Following an extensive criminal investigation, the Public Prosecutor’s Office (PPO) of Curaçao reached an out-of-court settlement with 12 online casino operators. The total settlement amounts to 360,000 Caribbean Guilder or €170,412. This development represents the first time that Curaçao has held online gambling firms accountable under its anti-money laundering legislation.
The investigation revealed that numerous licensed operators failed to implement proper KYC (Know Your Customer) procedures. These platforms let users deposit funds and place bets without verifying their identity. This clearly violated the National Ordinance on Identification of Clients when Providing Services. Lawmakers designed this regulation to prevent fraud, money laundering, and underage gambling.
All 12 agreed to the settlement terms while none of the operators admitted guilt. Eleven companies have paid fines of 22,500 guilder or €10,650 per platform. Due to standard corporate sentencing limitations, the PPO chose an out-of-court approach that still imposed a financial penalty. However, the twelfth operator failed to comply with the payment requirements and now faces criminal prosecution.
PPO confirmed that legal options against corporate entities are limited to fines rather than imprisonment. It stated that this settlement was the most effective strategy under current laws. A condition emphasized by the PPO to set a precedent in transparency and enforcement, the settlement also requires public disclosure.
Known as Operation Nebraska, the investigation began after media reports and a criminal complaint from the Foundation for Representation of Victims of Online Gaming. Scrutinizing their onboarding processes, as well as KYC verifications, it targeted 17 gambling platforms.
The RST or Special Police Taskforce conducted the investigation. The Central Team of PPO oversaw the investigation. The twelfth’s non-compliance triggered a formal court proceedings while eleven operators cooperated and entered settlements.
