The Gaming Board is proposing an amendment to the Gaming Act that would allow Cabinet ministers, Gaming Board members, and their relatives to hold gaming operator licenses.

Under section 25(1)(c) of the Gaming Act, 2014, these groups are prohibited from holding licenses.

"We had challenges in practice with this particular section because essentially it precludes any person who is trying to get in the gaming industry who is related to a Cabinet member or member of the board, from being licensed in that area," said Gaming Board chief counsel Crystal Knowles.

"Therefore, it is envisioned that section 25(1)(c) of the act, which currently provides that a person may not hold an employment license if that person is a member of the board, a member of the Cabinet, or is a family member of such person, it is proposed that that will be deleted."

Political observers speculated that the rule preventing relatives of Cabinet ministers from holding gaming operator licenses most notably impacted Seabreeze MP and Ambassador to CARICOM Leslia Miller-Brice.

Some believed that Miller-Brice was skipped over for a Cabinet post because of her familial ties with the gaming industry.

Knowles said the Gaming Board made two suggestions for how that provision could be amended.

"It will be amended to either remove a member of the Cabinet from the list of persons who are currently disqualified from holding an employment license, or it will include language from section 25(1)(d) to the effect that the board may condone such disqualification if it is satisfied that no material conflict of interest will arise by reason of such employment."

Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation Chester Cooper said the Gaming Board's proposals are not yet before Cabinet.

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