In anticipation of commissioning future casinos, the Jamaican Casino Gaming Commission and the national Bureau of Standards are working together to establish standards for as jackpotting devices, monitoring and control systems, electronic table games and cashless gaming, among others.
The two agencies are advertising for interest groups to participate in discussions regarding15 new standards, which are expected to be the same as those published by Gaming Laboratories International.
CGC Chief Executive Officer Phillip Shelton said, “What we are establishing are the standards for gaming equipment that might be used in a casino in the future. By adopting the GLI standards, there is a huge advantage for the Jamaican industry, in that the machines, if purchased and approved under the GLI, allow the commission to more quickly approve those machines to get to market. So it will give the casino industry in Jamaica the ability to get new products to market much quicker,” he said.
Shelton noted the GLI standards have been adopted by gambling sectors in the United States, Canada and South America. He added being close to these markets were considered in the decision to adopt GLI guidelines.
Established by the Casino Gaming Act of 2010, the CGC is the regulatory body for casino gaming and has the authority to specify standards for casino gaming equipment. It also is the licensing authority for Jamaica. Under Jamaican law, no more than three casinos will be allowed, each with a specified geographic boundary.
Currently only Celebration Jamaica, headed by Robert Trotta, and Harmony Cove Limited, a partnership of the Jamaican government, Tavistock and as-yet unnamed Chinese backers, have been granted provisional approval as Integrated Resort Developments, or casino resorts. Both companies expect to start construction by the middle of the year, as required by the provisional orders granted by the Minister of Finance. The law also requires investors to develop 2,000-room integrated resorts and to build a minimum of 1,000 of those hotel rooms before applying for a casino license.
Across Jamaica, several venues call themselves casinos but do not fit the criteria as outlined by the 2010 law. These operations, considered gaming lounges, offer slot machines and are policed by the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission.
