Bahamas evaluates new lottery

The Bahamas government would introduce a new lottery after a deep evaluation of the market.

Bahamas.- As a new lottery proposal was recently introduced, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Peter Turnquest responded that the project must be seriously studied by the government. The new lottery revenue would be destined to help with the cost associated to natural disasters that rise to over US$600 million.

“I believe that most of us would agree that a national government can produce tangible benefits to the country; not only to individuals, but to us as a collective,” stated Turnquest. “There is no better tax system than a voluntary system. Right now, unfortunately, that voluntary tax is going into the hands of few people.”

Even though a majority of people voted against a national lottery in a gaming referendum, the previous government decided to regulate and tax web shops. Back then, the Free National Movement (FNM) –leaded by Deputy Prime Minister– voted against the bill, and a while later, the Minister of Tourism said that the time for a national lottery had finally come.

Turnquest said that they want to implement the national lottery just as Florida state operates it, where the residents are involved in the whole process of selling lottery cards.