Curaçao Data Leak Exposes Owners Behind Offshore Casinos Used by UK Punters

^{Willemstad, capital of Curaçao, home to the licensing authority whose confidential files were obtained in the newly-reported 'Casino Secrets' leak. (Photo: Martin Falbisoner / Wikimedia Commons)}

Hacker Obtained Tens of Thousands of Licensing Files

A cache of confidential documents from the Curaçao Gaming Authority has revealed the previously hidden owners of thousands of offshore gambling websites, according to a joint investigation published by Dutch outlet Follow the Money with reporting partners including NRK, NDR and the Guardian.

Berlin-based hacker and researcher Lilith Wittmann obtained the files after accessing the regulator's licensing system, exposing internal assessments, ownership declarations and supporting paperwork for hundreds of companies registered on the Caribbean island. The reporting has been published under the title "Casino Secrets".

Curaçao has become one of the most widely used licensing jurisdictions for online casinos operating outside regulated markets such as the UK, where unlicensed sites are illegal to promote to or accept bets from UK residents. Investigators say the leaked files show the regulator repeatedly granted licences without confirming that the people named as owners were actually in control of the businesses, and in some cases despite applicants failing to answer basic ownership questions.

Concerns Over Money Laundering Risk

Financial crime experts cited in the investigation said the lack of ownership transparency in Curaçao's licensing regime creates conditions that can be exploited for money laundering and other criminal activity. Several operators registered on the island have previously been fined or blacklisted by regulators in markets including Australia, the United States and across Europe for taking bets without local authorisation.

The files show that Curaçao's regulator "routinely granted licences without establishing whether the declared owners were actually in charge," the investigation found.

For UK readers, the leak is a reminder that offshore-licensed sites operating outside the Gambling Commission's regime carry no consumer protection guarantees, even when they present a professional, licensed-looking front. The Gambling Commission has previously said link_text_goes_here, but continues to monitor consumer habits around sites operating outside UK licensing.

Follow the Money said the investigation is continuing, with further findings expected as reporters work through the remaining documents. Curaçao's regulator has not yet issued a detailed public response to the specific findings reported so far.

The revelations add to wider scrutiny of how well link_text_goes_here in the illegal online market, an area regulators across Europe are under growing pressure to address.

What the Leak Means for UK Players

The Gambling Commission maintains a public list of licensed operators and repeatedly warns UK consumers against using sites that are not authorised to operate in Britain, since those platforms fall outside its dispute-resolution and player-protection framework entirely. The Casino Secrets reporting underlines why that distinction matters in practice: even sites with a Curaçao licence badge displayed prominently on their homepage may be controlled by owners the regulator itself never properly verified.

Consumer advocates say the findings should prompt renewed scrutiny of how easily UK-based punters can still reach offshore sites via search engines, affiliate marketing and social media, despite blocking efforts by payment providers and internet service providers. Reporters involved in the investigation say further disclosures are expected as they continue to work through the leaked Curaçao files, potentially naming additional operators and their beneficial owners in the coming weeks.

Source: Follow the Money