The government continues to face pushback from gaming house operators in its bid to implement a patrons winning tax. 

In December 2020, the government announced plans to implement the tax on patrons’ winnings (5 percent tax on winnings up to $1,000 and 7.5 percent on winnings over $1,000), with effect January 2021.

This did not happen, but the Minnis administration intends to introduce the tax in the coming fiscal year.

The government has projected to collect $23.1 million in gaming house taxes in this current fiscal year.

It forecasts revenue of $41 million in gaming taxes in 2021/2022.

But CEO of The Bahamas Gaming Operators Association (BGOA) Gershan Major told National Review yesterday the projected gaming house tax revenue is based on a “flawed assumption”.

He said the BGOA is “gravely concerned” about the budget forecasting certain yields from the proposed implementation of the patron taxes on lottery winnings, given the current market environment.

“It is our concerted belief that if implemented, such a measure will have material untended consequences,” Major said.

“The first will be on the reputation of The Bahamas financial services sector, as a consequence of an explosion in the unregulated ‘black’ gaming market, which was evident during the extended closure of gaming operations brought about by the pandemic.

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