The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

A Cabinet minister said yesterday that curbing the spread of web shops across the Bahamas “is still fundamental” to the Government’s gaming industry reforms.

Obie Wilchcombe, minister of tourism, said the Government was still committed to ensuring that web shops were not located in residential areas, school zones or in proximity to churches.

Mr Wilchcombe, who has responsibility for the industry, said the Gaming Board had already made its zoning recommendations to the Government.    

“We are about to make some announcements about the number of web shops  that will be allowed for each license,” he revealed.

“We have not completed that work just yet. We don’t want the houses to be in residential areas or school zones. We said that from the time we started.

“When we talked about licensing we said we wanted to regulate and reduce the proliferation, and that’s still fundamental. That was a part of our plan from day one, and we have not moved from that,” added Mr Wilchcombe.

“We are looking at the map of New Providence, Grand Bahama and all the islands to ensure we are making the right decisions, because once you make it you have to live with it. The Gaming Board has made their recommendations, and so it’s now on my desk and I’m looking at it.”

The eight companies which have received a conditional web shop gaming license are the FML Group of Companies trading as (t/a) FNM Webshop; GLK Ltd t/a A Sure Win; Jarol Investments Ltd t/a Chances Games; Paradise Games Bahamas Ltd t/a Paradise Games; Playtech Systems Ltd t/a Island Luck; T.I.G Investments Ltd t/a Percy’s at The Island Game; The Four Point Group Trading t/a Asue Draw + Spin; and Bahama Dream Web Café Ltd t/a Bahama Dreams. Bet Vegas is the only operator to be denied a license.

“We are in the middle of putting in place another Board that will be responsible for the 2 per cent [of web shop revenues] that will come out and be used for community projects,” Mr Wilchcombe said, pegging that sum at “millions of dollars”.

“They are doing some community  work themselves but we wanted to make some specific things and projects dealing with persons who have addictive habits, and putting in the right system for that.”