A "green paper" submitted by Bermuda Premier Ewart Brown calls for the introduction of at least one casino, and adds that more casinos will mean even more revenue and jobs for the island nation. The paper argues against the introduction of a national lottery and online gaming.

According to local news source Royal Gazette, the report, produced by the Innovation Group, says that just one casino in Hamilton would produce $83 million in revenue for the government annually. The figure is based on a recommended gross gaming tax of 10 percent.

Allowing casinos in hotels of 100 or more rooms would raise the government's share to $130 million annually. With additional casinos in the towns of St. George's and Dockyard, the total for the government would go to $145 million.

Commenting on the green paper, Brown said, "Bermuda is at a pivotal stage in its 400-year-old story. How we approach the task before us on this issue of gaming will determine our economic future and our positioning in the increasingly competitive tourism marketplace. I look forward to hearing the views of the Bermudian people on this green paper and the specific questions that emerge from this comprehensive research."

Casino gaming would be a generator of new jobs, according to the report. The one casino in Hamilton could provide jobs for 1,278 people directly or indirectly. Adding casinos at St. George's and Dockyard could result in employment for 1,725 people. With casinos in hotels of 100 or more rooms, the number of jobs could reach 2,207.

Brown has been trying to introduce some form of casino gaming to Bermuda for some time, from establishing casinos on the island to allowing cruise ships to operate their own casinos while in port. 

The debate on casino gaming is scheduled for July.

By GGB Staff

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