Representative Tina Sablan has raised concerns that the possible approval of online gaming could lead to money laundering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Northern Mariana Islands.- Representative\u00a0Tina Sablan\u00a0<\/strong>has raised concerns about the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands’ proposed Internet Gaming Act 2021<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sablan\u00a0<\/strong>opposed a request for\u00a0House Bill 22-47 to be pulled out from the Gaming Committee\u00a0<\/strong>so the full House of Representatives could act on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to Saipan Tribune newspaper, she argued that internet gaming could lead to an\u00a0increase in money laundering.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sablan also noted that the bill has been requested by\u00a0Imperial Pacific International (IPI)<\/a>, which is currently\u00a0facing the indefinite suspension of its gaming licence<\/strong>. She argued that it would only benefit the casino operator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n She said: \u201cThere are serious concerns that are raised by this internet gaming bill that were concerns in the last legislature. Those issues have not gone away and they are the subject of investigation<\/strong>\u00a0right now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, former vice-speaker\u00a0Lorenzo Deleon Guerrero<\/strong>\u00a0has argued\u00a0online gaming has no greater risk\u00a0<\/strong>and could help generate revenue for the CNMI following the closure of the casino industry for many months due to the Covid-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Guerrero said: “This is another form [of gaming] that\u00a0we should tap because there\u2019s a lot of investors willing to open [internet] gaming<\/strong>, but [in the] absence of a piece of legislation, no investors would want to invest here in the CNMI. This is something that we should look at thoroughly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n He denied the bill was an IPI initiative, saying it was the product of bill’s own author.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In April, the Commonwealth Casino Commission <\/strong>ordered the suspension of Imperial Pacific International\u2019s gaming licence<\/a> and ordered the casino operator to pay a penalty plus regulatory fees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n