PHILIPSBURG:--- The Government of Sint Maarten announces that the public consultation on the draft National Gambling Ordinance (Kansspelenverordening) will open on Monday, 26 October 2026 and remain open until Friday, 4 December 2026.
The draft Ordinance forms part of the wider Gambling Sector Reform under the Country Package. The reform aims to modernize Sint Maarten’s gambling framework and establish a sustainable regulatory system with effective licensing, supervision, and enforcement, while strengthening player protection, integrity, and transparency.
After internal preparation, sector research, and earlier stakeholder engagement, the Government is inviting the public and relevant stakeholders to review the draft and share their views. The purpose is to identify practical concerns, improve the legislation's quality and workability, and help ensure the future framework is appropriate for Sint Maarten and aligned with relevant international standards.
The public consultation is open to everyone. No invitation is required to submit a response. From Monday, 26 October, the draft Kansspelenverordening, the Explanatory Memorandum and supporting consultation information will be available at gamblingauthority.sx/consultationLVO. The official legislative documents will be published in Dutch, together with supporting English-language material to improve accessibility.
The government will register, assess, and consider all submissions received through the public consultation as part of the further legislative process. Where appropriate, the input may lead to amendments to the draft Ordinance, the Explanatory Memorandum or the proposed implementation arrangements. The consultation does not imply that all recommendations received will be adopted.
In addition, targeted stakeholder sessions will be held between 6 and 12 November 2026. Relevant organizations will receive direct invitations. Other interested stakeholders may also register their interest through the consultation website from 26 October. Participation in these targeted sessions is a separate process and is not required in order to participate in the public consultation.
The consultation concerns a draft. After the consultation closes, the Government will consolidate and assess the input received before the proposal proceeds through the subsequent formal advisory and legislative process.