Curacao Unveils New Responsible Gaming Policy to Enhance Player Protection

Curacao has introduced a new Responsible Gaming Policy aimed at providing better protection for players and addressing the risks of problem gambling. On the surface, it’s a step in the right direction, but whether it will make a real impact remains to be seen. The situation is still pretty messy, and while the policy sets up several measures—like self-exclusion options, deposit limits, and reality checks—it's hard not to feel that money still rules the day.

All Curacao-licensed online casinos are now required to implement these new rules, which include offering self-exclusion for 1, 3, 5 years, or lifetime, enforcing deposit limits, and ensuring casinos detect problem gambling behaviors. Casino staff will also be required to identify at-risk players and refer them to the proper support services. But let’s be real—if the industry truly cared about players, they could have implemented a unified block for all online casinos instead of piecemeal regulations that feel like they're just checking boxes.

Casinos will undergo audits to ensure compliance, with the regulator starting to monitor from mid-2025. Operators are expected to update their policies by March 31, 2025, but how effectively these measures will be carried out is still up for debate. In the end, it's the money that talks, and if this policy doesn’t hit the right balance, the real change players need might be further out of reach.