Minister for State of Legal Affairs Damian Gomez said yesterday the government is still working on an amended Gaming Bill which he said is expected to be tabled in the House of Assembly next Wednesday.
"We are now doing our final touches to it and hopefully it will be ready," said Gomez when contacted for comment.
He said the government has committed to allowing the opposition an opportunity to review the bill before the debate.
"It will be amongst, if not the leading legislation dealing with regulations in the gaming industry," he said.
He continued, "It is complicated. It is not straightforward casino enhancement legislation and it is not simply a legalizing of web shops (legislation).
"We have had to review international best practices with respect to gambling."
In July, The Guardian obtained a copy of a draft of the Gaming Bill.
Under that bill, web shops would be permitted to legally engage in cash betting transactions with domestic players only.
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.
The first draft of the bill was tabled last November, but was never debated.
In June, Prime Minister Perry Christie said the new Gaming Bill would be debated following the budget debate. However, several bills have been debated and passed since then.
Christie also said web shops will be taxed and regulated retroactive to July 1, 2014.
Earlier this month, Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe said the bill had been further amended following discussions with the attorneys of web shop owners and other stakeholders.
The Gaming Bill has been impacted by various issues, including doubt over whether banks would accept proceeds from regulated web shops.
The bill has also been criticized as "discriminatory" after it was revealed that the government did not plan to lift the current ban on Bahamians gambling in casinos.
Minister of Labour and National Insurance Shane Gibson has said that Bahamians who want to gamble in The Bahamas should not be discriminated against.
Marco City MP Greg Moss and MICAL MP V. Alfred Gray have also said they do not support foreigners being able to do something in The Bahamas that Bahamians cannot do.
Former 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.
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