Kingston, Jamaica
August 29, 2024
Guidance Counsellors in the Ministry of Education and Youth’s Region One area which covers a significant section of inner-city communities, are finding underage gambling to be a challenging issue.
“There’s a myriad of social issues,” commented Ian Grant, guidance counsellor and school chaplain of St Andrew Technical High School for the last nine years. “With daily survival on the line for many households, underage gambling is simply a part of it,” he contends.
Grant, who attended a recent underage gambling prevention training by RISE Life Management Services, sponsored by the Betting Gaming and Lotteries Commission (BGLC), emphasized the importance of the training in enhancing his role. The Ministry’s directive for guidance counsellors and deans of discipline across all regions to attend such workshops stems from a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with RISE Life, signed in September 2021. This MoU provides resources and tools that have made it easier to integrate the training into school programmes. “It’s clearly value added,” he remarked.
“After returning from the seminars,” says Grant, “my first task is to present the material to the teaching staff, who will then integrate it into the guidance counselling programme as part of the preventive strategy. The material and available resources help better engage and support students facing challenges.”
Stakeholders are also addressed – parents and community members, with presentations especially at PTA meetings. Come Parent Month in November, underaged gambling prevention will receive special focus, as gambling, he says, ‘is deeply rooted in communities. We must keep interfacing with stakeholders,if we are to make a difference.”
Executive Director of the BGLC, Vitus Evans says that it is clear that addressing underage gambling requires a collaborative effort, particularly in communities where it has become ingrained. “Through our partnerships and training initiatives, we are equipping educators and community members with the tools they need to make a real impact on the lives of young people.”
In the 2023 – 2024 period, RISE Life Management Services engaged over 2,000 parents and community members. Additionally, over 360 guidance counsellors were trained islandwide in underage gambling prevention, and over 30,000 school-based youngsters were sensitized islandwide on the ills of underage gambling and appropriate alternatives – the most students ever engaged in a single year.
For further information, contact:
Wendy Robertson
Manager, Corporate Affairs & Communication
Betting Gaming & Lotteries Commission
78cef Hagley Park Rd; Kingston 10
Em: wendy.robertson@bglc.gov.jm; Tel:876-552-9977
Kingston, Jamaica
August 28, 2024
Underage Gambling Treatment Training, sponsored by the Betting Gaming and Lotteries Commission (BGLC) and coordinated by RISE Life Management Services, will be introduced to guidance counsellors in the upcoming school year.
Mr. Richard Henry, Programme Manager of RISE Life, expressed concern over the shifting gambling landscape as he discussed the upcoming treatment training seminars. He noted the growing involvement of some community households in gambling, which is being driven by enticing advertising, and the rising trend of online gambling where bets are often placed on the outcomes of popular video games.
“Young people are increasingly exposed to gambling at home and in their communities due to their desire to earn money,” said Henry. “The challenge is their lack of experience; many believe they have a unique ability to win, unaware of the risks of becoming problem gamblers. With rising pressures, the upcoming treatment training seminars will equip counsellors with the skills needed to intervene effectively.”
Currently, students who exhibit signs of problem gambling are referred to RISE Life Management to attend intervention programmes.
The upcoming Treatment Training Seminars for counsellors are expected to improve the management of affected and at-risk students within schools.
For further information, contact:
Wendy Robertson
Manager, Corporate Affairs & Communication
Betting Gaming & Lotteries Commission
78cef Hagley Park Rd; Kingston 10
Em: wendy.robertson@bglc.gov.jm; Tel:876-552-9977
Kingston, Jamaica
August 21, 2024
Guidance Counsellors are joining the call by RISE Life Management Services to have the subject of underage gambling prevention as part of schools’ curriculum.
Mr. Ian Grant, guidance counsellor of St Andrew Technical High School and a participant of the recent underage gambling prevention seminar by Rise Life, is insisting that the programme should be part of the curriculum as it is transforming the way the student population in general, and those at risk in particular, think and see themselves. ‘It is one of the greatest things we’re doing for them,’ he says, as he praised programme sponsors the Betting Gaming and Lotteries Commission (BGLC) for the organization’s social awareness and responsibility.
‘It’s making a difference,’ he says, ‘more so in the long run – and certainly for a more wholistic approach, the BGLC should be joined by other organisations to treat childhood addiction.’
“The BGLC firmly supports the integration of underage gambling prevention into school curricula”, says Vitus Evans, Executive Director of the BGLC. “Protecting our youth from the risks associated with gambling is crucial for fostering a healthier and more responsible future generation. We are committed to working alongside educators and our partner Rise Life Management Services to ensure that our children are equipped with the knowledge and tools they need to make informed decisions.”
Programme Manager of Rise Life Management Services, Mr. Richard Henry, in calling for the programme to be part of the curriculum, notes that this should indeed be done as the thrust of the prevention programme is to keep those students who are not gambling, away from gambling. In addition, Rise Life Management is also seeking to engage Teachers Colleges to address the issue before counsellors enter the teaching profession. “Counsellors would be more enabled and equipped, to meet the challenges,” says Henry.
Head of the Guidance Counselling Unit of St George’s College, Ms. Lorrie-Ann Vernal, is championing the call for the programme to be part of schools’ curriculum but notes that schools, more increasingly, will have to accept that childhood gambling is an issue.
“Given the school environment and the very aspirations, there are schools in denial – just to save face…which really does not help.,” says Vernal.
The training seminars, according to St Andrew Technical guidance counsellor Grant, are quite enlightening, and in participating for the first time in the two day session for Region One schools of Kingston and St Andrew, there was, for him and others, a greater understanding of the nature of the problems. ‘It is not,’ he says, ‘something in isolation.’
‘It is a need in all schools and should be mandatory for all counsellors – and it should be ongoing. It can’t be a one-off thing – and it’s especially needed at the beginning of a school year.’
For further information contact:
Wendy Robertson
Manager, Corporate Affairs & Communication
Betting Gaming & Lotteries Commission
78cef Hagley Park Rd; Kingston 10
Em: wendy.robertson@bglc.gov.jm; Cell: 876-552-9977
The Betting Gaming and Lotteries Commission (BGLC), to mark the 20th staging of the BGLC sponsored Emancipation Race Day, August 1st, 2024, will be honouring Racehorse Grooms.
In saluting the Grooms, the BGLC will be making a special contribution to development initiatives of the Grooms Association on the event day donating to the programme to assist injured and ailing grooms and to the recruitment drive to engage young people in surrounding and other selected communities to be registered and licensed grooms. Members of the Association will also be special guests of the gaming regulator during the Race Day event.
The BGLC Executive Director Vitus Evans says the organization is pleased to continue to demonstrate its support for this vital sector and honour the grooms for their noteworthy contribution. ‘We hold the grooms in very high regard and are delighted to put their important contributions at the forefront of this, our signature event,’ he said.
Grooms Association President, Fabian White, welcomed the additional contribution of the BGLC, stating that the Commission, along with other horse racing stakeholders, was placing a much needed spotlight on the sector and the significant challenges faced by the grooms. ‘It’s a lot that is really being asked of the groom to look after and help prepare horses for racing. I hope this welcome contribution from the BGLC will spur the other stakeholders to take similar action.’
Now in its 20th staging, the BGLC Race Day has become one of the most highly anticipated and best supported events on the Caymanas Park racing calendar.
The feature races include the BGLC Trophy with a purse of $2 million, and the Emancipation Day Trophy. This year, for the first time, 2-year old horses will be running, thereby allowing fans and punters to see the up and coming young charges that will be attracting their interest and support in the future.
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:
- Children and youth are aware of and engaging in gambling related activity to a greater extent and greater numbers than previously thought.
- Most of the awareness about gambling is as a direct result of marketing and advertising of gambling and gambling related products.
- An overwhelming majority of respondents are not fully aware of the risks related to gambling.
- 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.
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
