A Curaçao court has mandated that online casino firms Suncast Furore NV and Cyberluck Curaçao NV jointly repay $19,630 to a gambling victims' advocacy foundation, following their unjust seizure of a customer's account balance. The Court of First Instance ruled on 13 March 2023—though the decision surfaced publicly only on 1 September—that the operators lacked evidence for alleged multi-accounting, breaching consumer safeguards. This outcome reinforces accountability in Curaçao's online gambling sector amid recent regulatory overhauls.

Court Dismisses Operator's Key Evidence

Suncast Furore, operating under the Parimatch brand, confiscated funds from the individual's account in June 2021, citing a violation of rule 80.4 in its terms, which prohibits multiple accounts. The operators presented gambling activity from various IP addresses as proof, but the court rejected this after the advocacy group, Foundation for the Advocation of Victims of Online Gambling (SBGOK), demonstrated that dynamic IP assignments by Belarusian internet providers explained the discrepancies. The judgment stated plainly that the defendants failed to prove the infraction or attempt timely substantiation.

Terms Deemed Invalid, Seizure Unlawful

Compounding the issue, the court invalidated Parimatch's general terms and conditions because they were not adequately disclosed to customers during account setup or use. Without enforceable rules backing the action, the fund seizure stood as unlawful. SBGOK had assumed the claim on behalf of the affected individual, turning a personal dispute into a test of regulatory compliance.

Cyberluck Shares Liability Despite Outsourcing

Cyberluck Curaçao NV, once a master licence holder before Curaçao's 2023 LOK reforms eliminated that category, could not evade responsibility through sub-licensing to Suncast Furore. The court applied strict liability, citing operational unity between the firms and public reliance on Cyberluck's licence reference on the Parimatch site. It emphasized that contractual delegation of oversight duties does not absolve core regulatory obligations, particularly those protecting consumers to safeguard the jurisdiction's global standing.

Signal for Stricter Oversight in Reforms

Curaçao's gambling framework prioritizes consumer protection to maintain international credibility, as embedded in its foundational laws. The ruling aligns with LOK changes that tighten controls post-master licence phaseout, warning operators against reactive, evidence-light interventions. Future cases may hinge on proactive proof standards, potentially deterring arbitrary account closures and bolstering trust in the sector.