Guam Governor Lou Leon Guerrero recently signed a bill that allows forms of gambling at the Liberation Festival, which will mark the 75th anniversary of the island’s deliverance from Japanese occupation in World War II.
Local lawmakers say gambling will help fund the party, parade and fireworks on July 21, which caps events that will run from May through August. “We are demonstrating that together we can celebrate our island’s liberation events, now and into the future, without risking precious resources that fund our government’s priorities,” the governor said in a statement.
But opponents of the measure are equally outspoken. Vice Speaker Telena Nelson, who authored a previous ban on gambling at fairs and carnivals, said, “Under the guise of a penniless carnival, which had other options for funding, carnival organizers and some public officials placed their bets on gambling as a primary solution.”
Nelson said gambling supporters “didn’t care to look down safer avenues. Then loopholes were found to protect the interests of gambling bidders—not the people’s best interests. We will continue to pray for the welfare of our island, our families, and our community, which in recent months has come under the siege of serious social ills.”
The original bill sponsored by Sen. James Moylan stated the legislation would only allow the Mayors Council of Guam to establish gaming rules but wouldn’t actually allow gambling. That language has been removed from the version of the bill that the governor signed, reported the Guam Daily Post. Nelson and Sens. Sabina Perez, Therese Terlaje, Régine Biscoe Lee and Mary Torres voted against the measure.
The signing of the legislation into law allows the mayors’ council to accept bids for two “House of Cards” operators, each of which pay $250,000 to participate. Operators of “big and small,” beto-beto and color games also will be able to submit bids ranging from $5,000 to $20,000 per operator.
“Liberation is not about games of chance, it’s about commemorating the stories of occupation and liberation, especially told by our remaining survivors,” the governor told the Post. “We will always be thankful to them and to the U.S. forces who liberated Guam 75 years ago.”
The “House of Cards” gaming venues will offer poker, pusoy, baccarat, blackjack and monte. It will be open only to people over the age of 21.
