Sebas Bastian, owner of Island Luck.
By NICO SCAVELLA
Tribune Staff Reporter
nscavella@tribunemedia.net
ISLAND Luck celebrated the grand opening of a new web shop location yesterday, even though the government has not yet issued gaming house operator licenses to the ten web shops vying to operate legally.
Sebas Bastian, Island Luck CEO, yesterday dismissed criticism that the opening was “premature”.
The government plans to announce in May or June the operators who were successful in obtaining gaming house licenses.
However, Mr Bastian yesterday said the opening of Island Luck’s new “Select” web shop had been planned “long before the Gaming Bill had passed”.
“We don’t call this premature because the way we do our business is we always try to be proactive and the risk lies on us really because currently it’s lawful for us to operate in this location,” he said, at opening ceremony in the Village Road shopping plaza.
“All of the stores we’re going to open in the next month have all been leased prior to the passing of the Gaming Bill. It’s just that we took a long time to get them to market because we wanted to offer the best experience possible. So it isn’t just something that just popped up yesterday.”
“Island Luck has always kept the pace in being innovative, being first to act, and being out in front in introducing new things to enhance the customer experience. We remain optimistic, and although there are no guarantees, it’s just a gamble that we’re willing to take at this particular time to keep our expansion and our rebranding and our vision for our company on course.”
He added: “This was a pure gamble. If we don’t receive a license this will be one, beautiful place that will be for rent.”
The new “Select” location is equipped with multiple 24-inch flat screen televisions, brand new computers, and wireless infrastructure to allow for mobile betting while on the premises, all of which cost the company $250,000.
It also boasts a new component, a drive-through window where patrons can purchase “numbers” or make deposits to their accounts without having to leave their vehicle.
“We’re seeking to change the standard of web shops and bring it in tune with the international type of atmosphere that we’ve gotten accustomed to when we travel,” Mr Bastian said yesterday. “This is what people in gaming see when they go into various gaming operations as consumers or whatever. So web shops have become social environments, and what better way to accompany that social environment than offering a great, comfortable, safe, modern facility for our patrons to use.”
Mr Bastian confirmed that the Prince Charles area, Paradise Island, and the Mall at Marathon will see new “Select” web shops within the next month.
Meanwhile Island Luck’s largest store in the Southwest Plaza will undergo renovations to update it to “Select” status.
Comments
duppyVAT 9 years ago
Is Bastian the Bahamian version of the American Mafia boss????????
Who owns Whatfall????????
ThisIsOurs 9 years ago
For a minute there I thought I'd landed here from Mars. I cannot believe what is going on in this country. For one I like you was never impressed with him as some sort of visionary. I have been wondering for a while who is the real brain behind the operation.
Emac 9 years ago
Ya better believe it!
TalRussell 9 years ago
Comrade Sebas is just a businessman who cannot be faulted for taking advantage of every opportunity to his business advantage. Whatever he's doing is well known to the PLP Cabinet , so any fault lies, not directly with Sebas, but on the laps of every single member of the PLP Cabinet. It's ain't likes he hiding much? All aspects of business licensing and policing, falls under cabinet responsibility. The public has to assume no laws or government regulations are being abused, being taken advantage of, or are being broken?
BoopaDoop 9 years ago
Numbers "drive-through"....they thought of everything.
ThisIsOurs 9 years ago
Yeah, let's wait to see how many people in three piece suits will be crying on social services line. This is horrible, they're doing as much as they can to grab money from people and give them nothing in return. It's worse than a tax
TalRussell 9 years ago
Comrade BoopaDoop. I like that so much, me goin say again - Comrade BoopaDoop. The drive-thru window also raises another serious question, since we know for a fact that kids are often left in vehicles parked outside numbers establishments, while daddy or mommy are inside the establishment, doing they lucky numbers wagering. What about little kids being in the cars, while they driving through to do they wagering? That can't be legal - if so, somebody going be charged with child abuse - and aiding to child abuse?
hurricane 9 years ago
Island Luck should be changed to "Island Ripoff"! The House never loses in the end people...the game is rigged. If you can'tr get that through your thick coconut skull then you seserve to give them your money.
bandit 9 years ago
Everyone should know that these establishments are not in the business to loose money, so why would anyone think that the luck of winning thousands or millions from any of these establishment would be in their favor.
Sickened 9 years ago
Ah criminal businessmen in a suit on the front pages of our papers. What a pirate's paradise we live in. If only all criminals got red carpet treatment then we can attract so many more foreign gangsters, I mean, investors in. Hopefully in 2017 we will have the privilege of voting for these bosses to help run our country. Their ill gotten gains alone could wipe out our debt. If only that money could be laundered through the U.S. banking system. Oh that's right, it can. Thank you JP Morgan!!! The U.S. has come to our aid yet again. We owe you our soul, I mean, thanks.
GrassRoot 9 years ago
back over to you Mr. Obie wan Kanobee. Whats your next move? Kicking the can further down the street, ey?
TalRussell 9 years ago
by TalRussell
John 9 years ago
If the government is already collecting the business license fees and the gaming taxes why shouldn't the man run his business? Too bad he is black and Bahamian
Emac 9 years ago
Colour is not an issue here. The problem is you and others like yourself John, are always in church and quoting biblical scriptures, but yet you do not see how this is all morally wrong here. Unless of course some parts of the bible is only directed at the white man and other parts are for the black man.
ThisIsOurs 9 years ago
How is it wrong? This man sits in front of the national media and lambasts established banking institutions for not accepting the proceeds of his ill gotten gains? Neither he nor the PM understand compliance. You can't just show up today and say look I have a million dollars and a business license. You have to show proof of how you earned every cent of that money! and it has to be by legitimate means. And while the PM may be salivating to accept all comers, banks have their reputations to protect. His money is murky, no amount of shine will clear it up.
I am dumbfounded by the amount of seemingly intelligent people who are bowing down to this man. (Sorry I'm about to get churchy) I grew up in church and I never understood why people would bow to the AntiChrist if they knew he "evil". I have my answer today. Just offer them money, a big screen tv, pay their school fee, buy them a house and they will sell you their soul and their children's' souls. And they will quote scripture while taking the purchase price "God stores up the wealth of the wicked for the righteous" so nothing wrong with it.
And btw Nygard is white
Emac 9 years ago
Amen sister!!! :-)
GrassRoot 9 years ago
it is called money. and SB gives us a taste of how things will be in the Bahamas in the few years to come. They will buy up everything, will create their own financial system and when they see their margin shrink they will lend the system to big money laundering schemes.
JohnDoe 9 years ago
From day one I have been critical of the process by which the government choose to regularise this industry but as a Bahamian I too have grave concerns about the behavior ot these foreign owned banks in my country. These banks make their profits off the backs of Bahamians, would only lend Bahamians their own money on a secured basis at exorbitant rates, send all their profits back to their home land and at the first sign of a decline in profits fire Bahamians in masse. Your premise is plagued with some basic and fundamental shortcomings, but leaving those aside for the time-being, and accepting your premise at face value please explain to me under your theory why is it ok for the Symonette's whose wealth it is well known to have derived from "ill gottem gains" to own a bank and gaming shop operators not be even given the opportunity to apply for a bank account?
John 9 years ago
My "black" comment was in response to general crazy's "if he was white" statement. The bible tells us to be in the world and not off this world so I do not gamble. But that doesn't take away from my position that the government is collecting business license and gaming taxes from any business then that business has the presumptive right to operate. It is only fair. Furthermore if the government did not close them down then it is only fair that they be taxed and regulated. Even churches and charitable organizations must now register under the vAT act to hold fundraising events. Btw why was Eve beguiled by the serpent?
ThisIsOurs 9 years ago
As far as I can remember, I could be wrong, the Atlantis casino wasn't operating illegally for umpteen years.
The serpent: 1. He was beautiful 2. He was persuasive, probably would have been an excellent debater 3. He promised her something that she thought was a REALLY GOOD thing to have
Hogfish 9 years ago
Yoll know well enough that numbers mafia financed PLP election campaign.
PLP had promised to hold referendum to legalise numbers. That backfired when the people said no! but that didn't stop these yellow sissy cowards from sticking the middle finger to democracy and to The People of The Bahamas and and went on and did what their numbers overlords wanted them to do.
They need numbers money for 2017 more than ever now. You think these stink plp mother-f's will stop them doing what they want now?
hurricane 9 years ago
Unfortunately, the worse the economy the better these types of dodgy establshments do.
John 9 years ago
Speaking about democracy and "the yellow sissy cowards", do you think Hubert Minnis or Branville McCartney will reverse the decision to license the numbers boys if they are elected? Do you think that, despite what they are saying now, they would repeal the Vat tax? Ok let's give them the doubt of the benefit on BAMSI and carnival? Do you think they would implement the NHI bill? And what about the referendum on equality and the bills on immigration reform? When you research you will see a lot of these regulations are being forced on the Bahamas by international organizations. Do you know they are now telling government that they cannot exempt Bahamians from paying property tax on vacant land unless they also exempt foreigners from paying likewise. They are also telling your "yellow sissy" government that they cannot exempt residents in the family islands from paying property taxes if they are charging persons in New Providence and Grand Bahama. So what does that say to us if oil was discovered in the Bahamas or what will happen to royalties on natural resources like aragonite in the future. Do you know the one major message the government failed to get across with the introduction and implementation of VAT?
duppyVAT 9 years ago
The numbers bosses are the major political financiers ............... they can do as they please and the politicians have to be quiet ............... we have seen this situation play out before in the 1970s-1980s. It didnot end well then ................ nor will it end well now (next 5-10 years).
John 9 years ago
They may have been big spenders in the last two elections because they were made certain promises by both major parties. But now that their industry is being taxed and regulated they may no longer be a special interest group that needs the government attention. The FNM may have a hard time raising funds under Huber Minnis come 2017 while the PLP will have their ole die hard croonies and lifetime supporters to fall back on. The horses are already starting to line up
ThisIsOurs 9 years ago
Which liquor store that is general?
Well_mudda_take_sic 9 years ago
The one he all too frequently visits.
Reality_Check 9 years ago
This guy Bastian has been fronting for years now for Bahamian and foreign mobsters who choose to remain in the shadows. Our PLP and FNM politicians have long suspected this to be the case but it was not until recently that the Canadian banks have managed to get this confirmed through their own series of investigations into the ownership of the illegal online gaming activities in the Caribbean/West Indies region.
JohnDoe 9 years ago
Democracy works best with informed dialogue and debate from its stakeholders. Your post is an example of why our society and democracy is in such a sad state.
TalRussell 9 years ago
Comrade Reality_Check I applaud the vastness of your imagination, cuz, I take it as nothing more than, you are limited to the boundaries of your world of imagination. But push them, you sure have on this one but it don't make them reality.
JohnDoe 9 years ago
What I find most interesting is that there are 35 comments about Island Luck, now a lawful Bahamian company trying to provide jobs for Bahamians and not a single comment about Scotia Bank firing 50 Bahamians. Irrespective of our personal feelings, the government has legalised certain forms of gaming activities for Bahamians. We may disagree with the law but we should not belittle the rule of law for it is the same law that provides all of us our basic legal protections and rights. Therefore, though I may not agree with the process and I may even disagree with the law, I will always respect the rule of law and on that basis Island Luck is entitled to the same basic legal protections and rights as every other law observing individual or company in our society.
Well_mudda_take_sic 9 years ago
Your logic here seems to be very much flawed in that it would have you respecting the laws of a tyrannical dictator and his minions even though the laws (to legalize the activities of the racketeering numbers' bosses) are contrary to the wishes of the people as expressed in a duly held referendum. Cherry picking the democratic processes and laws you choose to respect leaves you belittling the rule of law, but you no doubt are capable of rationalizing the illogical aspects of your thoughts on the rule of law.
JohnDoe 9 years ago
Read your post again and see if you understand it. The referendum had nothing to do with the law. We are talking about the Bahamas my friend, wake up and stop talking nonsense about tyrannical dictators!
ThisIsOurs 9 years ago
He doesn't seem smart to me. They put him in a suit and suddenly he's Bill Gates? It's all a marketing ploy. He's a front. I'm positive someone else is the brains and the MONEY behind all of this. His choppy speech at the first OWN news brief was enough for me. Amateurish, notice Flowers isn't all about on the airwaves flashing his money around.
Raptor22 9 years ago
very obvious Bastian is one of the Bahamian Mafia bosses – but the big boss is Obeeeeeeee
duppyVAT 9 years ago
Which Obeeeeeeeeeeeee??????????
proudloudandfnm 9 years ago
Sebas says they have computers that look and work just like slot machines..
I hear they bringing in computers that look and work just like roulette tables..
I gotta get me a baseball bat that looks and works just like a gun....
duppyVAT 9 years ago
Or a finger that work just like a taser......................... BOL. Sebas and his cronies are black Mafia
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