Issue of Curaçao gambling licenses questioned by MP

A Dutch MP who has made it his mission to reveal corruption in the territories of Holland and most notably Curaçao where Ronald van Raak believes there is serious wrongdoings in issuing online gambling licenses.

Indeed the MP has now written for the second time to the Minister of Kingdom Relations, Ronald Plasterk about this issue.

“Do you agree that Curaçao has failed in its supervision on the gambling sector” If so, what role do you see for the Kingdom to eliminate these administrative abuses?”

In addition to unanswered questions he asked before, Van Raak wants a clarification on the Curaçao telecommunication company UTS, which facilitates online casinos and SMS lotteries. “Purchasing Ctex may be intended to expand those activities,” said the Dutch MP.

He also wants to know who actually checks UTS’ financial report.

“How do you explain that UTS and its subsidiaries are public companies, but do not belong to the country and its institutions, and that supervision is not authorized by the General Court of Auditors?”

He also asked about Sun Casino, which, like Mark Bell Casino and Emu Casino would have a sub-license for offering online gambling. The company would be owned by the Dutch companies Yellowstone and Tecst International.

“When and by whom was the construction master license holder and sub-holder for online gambling, especially from the e-zones, conceived and implemented?”

The Dutch MP also noted that Bell Mark Casino, the site that he has asked questions about earlier, has since gone offline. The latest questions Van Raak asked about the gambling sector, have not been answered by Minister Plasterk.

In response to previous questions, the Minister stressed that he takes reports about abuses seriously, but that law enforcement is primarily an autonomous matter for Curaçao. The Netherlands does offer Curaçao support in addressing economic and financial crime.