CCC requests US$4.2m budget

The Commonwealth Casino Commission says the funds are needed to cover personnel, operations, and other costs.

Northern Mariana Islands.- The CCC has submitted a budget request of US$4.2m for the fiscal year 2025. The request was addressed to governor Arnold I. Palacios and special assistant for management and budget Virginia C. Villagomez.

Acting CCC board chair Rafael S. Demapan and CCC executive director Andrew Yeom said the proposed budget would allocate funds to personnel, operational costs and other expenditures related to overseeing the casino sector’s regulatory framework. According to The Saipan Tribune, approximately US$1.1m is earmarked for wages, salaries, board compensation and other operational expenses.

The CCC’s financial stability faces uncertainty due to the outstanding regulatory fees and penalties owed by Imperial Pacific International (IPI). Demapan and Yeom have appealed to Palacios and Villagomez for assistance in securing at least US$1.1m to sustain the CCC’s operations for the upcoming fiscal year. Despite the lack of gaming activity, Demapan and Yeom stressed the importance of maintaining the CCC’s presence as long as valid casino licenses remain in effect. 

The commission’s office at the Springs Plaza in Gualo Rai has been closed since January 19, 2023. The CCC, however, continues to uphold its regulatory responsibilities and is participating in the hearing on the revocation of IPI‘s exclusive casino licence.