BGLC Kicks Off Town Hall Meeting Tour

The Betting Gaming and Lotteries Commission (BGLC) will be staging its Inaugural Town Hall Meeting Tour across the island over the first two weeks of February led by a team of top officials from all divisions of the Commission.

The meetings aim to heighten interactions with the gaming public and stakeholders in the gaming, betting and lottery sectors through discussions and sharing of information on changes to policies, procedures and laws.

Topics to be covered include: the new raft of fixed penalties, new application and licensing policies; the new BGLC Responsible Gaming Code of Conduct for the protection of minors and persons suffering from gambling disorders; the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) and how these changes affect Industry players and members of the gaming public.

The BGLC Town Hall Meetings will kick off in Negril on Thursday, February 12^th at the Negril Community Centre; followed by Mandeville on Friday, February 13^th at the Manchester Parish Library; Kingston on Thursday February 19^th at the Chinese Benevolent Association; Montego Bay on Friday February 20^th at the Wexford Hotel; and Ocho Rios on February 21^st at the Ocho Rios High School.

Jana Bent, Manager of Communications and Research at the Commission explained the rationale for the Town Hall Tour:

“We have stepped up our efforts to engage stakeholders over the past year and for 2015 we are taking it to the next level with this island wide Town Hall Tour, led by the Directors and top management of our statutory body. Our Chairman, Gary Peart is also joining us for the Kingston and Montego Bay legs of the Tour as he has a genuine interest in this level of engagement with the public, in order to ensure we are on the pulse of each sector in the Gaming Industry.”

Interested persons are advised to see the press for details on the meetings and to visit the BGLC website www.bglc.gov.jm or call 630-1353 for more information.