Tourism Minister: Better to regulate gambling sector than shut it down

Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts Randall Mitchell said the cost of leaving the gambling sector unregulated outweighs the cost of shutting it down altogether.

Mitchell was speaking in the Senate during debate on the the Gaming and Betting Bill in Parliament on Monday.

“The most important factors in the decision of any country to legalise the gambling sector are the economic and social benefit to be derived from the industry,” he said.

“The consideration for Trinidad and Tobago was the extremely high cost of leaving the sector unregulated or the extremely high cost of shutting down a thriving sector with 7,000 plus workers when compared to the potential of the gambling industry to contribute significant value to the economy and to the tourism and hospitality sectors.”

He said the tourism and entertainment sectors have been severely battered by the covid19 pandemic.

The sectors, he said, which contribute to over $15 billion in gross domestic product (GDP) every year and employs over 6,000 people, will be improved by the development of the gambling sector.

Mitchell was also responding to Independent Senator Hazel Thompson-Ahye and Opposition Senator Varma Deyalsingh, both of whom expressed their objections to gambling.

Deyalsingh said there is a breakdown of family values in gambling. He said neighbours should be informed of casinos being constructed in their neighbourhoods and be given the opportunity to appeal if it is granted.

He also said video games played by children and teenagers open the doorway to gambling.

Mitchell said it was too late to debate whether there should be a gambling sector.

“The horse has already bolted…It is here and it has been here for the last 20 years.”

He said this country did not have the options that other countries have to regulate gambling so that it would be for the tourism sector only.

“We understand there is a problem, but supporting this bill is also supporting the rehabilitation fund that supports non-profit organisations (NGOs) in the rehabilitation of people affected with problem gambling.”

Mitchell said the bill also sought to support the collection of taxes which was not happening.

“The Board of Inland Revenue (BIR) has reported there are thousands of unregistered gambling machines upon which taxes are payable and not collected and they are unable to easily enforce or even enter upon these private members clubs to conduct audits.”

He said the bill will allow for the collection of the estimated $500 million owed in taxes annually.