The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

The Government yesterday left the door open to launch a National Lottery that would be managed by a private sector provider appointed by the Minister responsible for gaming.

While the idea of a National Lottery has been long talked about, the Christie administration has decided to finally make legislative provisions for it in the Gaming Bill 2014.

The legislation, tabled in the House of Assembly yesterday, said the minister “may authorise the conduct of a National Lottery in the Bahamas”. He/she can also appoint a service provider to operate the National Lottery under a management contract.

The Bill has been written in a fashion that is effectively open-ended, giving the Government wide latitude to use its discretion and implement various rules, regulations and decisioons at a later date, once it knows what it is dealing with in terms of web shops.

The Bill allows the minister to may make regulations prescribing “the period of duration of the management contract; the process pertaining to the selection of the management contractor; the minimum criteria with which the management contractor shall be required to comply; the technical requirements to be complied with for the purposes of the activities authorised by the management contract, including the hardware, software and other gaming-related equipment to be utilised by the management contractor; the terms and conditions to which the management contract shall be subject; and the internal control standards to be developed by the management contract and the manner in which tickets for the national lottery may be sold”.

During his presentation in Parliament yesterday, the minister of tourism, Obie Wilchcombe, said: “The Gaming Bill also confirms the ongoing illegality of all other lotteries other than any National Lottery that may be implemented; charitable lotteries; private lotteries; lotteries which are incidental to certain entertainment events; and the numbers game, when offered by the holder of a gaming house operator license.”