WILLEMSTAD – Curaçao’s trust office ends its relationship with the Russian bookmaker BetCity.net after being questioned by Follow the Money, a Dutch investigative platform.  

The trust company, EMS Management Services, ended its relationship with the bookmaker after discovering that it was on Ukraine’s sanctions list. This move came after Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, signed a decree a month ago, listing hundreds of people and companies, including numerous gambling companies, due to their ties with Russia.  

The impact of this sanctions list has been minimal worldwide, but the Dutch government has contacted Ukraine and “other international partners” regarding the list, according to a spokesperson from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Gokbedrijven, or gambling companies, with licenses in Curaçao must have a representative on the island, resulting in a thriving trust industry. However, the licensing system is set to change soon, with the Curaçao government issuing licenses and reaping the benefits of online gambling.  

Follow the Money will host a seminar on May 2 to explore Curaçao’s gambling sector, including IT infrastructure, online casino games, sports betting, and UBO and corporate investigations.