CGA retires Curaçao gaming portal after Casino Secrets data breach

The Curaçao Gaming Authority (CGA) has said the online portal that was at the centre of a data breach will not be brought back into use. The regulator is instead shifting to a new regulatory platform, which brings to an end the system that was central to the jurisdiction's 2023 gaming reform programme. In its 7 October announcement, the CGA stated: "current online gaming portal will not be returned to service".

The move comes after the "Casino Secrets" leak, in which documents and ownership information tied to hundreds of gambling businesses under the Curaçao regime were exposed. White-hat hacker Lilith Wittmann carried out the breach and disclosed wide-ranging access to the regulator's database and systems.

The CGA confirmed that the shutdown brings to a close the service arrangements tied to the platform. The regulator said it is "taking the necessary steps to transition away from the current platform and the services associated with it, while ensuring continuity of its regulatory functions."

The CGA stressed that retiring the portal leaves existing licence holders and its oversight of the market unaffected. In its words: "The discontinuation of the portal does not affect the validity of existing licenses, the obligations of licensed operators, or the CGA’s ongoing regulatory and supervisory responsibilities." Until an interim solution is ready, licensing, compliance and supervision work will carry on through other arrangements.

The jurisdiction's digital seal system is also set to be affected. Because the current digital seal's availability will be impacted, the CGA said it will soon roll out a different mechanism allowing operators to show that a domain holds a CGA licence.

On the breach, the authority said its work is still under way, including efforts to contain the data leak, and that it is "focused on protecting the integrity of its regulatory functions and information assets." The CGA added that it understands the transition could pose difficulties for operators and expressed appreciation for their patience and cooperation.