Trinidad and Tobago's Government Unanimously Supports Remote Gambling Bill

Government Perspective: Driving Revenue and Regulation

Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo piloted the resolution, highlighting that the measure possesses tremendous revenue-raising potential and serves as an employment and foreign exchange generator. Tancoo noted that current legislation previously imposed heavy fines of up to $10 million and ten years' imprisonment for cross-border remote gambling operations.

Addressing past policy stagnation, he pointed out that while the People’s National Movement (PNM) administration previously recognized the local gambling sector as a $16 billion industry in 2021, it avoided legalizing online gambling due to a perceived lack of monitoring capacity. Emphasizing that prohibition only drives illicit activity underground, Tancoo defended the new framework as a way to capture global-scale revenue through proper licensing, regulation, and monitoring.

Current Gaming Statistics in Trinidad and Tobago

Tancoo provided updated figures regarding the existing legal gambling regime under the Board of Inland Revenue:

1,150 registered accounts: Comprising 926 Gaming Amusement Tax accounts and 224 Club Gaming Tax accounts.

2025 collections: Approximately $72.66 million total, split between $15.06 million in Gaming Amusement Tax and $57.60 million in Club Gaming Tax.

2026 collections to date: Approximately $71.32 million total, consisting of $21.23 million in Gaming Amusement Tax and $50.10 million in Club Gaming Tax.

Enforcement recovery: A coordinated compliance drive between October 2025 and February 2026 recovered roughly $15.58 million across 247 payments.

Opposition Concerns: Vulnerability and Youth Safeguards

While the resolution secured unanimous support across both Government and Opposition benches, showcasing a united front on this important issue, Opposition MP Keith Scotland voiced caution regarding the social pitfalls of online expansion. Scotland asserted that the previous PNM administration deliberately left similar provisions unproclaimed due to a deep understanding of societal vulnerabilities.

He warned that the rapid proliferation of online gambling carries severe potential risks for mental health and well-being, particularly among younger generations who require heightened regulatory care and protection.