Is a Curacao licence legal for UK players?

What UK law says about gambling sites

Section 33 of the Gambling Act 2005 is headed "Provision of facilities for gambling". Its first subsection opens:

The exceptions that matter here are two. One covers activity by a person who holds an operating licence authorising it, carried on within the terms and conditions of that licence. The other covers a person acting in the course of a business run by such a licence holder.

A person guilty of the offence is liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for up to 51 weeks, a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale, or both. In Scotland the 51 weeks reads as 6 months.

When a site abroad needs a Gambling Commission licence

Section 36 sets how far section 33 reaches. Subsection (1) says it is immaterial whether facilities are provided wholly or partly by remote communication, and, subject to subsections (2) and (3), whether they are provided inside the United Kingdom, outside it, or partly in each.

For remote gambling, subsection (3) as revised in 2014 applies section 33 in two cases:

1. At least one piece of remote gambling equipment used in providing the facilities is in Great Britain.
2. No such equipment is in Great Britain, but the facilities are used there.

In the second case, subsection (3A) says the provider commits the offence only if it knows or should know that the facilities are being used, or are likely to be used, in Great Britain.

The Act defines remote gambling equipment as equipment used by or on behalf of the provider to store information about a person's participation, to present a virtual game, race or event, to determine a result or its effect, or to store information about a result. Equipment that a player uses to take advantage of the facilities, and that the provider does not supply, is left out.

This is a plain reading of the text, not legal advice.

What the Gambling Commission licenses

The Gambling Commission says it regulates most types of gambling in Great Britain, including the National Lottery, and that it licenses the individuals and businesses that provide gambling there. It publishes registers of licensed businesses, individuals, regulatory actions and premises, which you can search, view and download. The "Gambling businesses" register is the one that covers companies.

Where a Curacao licence fits

Since 24 December 2024, under the National Ordinance on Games of Chance, the Curacao Gaming Authority (CGA) has been responsible for licensing, supervising and enforcing the Curacao online gaming sector. How the licence works is set out in Curacao gambling licence explained.

The CGA register lists licensees by company, so a casino is matched through the licensee and company registration its own terms give. The CGA register explained shows how.

Our review files for BetMac and TrustStake give the same company, Sefiarray B.V., company registration 155219. The register line for that company:

The printed expiry falls before the register edition date. The status column reads Assessment in progress, and we report it in those words. The CGA itself says its register overviews do not guarantee the current validity of a licence and that no rights can be derived from them.

Our file for HadesBet holds no licensee, licence number or register line, so we show no licence for it.

What changes for you as a player

The Gambling Commission says all gambling businesses must give details of their complaints procedure and clear terms and conditions. You complain to the business first, and the Commission does not resolve or decide complaints about gambling transactions. If you are not satisfied with the result, after 8 weeks you can take the complaint to an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) provider, a free, independent service. The Commission's pages do not say whether this route is open for a casino licensed only in Curacao. The casinos we have checked are listed in All Curacao casinos we review for UK players.

For a Curacao licence, the CGA says it does not handle individual complaints against gaming providers and that resolving disputes between players and operators is not within its mandate. It encourages players to seek resolution directly with the provider and to use the appropriate legal channels if necessary. Its list of certificate holders, updated 31 August 2026, names providers that hold a CGA certificate for alternative dispute resolution.

GamStop Online blocks you from signing up for or using accounts with gambling companies licensed in Great Britain.

Safer gambling

Self-exclusion is a formal agreement not to gamble, and the Gambling Commission says it is up to you to stick to it. GamStop Online lets you self-exclude from online operators with one request. You choose a period from 6 months up to 5 years, and you cannot cancel during it.

A casino abroad is never a way around a self-exclusion.

GamStop also lists bank blocks and blocking software as tools to use alongside it. If gambling is harming you or someone close to you, the National Gambling Helpline is free on 0808 802 0133. More tools and support are on Responsible gambling for UK players.

If you think we are wrong

When the law or a Gambling Commission page changes, or a fact here turns out to be wrong, our team reads the Act or the page again and corrects this guide. How we check a casino's licence is set out in How to check a Curacao casino licence. Corrections can be sent to info@curacaocasinosuk.co.uk.