Latin America
Brace Yourselves: Curaçao’s New Gambling Law Is at the Door!
Curaçao is approaching the finishing line of their online gambling reform, with the new law being sent to the parliament earlier this week. Markus Björk at Slotsoo has been in touch with both the Ministry of Finance and several Curaçao operators to find out how they feel about this big change. Do European license providers have a reason to feel threatened by Curaçao casinos 2.0?
LOK Now Just Waiting for Parliament Approval
On December 19th, Curaçao’s Ministry of Finance informed that the new law has been officially submitted to the parliament. The National Ordinance for Games of Chance, commonly referred to as LOK (Landsverordening op de kansspelen), is expected to come into effect in the first half of 2024.
Finance Minister Javier Silvania, the front figure of the reform, shares his excitement about this historical moment:
“We are very happy to reach this final stage. The submission of the LOK to Parliament is not just a procedural step, but a leap towards transformative progress.”
No More Master Licenses or Middle Men
The current setup of the Curaçao casino license is very unique, with four master license holders being in charge of giving licenses to individual casino operators and ensuring their compliance to the regulations.
This has resulted in big quality differences, and if you were to ask ten EU players how they feel about Curaçao casinos you would get very varied replies. Another critique with the current system is that most of the financial gain goes to the four master license holders, while the island of Curaçao is left with light pockets.
LOK will put an end to master licenses and middle men and require all licenses to be applied directly from Curaçao’s Gaming Control Board. This means more uniformed quality and better control. The new law will also require gambling companies to have physical presence on the island, creating new job opportunities for the locals.
The Curaçao casinos we interviewed all welcome the new setup. Spinwise (Tsars Casino) sees some hurdles, but says it will be worth it in the long run:
“The prohibition of sublicensing by master licensees introduces a new financial dynamic for individual companies, albeit with associated fees. While adaptation to the new framework may pose short-term challenges, the long-term benefits are expected to outweigh these initial obstacles.”
The Curaçao License Will Remain Tax Free
1. No tax on winnings
2. No restrictions on player nationality
3. Strong regulatory framework
Keeping the Balance Is Crucial for Success
Finance Minister Javier Silvania shares that they had a very inclusive approach when drafting the new law. They consulted all the stakeholders to make sure LOK will consider different perspectives and not just serve one group. The country of Curaçao, its citizens, the gambling industry, and the players should all benefit from the reform.
Many license jurisdictions that go through a re-regulation fall into the trap of legislating too much, without the government listening to the industry or the players enough. This leads to fewer license holders and lower channelization rates, as both the operators and the players search for more attractive solutions from other countries.
We wish Curaçao good luck with their new start in 2024!
Gamanza Engage is proud to announce a strategic partnership with Grupo Jer, one of the most prominent business groups in Colombia and a respected operator in multiple regulated iGaming markets across Latin America. This new collaboration marks a significant milestone in Gamanza Engage’s mission to become the leading provider of player engagement solutions in the region.
Grupo Jer operates from Colombia, a jurisdiction widely recognized for its maturity, regulatory standards, and strong player protection framework. The country was the first in Latin America to establish a fully regulated online gaming market, and its regulatory leadership continues to shape the region’s evolution. For Gamanza Engage, partnering with an enterprise that thrives in this environment is a clear endorsement of the company’s reliability, compliance standards, and product excellence.
As part of the deal, Grupo Jer will integrate Gamanza Engage’s full suite of engagement products, including loyalty, gamification, mini-games and tournaments. This unified platform will allow the operator to deliver deeply personalized and interactive player experiences across their brands, while simultaneously gaining the operational benefits of automation, segmentation, and real-time data.
Grupo Jer is part of a large-scale conglomerate with a diversified portfolio of operations and strong presence across Central and South America.
“At Grupo Jer, we’re always looking to innovate and deliver outstanding experiences to our customers. After reviewing several alternatives, we selected Gamanza Engage because of the flexibility of their suite, the quality of their gamification tools, and the alignment with our long-term vision for player engagement”
Laura Esparza, Commercial Director for Grupo Jer
This partnership further strengthens Gamanza Engage’s presence in Latin America and reinforces the company’s commitment to supporting regulated markets with cutting-edge technology and strategic collaboration.
For more information, visit www.gamanzaengage.com and www.grupojer.com
Inspired Entertainment, Inc., a leading B2B provider of gaming content, technology, hardware, and services, is pleased to announce the launch of V-Play Football Brazil with EstrelaBet, a leading Brazilian gamingtech company. The integration is powered by Altenar, a leading sportsbook platform provider for licensed operators around the world.
This launch marks an exciting new chapter in Inspired’s expansion across Brazil delivering its market-leading Virtual Sports content to a local, LATAM focused operator. V-Play Football Brazil, designed specifically to capture the flair, passion, and energy of Brazilian football, provides fast-paced betting action with high-frequency, ultra-realistic match simulations.
“We’re thrilled to bring V-Play Football Brazil to EstrelaBet’s customers,” said Brooks Pierce, President and Chief Executive Officer of Inspired. “Brazil has a deep-rooted passion for football, and our latest Virtual Football product is tailor-made for that audience. This launch with EstrelaBet, through Altenar’s dynamic platform, represents a powerful combination of cutting-edge technology, local insight, and premium virtual content. It’s a major milestone in our commitment to growth in Brazil.”
EstrelaBet, known for its strong brand presence in Brazil and innovative approach to player engagement, continues to invest in new ways to enhance its sportsbook offering. V-Play Football Brazil is now available at estrela.bet.br, optimized for desktop and mobile platforms, as well as the Android app.
“Inspired’s V-Play Football Brazil delivers the quality, authenticity, and excitement that our players expect,” said Fellipe Fraga, CBO (Chief Business Officer) at EstrelaBet. “The launch of this product aligns perfectly with our mission to offer customers a dynamic and differentiated sports betting experience. We’re excited to bring Brazilian fans a product that feels made just for them.”
The launch was made possible through Altenar, whose scalable and flexible sportsbook platform supports operators across more than 30 countries.
“We are proud to power this exciting launch between Inspired and EstrelaBet,” said Antonis Karakousis, Director of Operations at Altenar. “Inspired’s V-Play Football Brazil is a perfect match for the Brazilian market, and this rollout exemplifies Altenar’s ability to support rapid integration and localization of best-in-class content. We look forward to seeing strong engagement and performance from this partnership.”
Latest News
Coljuegos Transfers More Than $127M to the Subsidized Health System in Colombia During H1 2025
During his participation in SAGSE Paraguay 2025, the president of Coljuegos, Marco Emilio Hincapié, highlighted to business leaders and regulators from the continent that, in the first half of the year, the entity has transferred approximately $127.9 million dollars ($535.819 billion) to the subsidized health system.
“We are proud that, internationally, we are recognized as one of the most advanced regulators on the continent. This is reflected both in regulatory innovation and in the increase in resources allocated to the healthcare of Colombians,” said Hincapié.
The president also emphasized that online games remain one of the main players in the industry, followed by localized games and other newer types such as Baloto and Super Astro.
“This year, we have seen a 33% increase in sales for Baloto, which represents approximately $32.203 billion compared to the January-June 2024 period. This allows us to project that this game will increase its contributions to health by more than $20 billion by the end of the year,” the official said.
Likewise, the president highlighted that in the first half of 2025, there was a 9.32% increase compared to 2024, going from $490.257 billion to $535.819 billion in 2025.
During the SAGSE event held in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay, the president of Coljuegos also highlighted the progress made in combating illegal gambling. To date, the organization has seized 5663 unauthorized gambling devices in more than 25 departments across the country.
SAGSE is the most important gaming industry trade show in Latin America, bringing together the most prominent exhibitors in the games of chance industry, from slot machine manufacturers to casino and gaming room technology providers.
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