New Jamaican Government Renews Casino Pledge
Governments around the world are enjoying the financial benefits of casino gambling and the revenue generated for their budgets by gamblers. Locales that rely on tourism find that having casinos nearby increases the flow of visitors and staves off competition from areas that also push the allure of gambling. So it should come as no surprise that Jamaica is continuing in its quest for casinos, despite a change in government.
Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett said the current administration, which just took office in September, will not renege on commitments made by the previous administration to give the country's first casino license to an as-yet undisclosed group of foreign investors. Bartlett told the Jamaica Observer, "The first thing we have to do is to ensure that the arrangements continue in the best interest of the country... so that we may tweak an arrangement here and there, but basically a sovereign commitment is a sovereign commitment."
Jamaica currently has legalized slots and other gaming machines throughout the country. The plan for the casino arose after a study in 2003 recommended adopting casino gambling, and in 2006 the concept of a casino-resort, complete with sportsbook, table games, and slots was approved. The current legal limit of 1000 machines per location could be surpassed as long as the hotel has more than 1000 rooms.
Florida resident Dave Hauser, on vacation in Jamaica, was asked if a casino would be more likely to cause him to return. "Absolutely. It's lovely here, but there are plenty of other Carribean locations that are beautiful, and also give me the chance to have some excitement playing slots. Ithink it would put the icing on the cake for Jamaica."
