Minister suggests new Gaming Bill should quash discrimination concerns

Wed, Sep 3rd 2014, 11:38 AM

Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe suggested yesterday that the amendments made to the Gaming Bill should quash concerns over discrimination against Bahamians.
Wilchcombe was asked outside the Churchill Building whether the government planned to allow Bahamians to gamble in casinos and foreigners to participate in web shops.
"The casino owners have raised that concern," said Wilchcombe, in reference to Bahamians gambling in casinos.
"But how do you stop them in real terms? At the end of the day it is their dollars. They can do what they want to do."
When pressed on the matter, Wilchcombe said, "I think we have made steps toward getting to the point where we won't have to be talking about discrimination again."
Asked what that meant, the tourism minister added, "That is a gradual step."
In July, The Nassau 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 of the spouse of any of these people.
The bill was 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 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.
Wilchcombe said the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) planned to hold a parliamentary caucus meeting last night to discuss the amendments in the Gaming Bill, including the "discriminatory" issue.
"At the end of the day, we are a democracy and colleagues have a right to say how they feel about things," he said.
"I think we have done a pretty good job.
"Certain matters we are seeking to do, you have to appreciate there is process of gradualism that is important as we move forward.
"We have to think about all the consequences and all the issues related to what we intend to do."
Wilchcombe said the government will table the amended Gaming Bill in the House of Assembly and have a first reading today.
He said it would be "improper" to reveal what amendments have been made to the bill before it is discussed and tabled.
The first draft of the bill was tabled last November, but was never debated.
The Gaming Bill has been impacted by various issues, including doubt over whether banks would accept proceeds from regulated web shops.
In June, Attorney General Allyson Maynard-Gibson flew to Paris to meet with representatives of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) at the prime minister's request, to discuss the government's plans.
Asked whether the government achieved international approval, Wilchcombe said, "Yes. All done. We feel very good.
"We feel that the consultation, the work that was done, the experts we brought in, the travel that was done by the attorney general to the various jurisdictions and speaking with the financial organizations in the global community has done us tremendously well, and we are very proud of it."
As it relates to the tax rate to be imposed on web shops and how many will be provided licenses, Wilchcombe said they settled on those matters, but that will be subject to change once the government reviews the industry after regularization.
"We are doing something brand new and we are not going to put ourselves in a closet or hole where we can't get out," he said.
"You have to ensure that there is flexibility.
"You have to ensure that we can come back and revisit, because a part of our demands will be, of course, the audits.
"And you can only audit their books once they have become regularized.
"So that will determine upon the market and how the market can stand."
He did not reveal what the government has proposed as the tax rate.
Debate on the bill is expected to begin next Wednesday.
Prime Minister Perry Christie has said web shops will be taxed and regulated retroactive to July 1, 2014.

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