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Gaming Commission Board to be setup no later than Jan 1, 2022- Premier

- as Gov’t makes concrete moves to fully explore possibilities of gambling & gaming industry
The Virgin Islands is making concrete moves to establish its gambling and gaming sector, with the establishment of a Gaming Commission Board. Photo: Internet Source
Premier Andrew A. Fahie (R1) in his 2022 budget speech on November 11, 2021, has now indicated that the local Gaming Commission board should be in place no later than January 1, 2022, and it will feature staff who will be trained in anti-money laundering. Photo: HoA/File
Premier Andrew A. Fahie (R1) in his 2022 budget speech on November 11, 2021, has now indicated that the local Gaming Commission board should be in place no later than January 1, 2022, and it will feature staff who will be trained in anti-money laundering. Photo: HoA/File
DUFF’S BOTTOM, Tortola, VI – The territory is making concrete moves to establish its gambling and gaming sector, with the establishment of a Gaming Commission Board.

Amidst some controversy, the Virgin Islands Gaming and Betting Control Act 2020 was passed at the Ninth Sitting of the Second Session of the Fourth House of Assembly (HoA) at Save the Seed Energy Centre in Duff's Bottom, Tortola on June 18, 2020, as part of the territory’s push into economic diversification.

Anti-money laundering staff to sit on board 

Virgin Islands Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1), in his 2022 budget speech on November 11, 2021, indicated that the local Gaming Commission Board should be in place no later than January 1, 2022, and it will feature staff who will be trained in anti-money laundering.

He said the anti-money laundering trained staff should be on board by the second quarter of 2022, thus paving the way for the new industry to open up and move forward soon thereafter.

Hon Fahie reminded that the Gaming and Betting Industry is viewed as promising for the VI, as it can generate revenues and create economic opportunities for the people of the territory.

Since the inception of the law, some VI religious groups have rebuked plans of the establishment of the industry in the territory, mostly through a misunderstanding of what it is about.

Religious groups object to move 

“Innovation is the only way we are going to be able to strengthen our economy beyond whatever we saw before, and we are going to have to allow for different layers of innovation, to strengthen our economy and our tourism sector and the whole sector overall,” the Premier said as a guest on the Monday, April 12, 2021, edition of the Umoja Show on ZBVI 780 AM.

The Premier reminded that like gaming, alcohol is an industry; however, drunkenness is not promoted in the Virgin Islands and that the consumption of alcohol is still a choice.

“The churches would have their concerns about certain areas of it… but at the same time too… I don’t gamble at all, but it’s another option in our economy,” he said.

13 Responses to “Gaming Commission Board to be setup no later than Jan 1, 2022- Premier”

  • alfred (15/11/2021, 08:23) Like (10) Dislike (1) Reply
    No casino owners should be on this board pls.
    • yetti (15/11/2021, 15:16) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      Get ready for the hookers and drug abuse.
    • juju (15/11/2021, 15:20) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      so just becase our neibors are low grade scum we follow? No Sah! Our government does no good
  • NezRez (15/11/2021, 08:55) Like (11) Dislike (10) Reply
    I mentioned this about 15 years ago to a certain politician so we could bring in more revenue, and he said over his dead body would gambling be allowed. I stated that we could have our own income because they are allowing the USVI to bring in their betting numbers sheets to sell here right in the open, and there is no objection to that. HOW? Well, it is 15 years later and I am sad it took so long for us to wake up, but glad someone has come out of the box to bring in revenue now that we so desperately need. Tourism is our income and we must open the doors to new things to bring them here so they will want to come back. Why do we drag our heels when the rest of the world is flourishing?
  • BuzzBvi (15/11/2021, 10:06) Like (16) Dislike (8) Reply
    Same sex marriage is not promoted in the VI and it is not available as a choice. Church's still seem to have a say in that but not gambling? Premier, you may not want to be in a same sex marriage at all, but others might like to have that choice. But you allow gambling.
    • Hodgie (15/11/2021, 10:56) Like (5) Dislike (7) Reply
      Go and marry the man of your choice somewhere else. Not here in the British Virgin.
      • BuzzBvi (15/11/2021, 19:00) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
        Thanks I am not gay and I don't gamble but I understood the Premier was talking from a Christian perspective about choice and how gambling should be allowed under his Christian principles. Seemed odd to me that other choices do not get the same reasoning. Can't launder money through gay marriages - is that it? Andrew Fahie's Christian principles seem to be all over the place to be quite honest.
  • gambling away our future (15/11/2021, 10:35) Like (2) Dislike (4) Reply
    It will not go any further than this trust me
  • Youth (15/11/2021, 11:08) Like (5) Dislike (2) Reply
    I commend our Government
  • Ozarks (15/11/2021, 13:15) Like (1) Dislike (3) Reply
    Anyone seen this series on Netflix? Just how hard would it be to launder money in the BVI once these casinos open?
  • Friendly Advice (15/11/2021, 14:25) Like (2) Dislike (6) Reply
    Gaming (Gambling) will be a net loss for 99.9% of residents in the BVI
    • Frett (15/11/2021, 15:18) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      You right but don't worry, just change your surname and you be good.
  • Madussa (15/11/2021, 17:47) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
    You phony nay sayers always want to control everything! How are we supposed to live? You attack anti vaxers, you attack gay marriages, you attack fornication before marriage which I’m sure all of you are hypocrites, you attack gambling, you attack medical marijuana, you cry you want this and that from the government all of the time and we are sick of you all. Government is trying to do what they can for all of us to get back on our feet. SHUT UP ALREADY! You phony behind people are not Christians in any shape or form but the worst hypocrites who are doing dirty things when you think no one is watching. I read years ago a politician say they will never be poor again and they have rich friends. How much are their rich friends paying them for selling out our islands? HYPOCRITES!!!!!


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