Bahamas, near a new lottery

A new lottery offering could be introduced in the gaming market of Bahamas, according to authorities.

Bahamas.- The government of the Bahamas is evaluating the approval a new gaming system in the market. According to official reports, the Tourism and Aviation Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar could soon give the green light to a project that would install a national lottery in the Caribbean islands. “This whole industry has been shrouded in a certain element of secrecy,” commented D’Aguilar.

The official confirmed the government’s intentions to hold several meetings discussing potential gaming expansion in Bahamas. “We’ve got to have discussions and see where it’s going to go.” The measure is to set a regulated lottery operation, which would be available throughout the country.

“Mr. D’Aguilar’s remarks effectively opened up a new front in his ongoing battle with the numbers houses, given that many – both inside and outside the industry – believed a national lottery had been ‘removed from the table’, and was not a subject for discussion, when the industry was ‘legalised,” reported Neil Hartnell, according to The Nassau Guardian.

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.