Bermuda’s pink sand beaches and turquoise waters are no longer enough to lure tourists. The island needs a casino or three.
Bermuda Casino Gaming Commission (BCGC) executive director Richard Schuetz believes that casinos would help the island get ahead in tourism.
“There would be free media if that happens. That would be news. That would help put this place on the map,” Schuetz told the Royal Gazette. “Secondly, [the interested operators] have a name for a reason. They deliver. They win.”
Casino gaming is now legal in Bermuda after the act permitting the operation of casinos passed in December 2014. According to the legislation, no more than three casinos can be in operation, but BCGC chairman Alan Dunch has confirmed that “exploratory talks” were taking place with five major international casino operators.
Shawn Crockwell, Bermuda’s tourism minister, said that Casino Gaming Act of 2014 “represents a significant and critical adjustment to our tourism product and to Bermuda as a destination.” He also expressed hope that the first casino would open in time for the 35th America’s Cup in 2017.
The initial set of regulations are expected to formed this year, which will pave way to processing applications by the end of the first quarter of 2016.
Casinos could be a job creator for Bermuda
Using the Singapore model, Schuetz expects the casino industry to generate 22,000 direct jobs and 40,000 related jobs, with most jobs being filled with trained Bermudians.
“And there is a whole variety of jobs. You may say you want to be a dealer, but there’s got to be someone to carry the chips. There’s got to be a pit assistance keeping tracks on the games,” added Schuetz. “There’s going to be surveillance, generally food and beverage. Slot technicians. It’s amazing the number of jobs. Casinos are labor-intensive products, so they need a lot of bodies.”
