There have been previous efforts to regulate the gambling and betting industry, with the previous administration having debated and passed the Gambling (Gaming and Betting) Control Bill, 2015 in the House of Representatives, which lapsed on June 17, 2016.

Finance Minister Colm Imbert accused the Opposition of filibustering for the last six years.

He said the bill brought before the Senate was almost a ‘mirror image’ of the 2015 legislation debated and passed in the HoR by the UNC government, yet the Opposition didn’t support it.

Imbert said the bill was before a Joint Select Committee for years and was put through 15 rounds of consultations with stakeholders.

He said the industry could be looked at as a new revenue stream, noting that it’s currently a multi-billion dollar industry.

“If we get 30 – 40 billion out of that industry on an annual basis we get plenty. The country should be getting five – 600 million dollars out of that 16 billion dollar industry.

It is just not fair to the ordinary taxpayer, to the salaried person whose taxes are deducted at source from their monthly income. It is just not fair to the ordinary worker who has to pay income tax, that you have a 16 billion dollar industry literally getting away with murder.”

The Gambling (Gaming and Betting) Control Bill, 2021 seeks to provide for the establishment of the Gambling (Gaming and Betting) Control Commission to regulate the gaming and betting sectors and establish a licensing regime.

Among its duties, the Commission will formulate and implement policies, codes of practice and other documents for the administration and control of the conduct of gaming and betting, and even address through the Rehabilitation and Development Funds, the harmful and negative effects of gambling.

The bill seeks to ensure that gambling is conducted in a fair, open and responsible manner; prevent gambling from being a source of, being associated with or being used to support crime; and protect minors and other vulnerable persons from being harmed or exploited by gambling.

The Bill was introduced in the Senate by Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Faris Al-Rawi on June 11, 2021.

The Bill will come into operation on a date fixed by the President by Proclamation.