Junkets as vendors, not operators
The Commonwealth Casino Commission of the Northern Marianas Islands welcome license applications from junket operators, according to a report on CalvinAyre.com. The website reports that commission Executive Director Edward C. Deleon Guerrero said casinos on the islands of Saipan, Tinian, and Rota require robust junket operations in order to succeed.
“Because they would be the one bringing in the players,” Guerrero told Saipan. “These are the large VIP players. … Basically, they are the travel agency going around the world to get VIPs to come to Saipan.”
The commonwealth has approved regulations and guidelines for the junket operations; unlike in Macau, the junket operations planned for CNMI will not run the show.
“In some places in Macau, the junket operator takes over the VIP room,” said Guerrero. “They actually in a sense run the casino. Here, we do not allow that. The junket operator cannot take over a VIP room.”
On Saipan, for example “Best Sunshine and Best Sunshine’s approved and licensed dealers and pit boss (would be) operating the casino.”
