As the Caribbean island of Jamaica moves forward with its plan to introduce licensed casinos, Prime Minister Bruce Golding is adamant about what investors’ responsibilities will be.

“Before you can get a license, you have to give us a bankable, guaranteed commitment that you are going to build new hotels, with not less than 2,000 rooms and an investment of not less than US$1.5 billion,” said Golding, according to the Jamaica Gleaner.

The Casinos Gaming Bill that is currently in the House of Representatives seeks to establish a gaming commission with broad powers. The commission would regulate casino gaming and oversee the procedures involved in the granting of licenses to operators as well as individuals employed in gaming.

The new legislation would also establish fines, from JDM$50,000—about $590—for failure to surrender a license that is no longer valid, up to JDM$50 million for removing seals from gaming machines, for example.

Minister of Finance Audley Shaw has also presented a bill that would amend the existing Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Act, which would have bearing on the current gaming commission, which was established in 1975.

Golding reportedly told a town-hall meeting that the tabling of the bill had been delayed to ensure that “every sentence was right, every ‘T’ was crossed and every ‘I’ dotted.”

Golding stressed that he expects casino resort developers to do right by Jamaica.

“We want hotel rooms, we want employment, we want to be sure that when you get a license you are going to use that license to bring thousands more visitors to Jamaica. That is how we are going to continue growing the tourism sector,” said Golding.

By GGB Staff

Staff writers for Global Gaming Business magazine. Las Vegas, Nevada.