Menu
When it comes to finding the best online casinos available to Canadian players, one of the more important aspects is the country the casino is licensed by and registered with. The stricter the country, the more confidence a player can feel when playing at the casino that’s registered with them. One of the most common in the industry is Curacao, and here is everything you need to know about this regulating governmental body.
Reading time: 3 minutes.
Curacao is located in the Caribbean Sea, an island country with a tropical climate and a rich history that attracts tourism from around the world. Its current population is around 150,000, which is roughly the same as Abbotsford, British Columbia. Up until October 10, 2010, Curacao was an island territory of the Netherlands, but it is now a constituent country of the Netherlands, having almost full autonomy from the Netherlands save a few aspects as detailed in Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and, more specifically, beneath the “Kingdom Affairs” section. They have been regulating e-gaming since 1996, making them one of the first to do so.
One of the most attractive aspects of being regulated by Curacao from a gaming operator’s perspective is the low tax. They only charge 2% on net profits, and the fees for getting a license is about $34,000 initially, and $5,600 per month for two years after that. If they have the cash, a legitimate casino, and are willing to undergo regular audits, an operator is likely to be approved. The license applies to every type of online betting site, whether it’s strictly casino games, sportsbook, Bingo, or Poker rooms, or a combination.
In comparison to the UK Gambling Commission and other licensing bodies, Curacao’s application process is so simple that you don’t need to hire a legal team, the fees are far lower, and Curacao even offers additional services to help would-be investors run a successful online casino. This may also be the reason why Curacao licensed online gambling sites are rated lower / less trusted then for example Malta licensed ones.
Since all you need is a relatively small amount of investment capital on top of passing all audits that prove that the casino games are fair and truly random, you can become a licensed Curacao online casino. This means that, in comparison to other licensing bodies, being licensed with Curacao is not the most impressive. With that being said, their oversight is strict and their auditing is diligent, so despite the accessibility, knowing that an operator is licensed with them instils a good amount of player confidence. It’s not an end all be all, but it’s a good first indicator.
As one of the first jurisdictions to license to online casinos, there are tons of operators who hold the license. Unfortunately, we could not get an exact number, but our research indicates that there are probably hundreds, if not over a thousand, Bingo, Poker, Sportsbook, Casino, and combination sites with their licensing. Any casino that shows the Curacao seal at the bottom of their homepage is licensed with Curacao.
If a casino operator is licensed with Curacao, it is important that they also exhibit other third-party licenses and a strong reputation among players and experts alike online. Some of our recommended casinos — the online operators that are specifically great for players in Canada — are licensed in Curacao, but that factor is not the sole reason we would recommend them in terms of trust. On top of the governing oversight, they also have third-party certifications and stellar reputations that go well beyond who they are licensed with. If you see that a casino operator is licensed in this country, make sure that they also showcase a high level of trust if you are researching personally. Otherwise, it is probably easiest to just go with our heavily research and meticulously selected sites on the ultimate Canadian gambling resource, right here.
Canada
India
Suomi
Svenska