People’s National Party Member of Parliament, Phillip Paulwell, has expressed concerns that Jamaica may have to import labour for the casinos which will be established once casino gaming becomes legal here in Jamaica. He raised the point during yesterday’s meeting of the committee deliberating the Bill establishing the regulatory framework for casino gaming in luxury-integrated [...]

The long-awaited legislation that will pave the way for casino gambling here in Jamaica, is to be tabled in Parliament next week Tuesday (October 27), with debate on the bill to begin shortly after.
The legislation had previously been tabled in the House of Representatives in July 2008, but was withdrawn and amended after consultations involving [...]

Speaking yesterday at the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry quarterly luncheon at the Wexford hotel in Montego Bay, St. James, University of the West Indies Deputy Principal Joseph Pereira said that the introduction of casino gambling can do no more harm to Jamaica than has already been caused.
According to Pereira, “I don’t think [...]

Today’s editorial in the Jamaica Gleaner newspaper, cuts to the chase saying that Jamaica needs to move ahead quickly with the casino law, so that the country can reap the benefits – such as the generation of thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity.
The editorial begins – “It is unfortunate [...]

The following letter to the Editor was featured in today’s Jamaica Observer newspaper:
Dear Editor,
On June 30, 2009 I wrote to you advising that the Government of Jamaica, insisting that an investment of US$1.5 billion including a minimum of 2,000 rooms was required to obtain a casino licence, was asking for too much and that Jamaica [...]

Fifty-eight years ago today, on August 13, 1951, the Kingston police ‘Two-Two’ squad raided several gambling dens, clubs and brothels. At 63 Luke Lane, eight persons are arrested; seven face the charge of common gambling in a house and another for having peakapeow tickets.

Jamaica’s Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Act is being amended in order to enable the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission to regulate the gaming sector more effectively, as well as to better protect stakeholders and consumers.
Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Audley Shaw, recently tabled a Bill to amend the Act in the House of [...]

At a town hall meeting at the Montego Bay Civic Centre yesterday, Prime Minister Bruce Golding stated that the debate in Parliament on the casino gambling legislation will begin next month.
“We spent a long time working on the draft, probably longer than we had hoped, but on Tuesday, Audley Shaw, the finance minister gave notice [...]

Just over a year since Prime Minister Bruce Golding announced that legislation to introduce casino gambling will be brought to Jamaica’s Parliament within months, this is still to happen, and now questions are being raised about one of the two expected investors. Celebration Jamaica, which reportedly had plans to develop a 65-acre property in Rose [...]

A bit of gambling (lottery) history for you. On May 8, 1972 (37 years ago), then Prime Minister Michael Manley announced in the House of Representatives, that Jamaica’s national lottery (which had been in operation for more than three years), is to be abolished. He said the lottery had “adverse effects upon the youths of [...]