WILLEMSTAD - The Government of Curaçao has clarified that responsibility for supervising the gaming sector now officially lies with the Minister of Justice, Shalton Hato, and not with Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas.

The clarification follows recent reports in the media and on social platforms suggesting that the Prime Minister had assumed ministerial control over the Gaming Control Board (GCB) after meeting with its management team.

According to a government statement, the misunderstanding stems from a recent update provided to the Prime Minister at the request of the GCB’s management, concerning ongoing developments in the gambling sector following the introduction of the new national gaming supervision law at the end of 2024.

The government emphasized that while the Prime Minister was briefed on sectoral updates, he does not hold any formal or political responsibility for the GCB. “It is incorrect to suggest that Prime Minister Pisas has ministerial authority over the Gaming Control Board,” the statement said.

Until recently, the GCB operated under the Ministry of Finance, but as of August 19, 2025, political oversight of the gaming sector has been transferred to the Ministry of Justice.

This transfer, the government explained, is a direct result of the introduction of the Landsverordening op de Kansspelen (LOK) — the new National Ordinance on Games of Chance — which shifts the focus of gaming regulation from financial oversight to law enforcement, compliance, and the fight against illegal gambling activities.

As a result, Minister of Justice Shalton Hato is now the primary government authority responsible for the supervision and regulation of Curaçao’s gaming industry.