Jamaica Coat of Arm and National Flag Government of Jamaica

Balancing commercial interests and social responsibility

Vitus Evans, Executive Director of the Betting Gaming & Lotteries Commission (BGLC), has emphasized that the goal of the Commission’s public consultation on gambling advertising is one of balancing commercial interests and social responsibility. He was speaking at the Commission’s public consultation event, hosted by Dr Aggrey Irons, at the Terra Nova Hotel on Monday, November 20.

The BGLC, said Evans, is seeking to develop advertising guidelines which will allow for healthy competition but at the same time help to minimize potential harm and encourage responsible gaming conduct.

The protection of public health and consumer welfare is paramount, he said, and the consultation research will help to identify measures that can be incorporated in the Commission’s advertising guidelines to safeguard vulnerable individuals, prevent problem gaming and ensure that advertisements provide accurate and responsible information.

The public consultation is also an online e-survey, accessed at  www.bglcconsultation.com on the Commission’s website and will continue through to Friday, December 1. 2023. All stakeholders, including consumers, betting, gambling and lottery operators and members of the public have been invited to share their views on these proposals in the consultation online. Wendy Robertson, Manager, Corporate Affairs and Communication, disclosed that 81 per cent of respondents, to date, agreed with the proposal to introduce new advertising and marketing standards for gambling and gambling-related products. When asked to give their reasons it was expressed by respondents that an advertising code of conduct would be helpful if it was simple and easy to comply with and does not stifle the creativity of the gaming industry. It was also felt that it would be helpful for the protection of children and prevent the public from being deceived in any way.

 

The public may choose to respond to any or all the questions posted on the online survey and all responses will be considered. Names of individuals, or the organisations they are responding on behalf of, will be published on the Commission’s website as part of the published responses to this consultation.

 

For further information please contact:

 

Miss Wendy Robertson

Manager, Corporate Affairs & Communication

Betting Gaming & Lotteries Commission

78cef Hagley Park Rd, Kingston 10

(876) 630-1353; 224-2452

wendy.robertson@bglc.gov.jm

The Betting Gaming & Lotteries Commission (BGLC) is considering proposals to implement fresh regulations for the marketing and advertising of gambling and gambling related products in Jamaica.

The BGLC is aware that research conducted by gambling regulators in other parts of the world has shown a clear link between marketing and advertising and risk to customers. However, the Commission also recognizes that the type and level of risk will vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, so rules and controls applied need to be proportionate and relevant to gambling market in Jamaica.

Research recently commissioned by the BGLC has revealed that:

  1. Children and youth are aware of and engaging in gambling related activity to a greater extent and greater numbers than previously thought.
  2. Most of the awareness about gambling is as a direct result of marketing and advertising of gambling and gambling related products.
  3. An overwhelming majority of respondents are not fully aware of the risks related to gambling.
  4. There is a sentiment that marketing communications are misleading and do not highlight the risks related to gambling.

As such the Commission recently launched its Public Consultation on Gambling Advertising. The Consultation, in the form of an e-survey, is accessed online at  www.bglcconsultation.com.

All stakeholders, including consumers, betting, gambling and lottery operators and members of the public are invited to share their views on these proposals.

The public may choose to respond to any or all the questions. All responses will be considered. Names of individuals or the organisations they are responding on behalf of, will be published on the Commission’s website as part of the published responses to this consultation.

In its commitment to transparency and accountability in the gambling sector, the BGLC is encouraging this widest possible participation from the respective groups before proposing and introducing new controls, to ensure that customers are better protected and the young not unduly exposed.

 

For further information please contact:

Wendy Robertson

Manager, Corporate Affairs & Communication

Betting, Gaming & Lotteries Commission

78cef Hagley Park Rd, Kingston 10

Ph: (876) 630-1353; 224-2452

Em: wendy.robertson@bglc.gov.jm

That almost child-like sense of wonder and enthusiasm. It’s the hallmark of a deep love for and interest in a particular topic, and when Clovis Metcalfe talks about horses and horse racing, one can hear it immediately and distinctly, with a sense of righteous (read “humble”) pride mixed in.

It’s a sense that is virtually innate for Metcalfe, and it came to the fore during his childhood days. The young Clovis would accompany his father, by train, to a racetrack near the town of Old Harbour, known as Little Marlie (unknown to many Jamaicans, the popularity of horseracing in Jamaica was such that up to the mid-1900s, there were several racetracks across the island).

There, he was greatly impressed by, and admired the spectacle of the sport: the colours, the flurry of activity and the horses themselves. Thus initiated, that bond would be strengthened through his high school days at St George’s, where on breaks he would allow himself to be enthralled by listening to the great racing commentators of yesteryear.

Even in his fledgling ventures into what would be his other great career, banking, Metcalfe continued his fealty to horseracing, making regular weekend trips, this time to Caymanas Park (opened in 1959).

“In those days,” he recalled, “the bank would actually open on Saturdays, but soon as it closed, myself and several of my colleagues, we would be heading out to the track.”

It was, in fact, one of his bank customers, the proprietors of a betting shop called Maurice’s (they would soon become friends), who started conversations with Metcalfe about actually becoming horse owners. That eventually led to a partnership with the likes of Billy Williams and Maxie Morrison, among others and shortly after, with the late Joe Duany, known far and wide as “Fudgie” for whom I’m Satisfied was a popular Jamaican Triple Crown winner.

With the establishment of the HAM Stables, in partnership with Howard Hamilton and trainer Phillip Feanny, Metcalfe would enjoy some of his greatest moments in the sport including having horses win the Triple Crown, the Gold Cup and the Superstakes. He speaks in glowing terms of the legendary trainer (14-time Champion) and his ability to spot future greats.

Indeed, Metcalfe’s humility may preclude him from mentioning, but as of 2022, his name resounds about the track in significant way: the Clovis Metcalfe Trophy, an Open Allowance race, will be an annual fixture, courtesy of racing promoters Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment (SVREL), wisely deciding to “give Metcalfe his flowers” as the saying goes, whilst he is alive and well to receive them.

Metcalfe’s love for the sport and concern for its development continues even as he transitioned into administration, initially as a Board member of the former CTL, and to his current posts as Chair of both the Betting Gaming and Lotteries Commission (BGLC) and The Jamaica Racing Commission (JRC). Having regulatory oversight of both horse racing and the betting activity, which is its lifeblood, gives Metcalfe a well-informed perspective on this extremely valuable sector of the nation’s economic and social life. It provides particular insight indeed, what with over 30,000 people either directly or indirectly involved in horseracing (from grooms and farriers to veterinary staff, jockeys, trainers, owners and more). The BGLC also regulates another 30,000 gaming machines and terminals across the island.

It’s a diverse, demanding portfolio and it calls for a specific set of values. The BGLC team bundles them in the acronym TRAIT: Teamwork, Respect, Accountability, Integrity and Transparency. For Metcalfe, however, these are more than corporate markers – they are his collective personal calling card.

“Functioning as we do, making recommendations to Government, providing for the smooth running of these very important contributor industries and facing the public in several ways, integrity and transparency are critical aspects of how we operate, and I take that commitment personally.”

One aspect of that commitment, especially in relation to the racing fraternity and the public at large, lies in giving back. Events like the BGLC Emancipation Race Day, with its 19th renewal on Tuesday, August 1, 2023 provides the organization with an opportunity to demonstrate its support for the industry, both tangibly in purses, and socially, in welcoming fans and punters to experience some of that same thrill that hooked the young Metcalfe in his formative years.

These days, the enjoyment is not to be had only at Caymanas, or indeed, only in Jamaica. With punters (largely Jamaican connections) in New York and Canada now receiving the signal, and with simulcasting to the myriad off-track locations across the island, Jamaican horse racing, and the betting that supports it, is growing by ‘lengths.’

Metcalfe is confident of the regulator’s ability to keep pace, and to further strengthen its oversight capacity over the combined industries. This also includes the ongoing process of negotiating partnerships with organizations such as HEART Trust, to provide certifications to jockeys and other service personnel.

Ultimately, the ongoing mission of the BGLC is to ensure a safe, integral, rules-based environment in which members of the public can experience the unmatched thrills of not only the “Sport of Kings” but the related thrills of wagering and gaming.

It’s easy to keep talking with him. That almost child-like sense of wonder and enthusiasm is refreshing – unique attribute, indeed, of this ‘horse…man for all seasons.’

BGLC’s Vitus Evans – managing ongoing change

What kind of mindset does it take to manage ongoing change?

BGLC Executive Chairman Vitus Evans, considered that back in 2017, when he came as a newcomer into the gaming industry.

A lawyer by profession, he was not new to the business of regulation, having served in local government in the UK before coming to Jamaica, in the early ‘90s. Mind you, the Jamaican business and social environment would not have mirrored those of England, but to Evans, who through long term stints with the Jamaica Agricultural Development Foundation (JADF) and the Jamaica Exporters Association (now merged with the Jamaica Manufacturers Association as the JMEA), had gained a thorough orientation of that Jamaican landscape.

That combined experience has been enough to enable him to take on challenges, executing with his typical quiet flair and simplifying issues as best as possible. Unruffled, he communicates calmly…clearly – manner that is always accompanied with a firm yet gentle touch.

And, with the scope of the Betting Gaming & Lotteries Commission (BGLC), it’s a vital combination. Today’s gaming industry is not simply twice (nor even three times ) as large, in terms of the sheer numbers, as what obtained prior to his arrival. There are close to 30,000 gaming machines and another 30,000 employed within and around horse racing. There are some 2,000 licensees, including 3 lottery operators and 14 licensed gaming operators The industry reaches just about everyone…gamer, punter – and non-gamer alike across the length and breadth of the nation; from enclaves of the elites to the proverbial “little man” (or woman) managing a game terminal (or few), in a bar in the most remote rural hills.

That challenge is compounded by an unspoken yet acknowledged truth: people – especially our Jamaican people, generally want regulations but just don’t like to feel they are the subjects of the said regulation. And this, more than anything else, takes a steady mindset and manner.

“There are multiple stakeholders who need to be kept happy,” he says, “ and not least among them is the horse racing fraternity,” which Evans rightly describes as an important strategic pillar and major contributor to the BGLC operations.

Recognizing this, the organization greatly anticipates the renewal of the BGLC Emancipation Race Day. “We take this very seriously, not just as a corporate social responsibility though we are clearly pleased to do so, but as a vital element of the organization’s overall strategy to support the Horse-Racing Industry.”

The event, he points out, offers not only the expected spectacle and the thrills associated with the public presence, but the prized opportunity to meet with operators and other stakeholders in a more informal setting – where thoughts, concerns, suggestions and experiences might be shared without inhibitions that might attend more formal settings.

In this way, the operators get the reinforcement of the BGLC’s presence as a partner…. “one with its own clear responsibilities, but one which is there to act in an informed and responsible manner,” he said.

As the Government’s regulator of the gaming industry, speaking to diverse audiences, Evans knows the importance of maintaining the distinct balance between a consistent message overlaid with inclusiveness. And this is simply done by meeting each player in the industry where he is.

There are clear signs that this approach is working. Evans says the level of appreciation and interest, both from the general public as well as industry players, has steadily improved. “In our interactions, whether through Town Hall meetings, or more direct outreach, we are seeing a greater level of understanding of the role of the regulator, and we are feeling a sense of greater integration generally,” he says.

The BGLC’s mission, in Evans’s view, is to simplify where needed and to mould, expand and strengthen that regulatory framework apace with the near continuous run of change in technology, in demographics and other critical areas so that the industry can continue to benefit everyone far and wide.

“The task for us , the entire team here at BGLC, is to make all the stakeholders understand that we are here to see the industry grow, because that growth benefits all concerned” he said, adding “but everyone has to have the clear understanding that it’s a shared responsibility so that growth happens within a well-developed and managed framework”.

He smiles calmly, delivering the proverbial last word. “We are here to work with the stakeholders to ensure that process remains in effect…so we can all be better off. ”

Clearly, it’s how best this important issue is simplified.

The BGLC Race Day:

Power, speed and victory unleashed will be theme and all that’s thrilling at the featured 19th renewal of the BGLC Trophy over 1,100 metres (5 ½ furlongs) for the top-quality field of three-year-old -and-up contenders, on BGLC Emancipation Race Day at Caymanas Park on Tuesday, August 1 – an event celebrating the commitment of the Betting Gaming & Lotteries Commission (BGLC) to the sport of kings.

“A field of ten is expected to face the starter for this important Grade Two sprint event of the racing calendar”, said Vitus Evans, Executive Director of the BGLC. On offer will be a premium purse of $1.7million with the winning owner, breeder, trainer, jockey and groom receiving commemorative trophies, compliments of the BGLC. Rivalry is again expected to be keen with the race won last year by Mahogany, first runner up to horse of the year Atomica.

There is feverish anticipation as well for the secondary features of a race card marking the opening account of the two-year-olds with the 3rd running of the BGLC / TOBA (Thoroughbreds, Owners, Breeders Association) Juvenile Dash for 2-year-old-maidens over 600 metres straight. Yet another event for main contenders, the race was won last year by Legit Boss, voted the champion two-year-old filly. Offering a fancy purse of $1.5million, the event also attracts an owner bonus of $2million for the 1st – 6th placed horses that’s also shared with the breeder of the winning horse.

The other secondary feature is the annual renewal of the Emancipation Day Trophy for claiming horses ($750 – $600,000) over 1300 metres by the ‘constantly threatening’ Baton Rouge. The purse for this key event will be $990,000 with a trophy also awarded to the winning owner.

Complimenting the race card’s theme – Power, speed and victory unleashed are the novel names of the other contending events, among them The Victory Sprint, The Golden Gallop, The Fast Lane Sprint and the Thundering Hooves.

Said Evans, “the August 1 Emancipation race day, a staple for the BGLC, will this year mark awards for unsung heroes of Caymanas Park.” The Commission will also package a number of activities for event patrons -tokens for punters, community talent parade and messages on Responsible Gambling throughout the day.

The maintained mission of the BGLC is one of ensuring a safe, integral rules-based environment where members of the public not only enjoy the ‘sport of kings’ but other wagering and gaming pleasures.

Entries for the day’s card close on Thursday, July 27, with post time for the first race on August 1 at 12 noon.

The Betting Gaming and Lotteries Commission (BGLC) is calling all owners and operators of gaming machines to renew their licenses by March 31.
“The Commission is encouraging operators to take advantage of the Remote Licensing facilities for renewal at Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) offices across the island between February 27 and March 14, 2023”, said the Director of Licensing and Registrations, Maurice Thompson.
Scheduled dates for licensing are as follows:

Mandeville, Manchester: February 27 – 28, 2023; Montego Bay, St James, March 6 – 7, 2023; Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland March 13 – 14, 2023.

For the renewal process, licensees are required to pay levies to TAJ for each machine and each premises, as well as corresponding fees to the BGLC. The TAJ receipt must be presented at the time of payment of the BGLC fees.
“Licensees can pay the Commission fee using their debit or credit card and will no longer need to do so through the bank,” said Thompson. BGLC payments can also be made at Bill Express locations island-wide or online at billexpressonline.com.

Executive Director at the BGLC Vitus Evans is imploring persons to make their payments on time. “If you are not licensed then you are an illegal operator, and we will have to take action, and your machines can be seized,” he warned.
Operators of locally made machines will pay $5,000.00 per machine to the TAJ, and $5,000.00 for licensing and disc fees per gaming machine to the BGLC. Owners of premises which house machines are required to pay $2,500.00 per premises to the TAJ and $1,000 for each premises to the BGLC.

The BGLC is the Government body that licenses, regulates, and monitors the local gaming industry, facilitates its growth and development, and protects the public from unfair, unscrupulous, and illegal activities.

 

For further information please contact:
Miss Wendy Robertson
Manager, Corporate Affairs & Communication
Betting, Gaming & Lotteries Commission
78cef Hagley Park Rd, Kingston 10
(876) 630-1353; 224-2452
wendy.robertson@bglc.gov.jm

An Illegal cash pot operator has been fined $375,000 and given 7 days to pay the fine or be imprisoned.

“This is an important development in the efforts of the Betting Gaming and Lotteries

Commission to stamp out and protect Jamaicans from illegal gambling operations,” said Noel Bacquie, Director of Enforcement at the Betting Gaming & Lotteries Commission, Jamaica’s gaming regulator.

A report to Crime Stop (311) resulted in BGLC’s Enforcement Team undertaking investigations to monitor the activities in the White Lane area of Waterhouse in Kingston. Subsequently, the gaming regulator’s team conducted a joint operation with the Counter Terrorism and Organized Crime Unit (CTOC) of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) which led to an arrest and charge. The matter went before the court and resulted in the $375,000 fine.

“This is the largest fine applied in recent years. We are pleased that the courts recognize the seriousness of charges related to illegal gambling and are applying fines that closely align with our legislation. This is an important deterrent in our fight against illegal gambling,” Bacquie said. The Betting Gaming and Lotteries Act (BGLA) allows for fines not exceeding $500,000 or imprisonment with or without hard labour for a term not exceeding twelve months.

A report to Crime Stop led the BGLC’s Enforcement Team to monitor the activities in the White Lane area. A joint operation was carried out with CTOC and an arrest made leading to the matter going before the court.

In 2016 BGLC signed an MOU with Crime Stop to enable citizens to make anonymous reports of illegal gambling by calling 311. This has been steadily bearing fruit with a growing number of reports being received. The BGLC’s Enforcement Team conducts investigations in response to these reports, and works with JCF to execute operations to identify and arrest those engaged in the unlicensed and illegal gambling enterprises.

The Betting Gaming and Lotteries Commission is an independent statutory body established under the provisions of the Betting Gaming and Lotteries Act of 1965. The BGLC’s mandate includes ensuring that Jamaica’s gaming industry is operated in a structured and disciplined manner, that the industry is crime free and the public is protected from being exploited by gambling. The Commission licenses and regulates the local gaming industry by granting permits and licences to persons or entities considered fit to conduct betting, gaming and lottery activities.

Keeping crime out of the gaming industry is a major focus of the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission (BGLC), says Director of Enforcement at the BGLC, Noel Bacquie.

Speaking at a JIS ‘Think Tank’ recently, the Director said that persons wanting to become owners and operators of gaming machines will need to obtain a gaming licence from the BGLC.

Director of Enforcement at the Betting Gaming and Lotteries Commission (BGLC), Noel Bacquie, speaks at a JIS ‘Think Tank’, recently. At right is Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at the BGLC, Vitus Evans.

However, prior to receiving a licence there has to be a ‘fit and proper’ assessment to ensure that people entering the industry are not criminals.

Therefore, Mr. Bacquie pointed out that there is a three-tiered process for covering the various categories of licences.

“For the licences, the BGLC would require individuals to give detailed information about themselves – two references; a criminal certificate from the police; as well as to undergo an interview,” Mr. Bacquie said.

He highlighted that as the risk level rises, so does the level of investigation, explaining that there is an even higher level of investigation for betting and lottery agents.

This level of investigation would take into account education, employment history, credit information and legal standing.

He said that an even higher tier is the multi-jurisdictional level, where the applicant has financial interest outside of Jamaica; then a third party would be engaged to conduct those investigations.

IAGR2019: Gaming regulators securing industry integrity, vibrancy and innovation

 

The International Association of Gaming Regulators has selected Jamaica as the destination for its 2019 Conference.  The conference will take place in Montego Bay at the Half Moon from September 30 – October 3.  

The International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR) consists of representatives from gaming regulatory organizations throughout the world. The mission of IAGR is to advance the effectiveness and efficiency of gaming regulation by providing a forum in which gaming regulators can meet, exchange views and information, and discuss policy issues among themselves and with representatives of the international gaming industry. Further, IAGR provides a means of fostering cooperation between gaming regulators in the performance of their official duties and a central point of contact for inquiries from governments, gaming regulatory agencies and personnel, and representatives of the international gaming industry.

 

“We are honoured that IAGR has recognized our place in the global gaming industry by selecting Jamaica as the destination for its 2019 conference. Jamaica is increasingly gaining the attention of the international gaming industry as evidenced by the fact that Audrey Robinson,

Secretary/Manager for the Casino Gaming Commission is the 2nd Jamaican to serve on the Board of Trustees for IAGR, and we hosted our first international gaming industry conference here in 2017,” said Clovis Metcalfe, Chairman of the Betting Gaming and Lotteries Commission and the Casino

Gaming Commission. “Our team has been working closely with the IAGR Conference Planning Committee for some months on the arrangements for the conference, and we look forward to welcoming our colleague regulators from jurisdictions across the globe.”

Commenting on the selection of Jamaica for IAGR 2019, IAGR President, Trude Felde, Senior Advisor at the Norwegian Gaming and Foundation Authority said: “Each year we take our Conference to a different continent.  Last year Europe was our destination with the Conference taking place in Copenhagen, Denmark.  The year before we were in South Africa.  I am delighted that that the

Betting, Gaming & Lotteries Commission (BGLC) and Casino Gaming Commission of Jamaica have

offered to host the 2019 Conference.  I hope this location will enable members from the Caribbean and Americas who may have been unable to travel to Europe and further afield, to join us.”

 

Executives of the International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR) with members of the Jamaica delegation to the
IAGR 2018 Copenhagen Conference where it was announced that Jamaica would host the IAGR 2019 Conference. The
Conference will be held at Half Moon from September 29 to October 3, 2019. In the photo left to right are:  Dale Fuga,
Trustee and Immediate Past President of IAGR, Audrey Robinson, Secretary/Manager – Casino Gaming Commission; Karla
Small Dwyer, Director-Legal Services, Betting Gaming and Lotteries Commission; Trude Feld, President, IAGR; Vitus Evans,
Executive Director, Betting Gaming & Lotteries Commission

 

IAGR’s 2019 will be titled ‘Regulating the Game’, and will focus on how regulators can foster a secure, vibrant, innovative, safe and responsible industry. The Conference will bring together senior international gambling regulatory leaders as well as industry stakeholders to connect and share knowledge and to hear from leading experts about known and emerging issues and trends across the industry. It is an unmatched event in the gambling regulatory calendar that provides the opportunity for participants to discuss leading thinking in regulatory policy and practice, and access international perspectives and insights.

 

“IAGR2019 is an unrivalled opportunity for delegates to connect with and hear from senior gaming regulators and leading researchers and experts and access the latest international insights on emerging trends and issues and help shape regulatory approaches,” Ms Felde said. “We’re really excited to announce the details of our four-day program for IAGR2019, which follows our hugely successful call for speakers.  We’ll be delivering a thought-provoking mix of key note speakers, expert analysis and panel discussions on everything from responsible gambling and behavioural insights to the role of AI and big data in gaming regulation.”

Other key themes to be explored at IAGR2019 include:

The full-program is now available to view on IAGR’s website at www.iagr.com.

“The impressive speaker line-up will provide valuable insights for all international regulators, particularly those in the Caribbean that are developing or refining their regulatory approaches,” observed Vitus Evans, Executive Director of the Betting Gaming and Lotteries Commission.

As part of IAGR’s conference launch it has released special early bird rates for members and nonmembers. For more information about fees, registrations and hotel bookings for IAGR2019 visit IAGR’s website at www.iagr.com

 

Note for Editors

 

BGLC & CGC:    Jeanette Lewis: jeanette.lewis@bglc.gov.jm;  IAGR:               Sean Harnett: media@iagr.org;

 

 

 

 

 

 

Over 2,000 previously unregistered machines were licensed during a Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission (BGLC) licensing amnesty late last year.

“That was an important breakthrough in terms of bringing the kind of control we want to the industry,” said Chief Executive Officer at the BGLC, Vitus Evans, at a recent JIS Think Tank.

He said that the amnesty was undertaken in preparation for the new licensing period, which begins in February.

“We knew that there were a number of illegal operators out there, and so we tried to engage them to get them to register,” he noted.

Chief Executive Officer at the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission (BGLC), Vitus Evans, speaking at a recent JIS Think Tank.

He said it is important for the industry to be regulated, as there are various stakeholders, as well as the Government, whose interests must be protected.

The amnesty, which took place between November 15 and December 31, resulted in the BGLC discovering more than 3,000 illegal gaming machines at over 1,000 locations across Jamaica.

“It is $10,000 to license each machine, so the illegal machines found would have represented $30 million in lost revenue to the Government in the gaming machines sector alone,” said Director of Licensing at the BGLC, Maurice Thompson.

He noted that the illegal operators were identified by the compliance team in the field, noting that they were mostly found in community bars, hairdressing parlors and restaurants.

Mr. Thompson urged persons with unregistered machines to get regularised, as they could face penalties such as seizure of the machines, and operators could be arrested and charged.

He warned that players could also be arrested and charged, and will have no redress if they have difficulty getting payout from winnings on these illegal machines.

All licensed machines have a disc at the front, indicating the year it is licensed, similar to a motor vehicle.

The gaming industry is a major revenue source for the Government, with $6.5 billion generated in 2018.

Four per cent of BGLC’s revenue goes to the Culture, Health, Arts, Sports, and Education (CHASE) Fund.