A German security researcher has claimed to have extracted information relating to Curaçao-licensed operators as well as internal CGA documents. The regulator said those claims were consistent with its own investigation, but stressed that the full extent of the material obtained has not yet been established and declined to endorse unverified figures circulating publicly.

The CGA initially took the portal offline while carrying out forensic work and strengthening its security. On October 7, however, it confirmed that the system would not be restored and that the service arrangements supporting the platform would also be discontinued.

Existing gambling licences remain valid, and licensed operators continue to be subject to their normal regulatory obligations. Applications, compliance work and supervision are to continue under interim arrangements while the new platform is developed. The shutdown also affects the regulator’s current digital seal, with the CGA promising an alternative mechanism allowing operators to demonstrate that individual domains are officially licensed.

The portal had played an important role in implementing Curaçao’s online gambling reforms since 2024, including the transition to the regulatory framework under the National Ordinance on Games of Chance. Its permanent closure therefore represents a significant operational disruption at a sensitive stage of the jurisdiction’s licensing overhaul.

For the Curaçao gambling sector, the immediate issue is no longer whether the old portal can be repaired, but how quickly the CGA can introduce a secure replacement without slowing licensing and compliance processes. The continuing investigation into the breach will also be important in determining the full impact on operators and other stakeholders whose information may have been accessible.