BGLC readies for merger despite stalled draft law
Published:Monday | October 10, 2022 | 12:05 AMNeville Graham/Business Reporter
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Executive director of the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission (BGLC), Vitus Evans, says Jamaica’s gaming industry can reap more benefits by realising operational efficiencies from the merger of three regulatory bodies, but, eight years after...
Executive director of the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission (BGLC), Vitus Evans, says Jamaica’s gaming industry can reap more benefits by realising operational efficiencies from the merger of three regulatory bodies, but, eight years after amalgamation plans were announced, the legislative process to make it happen appears to have stalled.
Since 2014, the BGLC, the Jamaica Racing Commission (JRC), and the Casino Gaming Commission (CGC) have been undergoing a merger to create one entity – the Jamaica Gaming Commission.
But the merger process appears to be stalled as the necessary enabling legislation has been with the Office of the Chief Parliamentary Counsel (CPC) for some time.
Evans says the BGLC has used the opportunity of the merger to articulate its own position and highlight possibilities for earning additional revenue.
“We’ve used the opportunity of the merger, not just to have merged legislation but to revise the entire gaming legislation going forward,” Evans said at a Gleaner Editors’ Forum last Wednesday.
The BGLC boss says there is great support from Finance and the Public Service Minister, Dr Nigel Clarke, and his staff to push the legislation through, but that the formulation of the proposed law resides with another ministry where the CPC is to be found. Evans says he is aware that Clarke has highlighted the fact that there needs to be enabling legislation that should be in place before casinos become operational. Despite the establishment of the Casino Gaming Commission, there are no casinos currently in operation in Jamaica, said Evans.
For the future, Evans says he envisages significant technological changes in the gaming industry in the next five years. He says this means that regulatory bodies such as the BGLC will have to keep pace with the technological changes so that the industry can continue to be properly regulated.
Regarding the horse-racing industry, Evans has a dim outlook. He is calling for urgent action in respect of the racing industry. He notes that industry players have been clamouring for more breeding stock or for more horses to be imported to participate in race meets. He cautions that the present rate of decline must be arrested to save the industry.
Evans also notes that simulcast racing from overseas tracks actually garners more revenue than local racing. For the April to June 2022 first quarter, Jamaica’s racing promoter, Supreme Ventures, declared gross profits of $289 million for local horse racing, while it declared $353.41 million from simulcast racing.
In preparation for the merger, the BGLC is currently upgrading its management information system, according to Evans. One feature of the improvement will be the system’s ability to monitor sales from slot machines in real time. Currently, the BGLC’s auditors are required to physically visit a sample of the machines in the trade to ascertain the level of sales and payouts.
“We’ll have this connectivity that will actually give us feedback; on time, in terms of revenue that is taken from each machine allowing us to monitor in real time,” he said.
The system is expected to cover all 20,000 machines licensed with the BGLC. A contract to the tune of US$3 million has been awarded to Canadian outfit, Computronics. Full implementation has been set for June 2024.