Gaming Bill in House today

Among other things the bill seeks to provide for the establishment of the Gambling (Gaming and Betting) Control Commission for the purpose of regulating the Gaming and Betting Sectors which are, both on a global and national level, vulnerable to infiltration by money launderers and terrorist financing. The bill also seeks to provide safeguards to prevent minors and vulnerable persons from being harmed or exploited by gambling.

Persons commit an offence under this legislation if they knowingly employ a minor to perform any function relating to gambling.

Under Section 84 (1) of the Bill, a person who commits an offence is liable on summary conviction to a fine of $500,000 and six months imprisonment.

Persons making a false statement of intent, commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of $5 million and to imprisonment for five years.

Before Imbert begins the debate on this Bill, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley will field questions from the Opposition during Prime Minister’s Question Time, as today’s sitting is the second one for the House this month. The Prime Minister may also make a statement in the House today regarding the Alutrint project which was scrapped under the PP.

At a post-Cabinet news conference at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) in St Clair on October 20, Rowley said TT owes China hundreds of millions of dollars due to the scrapping of that project.