Jamaica’s first legalized casino is on track for a 2020 launch but Jamaica will not be marketed as a destination for casino high rollers.
Minister of tourism Edmund Bartlett says he is unsure if Jamaica is equipped to deal with the negative social impacts that comes with wholesale legalized gambling, however a small number of integrated casinos can be a money spinner for the tourism industry.
"We have shied away from gaming as a structured path of the tourism experience for a long time. The experiences that we have looked at in other places, we question very much whether or not we would be able ourselves to manage and be able to deal with the negative impact of it," Bartlett said.
Bartlett made the comments while addressing stakeholders at a hospitality and casino conference in Montego Bay.
Since legal gambling was first mooted several years ago, tourism has rebounded and is doing quite well without the lure of a casino resort.
"The fact is that casino for Jamaica is not a requirement for our growth but within the context of the integrated development model, casino gaming is a driver for exponential growth," Bartlett added.
"We do not see Jamaica ever becoming a casino destination but rather a destination in which casino gaming is available."
Casino gaming is expected to add about 2% to GDP over time, Bartlett says.
