January 2019 Business View Caribbean

14 15 may not want to throw on your smart shoes and go into a dark casino. Online gambling is largely legalized in the majority of Caribbean countries with land-based casinos. However if you are travelling to an island or a country that you’re unsure of, double check the laws regarding online gambling before you travel. The next big gambling destination Two years ago the government in Jamaica legalized all forms of land-based gambling and since then, two of the three major casino developers in the region have applied for a license to build super casinos in the country. At time of writing there are six cities with gambling facilities and eight establishments in total on the island. Variation is pretty sparse on the island but all that is expected to change in due course when planned developments get off the ground. Can the Caribbean reap the economic benefits of gambling? Countries such as the United Kingdom have benefited enormously from the tax revenues and jobs that the gambling industry has brought to the nation. The gross gambling yield of the UK in 2017 was estimated to be over £15 billion with a good percentage of that being taxable by the government. In addition, thousands of jobs have been provided in the UK either directly through jobs relating to the gambling industry or through advertising related to it. Also, online gambling has created plenty of jobs and interest in gambling. Land-based casinos are lesser used in the UK as the vast majority of punters avail from the wide selection of games available from online casino providers. The majority of Caribbean countries are expected to legalize online gambling in due course, which will bring a financial boost to OPENING LINES those countries, although focusing on land- based casinos could prove to be more fruitful for the Caribbean in making it a tourist destination. Large casinos will not just bring money into the gambling industry but also into the local area with more and more tourists descending upon these islands. Summary The Caribbean is a fantastic destination to go and relax, soak in the sun, and unwind. But that’s not enough for everyone; sometimes people require a little bit more to their holidays and the Caribbean is starting to provide this in terms of gambling. Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and the north coast of Colombia are all fantastic locations to combine tropical paradises with some of the best gambling games in the world. Although more and more countries in the region are beginning to legalize online gambling, which could be better suited to a tropical paradise hotel than an actual visit to a land-based casino. Plus, if you win a big glut of money while you’re away, you could afford to pay for another trip to the Caribbean.