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Curaçao’s Gaming Authority (CGA) is preparing to replace its licensing portal after a security breach exposed confidential information linked to licence holders. The regulator took the affected system offline and is developing a replacement under its direct control.

The temporary portal was scheduled to launch on October 19. The CGA is also pursuing legal action and investigating the incident with cybersecurity specialists.

Breach Prompts Portal Replacement

The CGA discovered the breach on September 17 after a German security researcher gained unauthorised access to the portal. Information obtained through the incident was subsequently published online. The reported access period extended from December 2025 to September 2026.

The affected portal and its database were managed by an external provider. Following the discovery, the regulator disabled the system and decided to end the provider’s regulatory services.

The CGA is developing a replacement that it will manage internally. Preparations include an internal system, a digital seal and a licence register, with components due to undergo independent security checks. Adjustments to the client portal are also part of the work.

Existing licences remain valid, and operators must continue to meet their regulatory obligations during the transition.

Legal Action and Security Reviews

The regulator has filed complaints in Curaçao, Germany and the Netherlands. It has also engaged specialists to help remove exposed material from online sources. The CGA is conducting a forensic investigation and is considering civil litigation.

The response forms part of a wider effort to strengthen the regulator’s control over its licensing infrastructure. Bringing the replacement system in-house is intended to reduce reliance on external service providers for core regulatory functions.

The CGA has not indicated when all investigations and remedial work will be completed. The temporary portal is intended to support licensing operations while the replacement arrangements progress.

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Curaçao’s Regulatory Overhaul

The incident comes as Curaçao continues to reform its online gambling framework. In 2023, the Ministry of Finance asked the Gaming Control Board, the CGA’s predecessor, to address concerns about the former master-licence and sublicensing model. The framework had faced international criticism, player complaints and adverse media coverage, alongside pressure to align arrangements with agreements involving the Netherlands.

The National Ordinance on Games of Chance (LOK) came into force in December 2024, placing operators under the CGA’s direct supervision. A new external licensing portal was introduced that year to support the transition.

The regulator has also recruited 14 staff in licensing, supervision and enforcement, expanding its internal capacity and reducing dependence on external advisers.

The breach adds a security challenge to the ongoing reforms. Replacing the portal and bringing its management in-house are now central to the CGA’s efforts to restore secure access to licensing services while maintaining oversight of operators.

Source:

“Curaçao Gaming Authority set to launch temporary licensing portal after data breach“, igamingbusiness.com, October 20, 2026.