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Jamaica to be Positioned as Major Player in Caribbean Gaming

By: , June 17, 2017

The Key Point:

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says the Government is looking to position Jamaica as a major player in the Caribbean gaming industry.
Jamaica to be Positioned as Major Player in Caribbean Gaming
Photo: Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett left), exchanges greetings with Chairman of the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission BGLC), Clovis Metcalfe centre), just before addressing the opening of the 7th Caribbean Gaming Show and Summit at the Montego Bay Convention Centre, St. James on June 14. At right is Director of Tax Policy, Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, Ian Scarlett.
Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett (left), exchanges greetings with Chairman of the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission (BGLC), Clovis Metcalfe (centre), just before addressing the opening of the 7th Caribbean Gaming Show and Summit at the Montego Bay Convention Centre, St. James on June 14. At right is Director of Tax Policy, Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, Ian Scarlett.

The Facts

  • Minister Bartlett noted that the country is being viewed as an “important and interesting new market” in the region, and once all the regulations are in place “the industry will be of fundamental importance to our tourism product”.
  • “This will give us more than a fighting chance to compete with rival jurisdictions,” Minister Bartlett pointed out.

The Full Story

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says the Government is looking to position Jamaica as a major player in the Caribbean gaming industry.

He noted that the country is being viewed as an “important and interesting new market” in the region, and once all the regulations are in place “the industry will be of fundamental importance to our tourism product”.

“This will give us more than a fighting chance to compete with rival jurisdictions,” he pointed out.

He was addressing the opening of the 7th Caribbean Gaming Show and Summit at the Montego Bay Convention Centre on June 14.

Minister Bartlett said that gaming has impacted positively on tourism in other countries, and Jamaica should be no exception.  He noted that many Caribbean countries have introduced or are considering gaming.

“It goes without saying that not only do we have to be introducing new games, we also have to be competitive,” he noted.

“Our legislation will be seeking to advance our gaming to ensure that we are offering what is being offered around the world, and even better, so that we can attract more people, because tourism is our main industry,” he said.

The Tourism Minister said the staging of the summit in Jamaica provides an opportunity for players to better understand the island’s potential in gaming, while learning about developments in the Caribbean and where new partnerships can be forged between the region’s operators and global service providers.

The event, he noted, also provides the opportunity to look at different proposals and ideas surrounding gaming as well as examine what is going on around the world.

“It also comes at a time when confidence among our tourism stakeholders here in Jamaica is at an all-time high and where optimism reigns supreme,” Mr. Bartlett said.

“Our just-concluded winter tourism season, from December 15 to April 30, saw the country recording never-before-seen numbers in both arrivals and earnings, and with the rest of the year shaping up to be even better,” he pointed out.

Last Updated: June 17, 2017

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