Cayman Islands Legislators Table New Anti-Illegal Gambling Bill

Cayman Islands lawmakers Seem to clamp down on illegal gambling with Heavier fines

The new Gambling (Amendment) Bill 2018 aims to revise provisions in the Cayman Islands’ present Gambling Law that were not amended since the original enactment of law in 1964. The piece of legislation will be discussed in another meeting of the Legislative Assembly, which is scheduled to take place in November. The bill is now a subject of public consultation that will stay open before the upcoming Legislative Assembly discussion.

The bit concerns every individual involved at all in gambling activities, from people who conduct such tasks to gamblers. Under the bill, penalties to the possession and use of premises for the provision of gambling services, the book of lottery numbers, and handling proceeds from gambling activities would increase from $400 to $10,000. Additionally, the maximum prison time for individuals caught to have been involved in any of the above mentioned violations would increase from a few decades.

Penalties for participation in public lottery, that’s enjoying or being seen in an illegal lottery establishment, would increase from $10 to $2,500, although the maximum prison sentence would increase from two to six months.

No Online Gambling Provisions

While the Gambling (Amendment) Bill 2018 contains extensive provisions regarding the conduction and participation of lottery (amount ) games in land-based institutions across the Cayman Islands, it does not specify whether those very same provisions apply to internet gambling.

According to analysts, lottery games are extremely popular with Cayman Island inhabitants, but online gambling on offshore websites could actually be where the greater part of gambling money is spent. The Gambling (Amendment) Bill in its current form does not specify whether gambling online or the provision of online gambling services would be charged.

The concentrate on lottery games has been justified with the fact it is a lot simpler to identify and locate people who gamble or provide on this type of activities since they are usually conducted at neighborhood shops, bars, or private homes.

Lawmakers have over the decades suggested the introduction of a national lottery that would contribute capital to good causes, but such suggestions have failed to get sufficient traction in the Cayman Islands’ Legislative Assembly.

Growing crime rates are among the principal reasons why lawmakers and local governments have claimed the current status of gambling on the Cayman Islands. According to local authorities, there’s been a steady rise in the amount of all gambling-related incidents. Additionally, “a strong connection between particular crimes and gambling activities” has been identified by police.

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