This week, the Paradise Plaza Casino, located in the former Howard Johnson Hotel at Brionplein Curaçao, was officially closed by the Gaming Control Board (GCB). On 10 February 2017, the casino was already instructed to close, but license holder ‘Emmazicht’ instituted legal proceedings to prevent this. On 13 April 2017, the court ruled in favor of GCB, which was assisted by Aubrich Bakhuis and Mayesi Hammoud of VANEPS.

The court decided that GCB rightfully declined the request of Emmazicht for a new casino license, as the casino did not meet the requirements of the National Ordinance for the casino industry in Curaçao (Landsverordening casinowezen Curaçao). Furthermore, the court decided that the casino should close before 15 May 2017, which it did. The closing of the casino was widely covered by the local media, for instance by Antilliaans Dagblad (in Dutch), Amigoe (in Dutch) and the Daily Herald.