COPENHAGEN – Dutch State Secretary for Legal Protection, Teun Struycken, has called for a coordinated European approach to combat illegal online gambling operators, many of which are licensed in Curaçao. Speaking this week at an informal EU Justice Ministers’ meeting in Copenhagen, Struycken urged that such operators be classified as criminal organizations across the European Union.
His comments follow more than a decade of regulatory action by the Dutch gambling authority, Kansspelautoriteit (Ksa), which has issued dozens of fines to online casinos using Curaçao-based licenses while targeting Dutch consumers. Since 2013, the Ksa has imposed at least 16 fines on casinos operating under licenses issued by Curaçao entities such as Antillephone, Cyberluck, Gaming Services Provider, and C.I.L. Curaçao Interactive Licensing.
Criminal Structures in ‘Wild Jurisdictions’
“Many illegal gambling providers operate through opaque corporate structures in so-called ‘wild jurisdictions,’ a reference to places like Curaçao,” Struycken told Dutch press agency ANP. “This is about seizing criminal profits. We need to start looking at illegal gambling through the lens of organized crime.”
Among the most significant penalties handed down by the Ksa are:
€12.6 million against N1 Interactive Limited
€3 million against Betent
€1.275 million against Winning Poker Network
However, the Ksa acknowledges that these fines are rarely collected, underscoring the urgency of Struycken’s appeal for stronger EU-wide enforcement mechanisms.
Pressure Mounts on Curaçao’s Regulatory Reputation
The role of Curaçao in the global online gambling ecosystem has come under increasing scrutiny. Despite recent reforms—including the introduction of the new National Ordinance for Games of Chance (LOK)—critics argue that Curaçao's licensing model still enables operators to sidestep stricter EU regulations.
In the Netherlands, members of the House of Representatives have repeatedly voiced concern over the lack of effective oversight of foreign online casinos, especially those licensed in Curaçao. The criticism has intensified as Dutch consumers continue to access these platforms despite national restrictions.
Call for EU-Wide Collaboration
Struycken’s call for collective European action signals a potential turning point in how EU member states address cross-border illegal gambling. During the meeting in Copenhagen, which was also attended by outgoing minister David van Weel, Struycken emphasized the need for a unified strategy to dismantle the financial infrastructure of rogue operators.
The Netherlands appears determined to lead the charge, with growing political will to confront what officials see as a persistent and internationally enabled threat to consumer protection and the integrity of the European gambling market.
