By NATARIO McKENZIE
Tribune Business Reporter
nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net
The only operator to be rejected for a web shop licence yesterday expressed surprise at being ordered to close down by December 7, describing the whole situation as “ridiculous”.
Anthony Brown, Bet Vegas’s president, expressed suprise after a notice issued on behalf of the Gaming Board said his company must cease operations by Monday, telling Tribune Business: “That’s news to me. I’m trying to find out what’s going on,”
A Government statement issued yesterday on behalf of the Gaming Board confirmed that Bet Vegas, the only one out of nine web shop licensing applicants to be rejected, obtained an ex-parte Supreme Court Order on October 26 to block its closure.
Justice Roger Gomez, at a hearing where only Bet Vegas was represented, allowed ot to continue in business until the hearing of its appeal. He suspended the Gaming Board closure notice on October 19.
The Government, though, yesterday said its application to set aside the October 26 Order was successful on December 1.
“The principal of Bet Vegas, who was present when the ruling was handed down, has since been advised by the Gaming Board to cease operations by December 7, 2015,” the Government said.
“ Further, the public is advised that as Bet Vegas is not licensed to conduct gaming transactions, they should not engage in any gaming activities at any Bet Vegas locations, and should seek to retrieve any and all funds held on account with the company.
Mr Brown, though, seemed to imply that he was not present at the December 1 ruling, and suggested the closure Order was a ‘slap in the face’ for his business - the only web shop chain established after the sector was legalised.
“This is ridiculous. We’re the only company that really met all of the requirements,” Mr Brown told Tribune Business.
“We’re the only company that came in after the industry was legalised. This makes no sense.”
The eight companies that received a conditional web shop license are the FML Group of Companies trading as (t/a) FNM Webshop; GLK Ltd t/a A Sure Win; Jarol Investments t/a Chances Games; Paradise Games Bahamas t/a Paradise Games; Playtech Systems 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 t/a Bahama Dreams.
Comments
Well_mudda_take_sic 8 years, 4 months ago
Oh for Pete's sake! Just ignore the Close Order in the same way that Craig Flowers and Sebas Bastian ignored the law for many many years. Take comfort in knowing that even if the Bahamian people oppose your criminal activities in a public referendum, eventually a law will be passed by a government like the corrupt Christie-led PLP government that will legalize and legitimize your criminal activities. In the meantime, just buy Greenslade and each of his cohorts a good size ham, turkey or roast beef for Christmas and kick back and enjoy the Holiday Season. Better still, give the Bag Man a large bag of cash with a Xmas card addressed to Obie!
proudloudandfnm 8 years, 4 months ago
So stay illegal. What's the big deal? As an illegal you don't have to pay taxes and fees. You'll have an advantage over the legal web shops....
truetruebahamian 8 years, 4 months ago
They should all be shut down permanently and their principals locked up along with this worthless government.
B_I_D___ 8 years, 4 months ago
Any 'bets' that he's open for business today? Whose gonna lay down the numbers!!
DaGoobs 8 years, 4 months ago
Only in this country can people get away with operating illegally for umpteen thousand years, not be prosecuted or go to jail, make money hand over fist and then be rewarded with licenses to make even more money. None of them who operated illegally for all these many years should be eligible for a license or allowed to operate a webshop. This guy, Brown, is trying to jump on the bandwagon and get some of the gravy while he can. The government's plan for webshop licensing will only cerate a monopoly or cartel out of the illegals. How can that make any sense? We don't need any more of these philanthropic millionaires because eventually, through their wealth, they will have more political clout in this country than anyone else. If the government is so hellbent on legalizing and legitimizing the numbers business then I say tax the hell out of them as there is nothing socially beneficial about what they are doing.
Well_mudda_take_sic 8 years, 4 months ago
This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.
sheeprunner12 8 years, 4 months ago
This Brown guy probably did not accept the demands of the politicians who wanted their cut of Bet Vegas profits ......................... just look at the money being thrown around to Junkanoo now
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