Four business owners fined for failing to pay gaming taxes

FOUR of five business owners arrested on Wednesday evening, pleaded guilty yesterday before a Siparia magistrate to failing to pay gaming taxes for the roulette machines in their respective businesses.

Magistrate Ava Vandenburg-Bailey fined them $1,000 each yesterday in the second court. The fifth business owner pleaded not guilty on Thursday when he appeared in court and the magistrate granted bail.

South-Western Division police arrested the five on Wednesday evening in an exercise led by Snr Supt Neville Adams and Insp David Subero. Sgt Ann Nicholas coordinated the exercise. Effective January 1, Government imposed a special taxation of $120,000 annually for having an electronic roulette device. Previously, business owners had to pay $36,000 yearly in tax. The increase in taxes for gambling and gaming devices was part of Government’s revenue-collection initiatives for the 2018 budget.