Curaçao Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas is the new head of the Gaming Control Authority (GCA). The development came to light recently, following the resignation of the entire supervisory board. The abrupt change in leadership comes at a time when the gambling watchdog is undergoing a massive overhaul.
CGCA’s Supervisory Board Members Resign Abruptly: Quick Overview
- Local media reports suggest that commissioners Robert Reijnaert, Shelwyn Salesia, and Ildefons Simon abruptly resigned from the CGA in mid-September due to reasons that are yet to be known.
- Prime Minister Pisas called an urgent meeting with the CGA management soon after the commissioners quit. Finance Minister Javier Silvania, under whose ministry the CGA falls, did not attend the meeting.
- The sudden mass exodus has left several unanswered questions about the future of the gambling reforms in Curaçao, as the nation grapples with adapting to a whole new legislation.
Regulatory Oversight in Disarray as Gaming Authority Awaits New Leadership
The Curaçao Gaming Authority is facing tough times as its entire top brass quit at once in mid-September. Commissioners Ildefons Simon, Robert Reijnaert, and Shelwyn Salesia abruptly departed, causing widespread mayhem throughout the organisation. Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas has stepped in as the interim leader to restore order.
Several local media have reported that PM Pisas had convened an emergency meeting of the CGA’s top management, including the Finance Ministry, under whose purview the gambling regulatory operates. However, Finance Minister Javier Silvania was missing from the meeting. Government advisor Caryl Monte attended the session in his place.
The CGA is undergoing a massive gambling reform. The new online gambling law, Landsverordening op de kansspelen (LOK), translated as the National Ordinance on Games of Chance, has been enforced since December 24, 2024. The sudden exit of the CGA’s top-level supervisors has left questions about the LOK’s future unanswered.
With no replacements in sight, the CGA is functioning without its top brass. This is quite a rare and unusual sight, as the gambling industry is one of Curaçao’s most profitable industries. Any long-term disturbance will not only affect the regulator’s reputation but also disrupt its daily operations.
The Curaçao government has been working intently to amend the gambling regulation and bring the remote gambling sector under the purview of the law. The updated gambling legislation completely overhauled the existing licensing system, replacing the master and sub-licence model with direct licences for greater oversight. Operators were granted a six-month extension on the deadline for a smooth transition.
Is Political Turmoil Behind the Limbo?
While the exact cause leading up to the gambling commissioners’ resignations has yet to surface, experts suggest that underlying tension within the MFK government is the primary reason. This is not surprising, as Finance Minister Silvania has faced flak in the past on charges related to corruption and the misuse of power.
The PAR opposition party had recently called upon the Parliament and the Public Prosecution Service to initiate immediate legal action against the finance minister in a separate controversy involving the head tax receiver, Alfonso Trona. PAR leader Quincy Girigorie stressed the gravity of the situation.
Girigorie noted:
If the Public Prosecution Service has not called him (Silvania) to make his statement this weekend, I no longer know what should happen in this country. Justice must not only be done. It must be seen to be done. If the Public Prosecution Service does not act, we can say goodbye to democracy in Curaçao.
Curaçao’s online gaming regulator has also faced criticism lately for failing to control the proliferation of illegal gambling sites. The CGA had issued a strong statement pledging to crack down strongly on illicit gaming operators. The latest crisis involving the exodus of the regulator’s top oversight committee will surely add to its woes.
While there is no official confirmation on whether political upheaval is the main reason behind the board’s resignation, analysts believe that a combination of factors might have been in play. The underlying political crisis, public outrage, and increased regulatory scrutiny have played a significant role in the CGA’s current crisis.