Curaçao Gaming Authority to Permanently Discontinue Compromised Licensing Portal After Data Breach

The Curaçao Gaming Authority (CGA) has decided to permanently discontinue its existing licensing portal and terminate its external provider’s regulatory services after a data breach exposed confidential information belonging to gambling license holders, as reported by Yogonet International.

Investigators discovered the breach on September 17 after a German security researcher gained unauthorized access to the portal and its underlying database. The unauthorized access occurred between December 2025 and September 2026, during which personal and confidential information was accessed and published. The CGA took the portal offline, launched an investigation, and commissioned an independent forensic examination to determine the full extent of the breach.

Formal complaints have been filed in Curaçao, Germany, and the Netherlands. Specialist companies are working to remove the exposed information from online sources, and the authority is considering civil litigation. To sustain licensing and supervisory functions, the CGA announced plans to introduce a temporary replacement portal on October 19. The CGA is simultaneously preparing a new internally managed system, with the internal system, digital seal, and license register identified as ready for independent security assessments.

The regulator has emphasized that closing the compromised portal does not invalidate existing gambling licenses or relieve operators of their regulatory obligations.

Context of Curaçao’s Regulatory Transition

The incident occurs as the jurisdiction continues reforms under the National Ordinance on Games of Chance (LOK), which took effect in December 2024. The LOK replaced the former master license and sublicense system with direct regulatory supervision by the CGA. The affected portal was introduced in 2024 as part of those reforms, relying on external technology and regulatory specialists while the authority developed its internal capacity. Reforms were initiated in 2023 when Curaçao’s Ministry of Finance instructed the former Gaming Control Board to overhaul oversight amid international criticism, player complaints, adverse media coverage, and commitments under agreements with the Netherlands.

Path to Reduced External Reliance

Since the reforms began, the CGA has recruited 14 employees specializing in licensing, supervision, and enforcement. This hiring supports efforts to reduce reliance on external advisers and strengthen internal regulatory capabilities. The breach and subsequent shift to an in-house portal accelerate that transition, even as the authority completes adjustments to the client portal ahead of further testing. The events underscore specific operational risks that arise when external infrastructure handles sensitive licensing data during a multi-year regulatory overhaul.

Reporting: Yogonet International

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