Senate Approves Amendments to the Casino Gaming Act

• With the approval of amendments to the Casino Gaming Act in the Senate, the Government is aiming to attract investments in the country and increase economic activity as part of recovery efforts from the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in the tourism sector. 
• Piloting the Casino Gaming (Amendment) Act, 2021 in the Senate on July 9, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, said the amendments are aimed at strengthening the country’s competitiveness in the tourism industry. 
• “Tourism is one of the largest contributors to the country’s economy, 31% of Jamaica’s GDP in 2019, and it provides an estimated 350,000 direct and indirect jobs. Stimulating investments in integrated resorts development is expected to strengthen Jamaica’s competitiveness in the tourism industry and to bolster economic development through job creation, increased tax revenue and additional demand for locally produced goods,” she said. 
• Senator Johnson Smith explained that the proposed amendments are aimed at making changes to the requirement that a prospective investor must fulfil and of which the Minister with responsibility for Finance must be satisfied, in order to declare an integrated resort development to be an approved integrated resort development. 
• An integrated resort is a major resort property that includes a hotel with a casino, together with convention facilities, entertainment shows, theme parks, luxury retail and fine dining.

(Source: JIS)