A new bill proposed in Guam would ban casino-style gambling from the Western Pacific island’s popular Liberation Day Carnival.
Currently, the island, part of the U.S. territory of the Marianas, allows all types of gambling at the annual event with authorization from the governor.
But legislation introduced by Senator Telena Nelson, a Democrat representing Dededo, the largest city, would eliminate the governor’s authority to do so.
She and fellow Democrat and co-sponsor Benjamin Cruz said the ban will close a loophole in existing law that allows the casino at the carnival fairgrounds to stay open year-round as part of village fiestas.
“Public offices are becoming dependent on profits from professionally managed and equipped gambling enterprises at the Liberation Carnival fairgrounds that are otherwise prohibited from operating under the laws of Guam,” Nelson said.
The bill also aims to combat gambling addiction and other gambling-related ills.
“The people of Guam have decisively rejected casino-style gambling at the voting booth five times since the year 2000. It’s time our laws honestly reflect that fact,” Cruz said.
The bill would not affect bingo, lotteries and cockfighting, which would continue to operate as before.
Still, Mayors Council of Guam President Paul McDonald said his group opposes it, claiming it will seriously detract from revenues the villages derive from the fiestas.
