Betting, Gaming, and Lotteries Commission’s Town Hall Meetings Underway

The Betting, Gaming, and Lotteries Commission (BGLC) has embarked on a series of town hall meetings, aimed at heightening public and stakeholder knowledge and awareness about new standards and regulations governing engagements for which the agency provides oversight.

Five such meetings are scheduled, the first of which took place in Negril, Westmoreland, on February 12.

Addressing participants, BGLC Executive Director, Andral ‘Jack’ Shirley, said the new standards and regulations introduced resulted from “certain” amendments made to the Betting, Gaming, and Lotteries Act, based on the need identified to update laws governing the local industry.

This, he pointed out, to better position the industry to be consistent with international operational, regulatory, and monitoring standards, and best practices, which, he said, have evolved “greatly” upwards of the last 40 years.

Additionally, he said, the amendments also aim to better enable Jamaica to tap into potential global opportunities for significant revenue inflows.

The Executive Director advised that the relevant engagements being undertaken will commence with gaming lounges and, over time, be introduced in all other industry areas, including: horse racing and lotteries.

“We are mandated to introduce into the gaming lounges, for a start, issues dealing with (the) Anti-Money Laundering Legislation. (This is) to ensure that we observe all the (relevant) guidelines, as Jamaica is a signatory to international treaties which enforces on us, the responsibility to ensure that our licensees stay within the rules, (by) ensuring no money-laundering activities are conducted in any of the enterprises that we (BGLC) regulate,” Mr. Shirley informed.

He said by virtue of the information that will be disseminated through the town hall meetings,. “this will enable you to stay on top of your game and to work and observe the guidelines, to foster responsible gaming and to be compliant.”.

The remaining meetings are slated to be held between February 16 and 21 in Manchester, Kingston, St. James, and St. Ann.