Premier certain that persons still gambling in BVI
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has expressed certainty that persons are continuing to gamble in the territory, despite the fact that gambling is not allowed in the BVI without the requisite licence.
The Gaming and Betting Control Act, which makes gambling legal in the BVI, provides for the establishment of the Gaming & Betting Control Commission that will regulate the local betting and gaming sectors, but the entity responsible for issuing such licenses is still not in place more than two years after the legislation was passed.
Responding to a question at a press conference on the matter recently, Dr Wheatley said: “I’m pretty sure persons gamble in the territory. I don’t have any specific knowledge of it, or participation in it, I should say, but I’m pretty sure. I’ve heard that people tend to gamble in the territory.”
Dr Wheatley further acknowledged that the Commission responsible for gaming and betting has still not been formed as yet but offered no timeline for when it might be implemented.
“We haven’t decided to move too quickly with it (the Commission). It’s something that I want to take a good look at it before we move forward with it,” he added.
The premier’s comments come in the wake of a notice issued by his office reminding residents that gambling remains an illegal offence in the absence of the required licence.
‘A person shall not participate in any aspect of the gaming and betting sectors without first acquiring the necessary licence from the Commission’, the notice reminded persons.
Based on the Act, the notice stated that any person undertaking gaming and/or betting operations or providing facilities of any kind for betting or gaming without a licence, commits an offence.
It further advised that any person operating any casino, gaming and/or betting operations is asked to cease such operations immediately, until such time as the Commission is in effect and grants the requisite license to operate.
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Most people who buy a little ticket just clinging to hope and you want to take that away from them too. Why don’t you go pass the Registry of Interest like Britain told you to.
In light of the Governor’s recent release on tender waiving, this gambling story seems totally irrelevant to our life.
Hear this sell out. Smh
Finally, he’s certain of something! 😉
Somebody need to tell Sl** Wande and Unified A**Clowns that it’s one thing for a corner boy to win 20 gambling on dice or quarter toss closest to the wall. You can’t build a movement around that kinda thing. I don’t think you can call that a 3rd pillar kinda activity.
“I’m pretty sure persons gamble in the territory.”
Really? No! Here in the Virgin Islands? Where?
You mean like at Little A, or at cockfights and dog fights out East? Can it be the ladies selling Puerto Rican lotto tickets?
When we elect people going forward we need to consider their intellectual acumen not only their titles. This report was a waste of time…..Do your job and finish the COI issues so we cam move on and leave the small talk alone.
May as well have the BVI lottery. Have lottery machines where you can buy your scratch offs. And for all those men that love the horses, open up a OTB AKA OFF TRACK BETTING SPOT. IT MIGHT SOUND BAD TO A LOT OF PEOPLE BUT, GAMBLING BRINGS A LOT OF REVENUE. YOU STEP OFF THE PLANE IN VEGAS AS SOON AS YOU STEP IN THE ARRIVAL OR DEPARTURE TERMINAL, NOTHING BUT SLOT MACHINES.
Plenty local businesses are joining forces to host the lottery ticket stalls, as they drive foot traffic and secure commercial income.
As the bill has passed it’s entirely up to the government to make the commission active to collect revenue. Why wait?
The Premier delaying the process is costing the budget, tbh.
Gambling, though addictive, is less troublesome then the constant promotion of rum drinking throughout the place.
Alot of the same people you hold meetings with in your party, from backers down to preferred contractors gamble in high stake games you know about and more than welcomed to join.
But you worrying about the common man shooting dice or betting amongst each other on sports games cause the Government need a cut?
Dude, go worry about that mess you put us in with the constitution reforms from chanting urine that shouldn’t be your concern right now.
Why the f is this news ????? misson go talk bout something that is of real concern yuh m**o self
It has never stopped . Check the bars and the chubby corners in East End . Too pretentious. So how would control medical marijauna from illegal marijauna. Very unwise and foolish young fellow
The way i see it. If persons trying to make extra income and no one is hurt or killed over it step aside and find a more serious issue to address. Once GOV cant make money things are deemed illegal its a shame then pass the dam law or shut your mouth. Things hard and you all looking to make it harder. Leave the ppl alone.
People are gambling when thet elect politicians. People are gambling when they drive the appalling roads here. People are gambling when they buy raffle tickets at school fund raisers, we have a race course and there are the ladies selling PR lottery tickets, so what else is new?
It’s also not clear why we needed to pass a Gaming and Betting Control Act. Sure, prima facie, it’s to derive govt. revenue, but has anybody run the numbers (no pun intended)? A territorial lottery is a non starter in a territorry of 30,000 (i.e. less than 1% of PR). The USVIs has gambling parlors, but also 5 times the population and 4 times the number of annual visitors.
This man never sure of anything , before he premiere where was he hanging out. Oh am am pretty sure but i dont participate .what f@@k he talking .so after the 2 years .what did u do , u just seat there .go carry out the coi orders get up your dead behind
that the Unity government is moving the BVI backwards and towards UK direct rule.
He should search his “Cabinet”.
People are working so damn hard in this island for many many years and still getting minimum wages, cost of living is so damn high how the hell do they expect people to live in this island on the salary that they get, and every single thing is so expensive rent food utility bills come on, do you want to do something for your people raise the minimum wage.
Duh. I’ll bet there is too
This dude is a real joke he has to go.we need an election like right now
Parent’s gamble with their children’s lives when they send them to your mold invested schools