The Curaçao Gaming Authority (CGA) has been left without a supervisory board following the resignation of all three commissioners: Shelwyn Salesia, Robert Reijnaert and Ildefons Simon, prompting Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas to assume direct oversight of the regulator.
The move effectively places the CGA under the Prime Minister's control, bypassing Finance Minister Javier Silvania, whose portfolio formally includes gaming oversight. Pisas reportedly met with CGA management to discuss sectoral issues soon after the resignations, while Silvania was notably absent from those discussions.
The resignations come at a critical juncture. The CGA was established in 2025 under the new Landsverordening op de Kansspelen (LOK) framework, designed to replace the Gaming Control Board and introduce stricter standards for licensing and compliance. However, the sudden leadership vacuum threatens to delay or weaken the rollout of these reforms.
The authority's institutional standing has also been questioned, as it remains unregistered with the Chamber of Commerce and continues to operate under the Finance Ministry's mandate while channeling communications through the Prime Minister's office.
The gaming industry remains one of Curaçao's most profitable sectors, generating an estimated ANG40m ($22.4m) annually.
Without a functioning board or clear governance structure, observers warn that the island's regulatory modernization could lose momentum just as international scrutiny over compliance and transparency intensifies.
Earlier this year, Curaçao's regulator announced plans to issue cease-and-desist notices to local entities operating under foreign gambling licenses
