Bahamians who want to gamble in The Bahamas should not be discriminated against, Minister of Labour and National Insurance Shane Gibson said yesterday.
Gibson was asked his personal thoughts on the law that prevents Bahamians from gambling in casinos.
"I don't think Bahamians should be discriminated against," he said in an interview with The Nassau Guardian.
"If somebody chooses to gamble, which they can do anywhere in the world, except The Bahamas, then they should be allowed to gamble.
"Now if you are talking about introducing something that is illegal all over the world then I would agree, why should we legalize it here.
"But if I can hop on a plane and go to Florida, go to Las Vegas, New Jersey, go anywhere in the world and I can gamble, why shouldn't I be able to gamble in The Bahamas?"
The newest draft of the Gaming Bill would continue to prohibit Bahamians from gambling in casinos.
Web shops would be permitted to legally engage in cash betting transactions with domestic players only, the bill says.
The 'domestic player' refers to anyone who is ordinarily resident in The Bahamas; is the holder of a permanent residence certificate; is a work permit holder or the spouse of any of these people.
Under an early draft of the bill more than a year ago, the government had proposed that while Bahamians would still be prohibited from gambling in casinos, permanent residents and work permit holders would be able to do so.
Gibson declined to comment on the details of the new bill, stating that he would discuss them once the bill is tabled.
When the government first unveiled the Gaming Bill last year, several Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) MPs criticized the bill's discriminatory elements.
Marco City MP Greg Moss and MICAL MP V. Alfred Gray said they do not support foreigners being able to do something in The Bahamas that Bahamians cannot do.
At the time, Gaming Board Chairman Dr. Andre Rollins, Bamboo Town MP Renward Wells and Mount Moriah MP Arnold Forbes also said they have concerns about a bill that discriminates against Bahamians.
Exuma and Ragged Island MP Anthony Moss said he was glad that debate on the bill was postponed because he was not "prepared to support it".
The bill, which was tabled last November, was never debated.
Prime Minister Perry Christie said last month the new Gaming Bill will be debated following the budget debate.
He said web shops will be taxed and regulated as of July 1, 2014.
However, Christie hinted last week that the bill may be delayed and The Guardian understands that parliamentarians will debate amendments to the Juries Act tomorrow.

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian