GAMING CONTROL (AMENDMENT) BILL PASSED TO SUPPORT THE LAUNCH OF THE NATIONAL LOTTERIES AUTHORITY

BASSETERRE, Saint Kitts, July 31, 2025 (SKNIS) – The National Assembly of Saint Kitts and Nevis today, July 31, 2025, passed the Gaming Control (Amendment) Bill, 2025, a vital piece of legislation aimed at supporting the operational rollout of the National Lotteries Authority (NLA).

In leading the debate, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew, described the amendment as a “technical but necessary refinement” to the Gaming Control Act, designed to remove administrative redundancies and ensure a smooth regulatory environment for the NLA’s operations.

“Let me be absolutely clear, Madam Deputy Speaker: this exemption is not a loosening of oversight, nor is it an invitation to regulatory laxity,” Prime Minister Drew stated. “Rather, it is a targeted refinement that recognises the distinct statutory regime under which the NLA operates.”

The amendment introduces a new subsection (4) into Section 18 of the Gaming Control Act (Cap. 17.01), which exempts the National Lotteries Authority and its licensed operators from the annual gaming licence renewal process normally required for private entities. This allows the Gaming Commission to issue a multi-year licence to the NLA.

Prime Minister Drew explained that while private gaming operators must undergo detailed annual licence renewal, including updated due diligence, shareholder disclosures, and employee verifications, such requirements are unnecessary for a statutory public authority like the NLA, which is already subject to a robust framework of financial reporting, ministerial oversight, and parliamentary accountability under its enabling legislation.

“These provisions are appropriate for private sector operators. However, applying them to the NLA would create unnecessary duplication—since the NLA’s governance and renewal mechanisms are already embedded within the National Lotteries Authority Act, and subject to direct oversight by the Minister of Finance and, ultimately, this Honourable House,” the Mover of the Bill said.

Dr. Drew reaffirmed that the Gaming Commission retains full regulatory authority over the National Lotteries Authority. This includes monitoring for anti-money laundering compliance, systemic risk mitigation, and overall integrity of the gaming sector.

“The Commission continues to play a vital role in ensuring compliance with anti-money laundering laws, financial probity, and systemic risk mitigation—even in relation to the NLA,” the prime minister emphasised. “What this amendment does is streamline procedural oversight, not remove it.”

The passage of the Gaming Control (Amendment) Bill, 2025 comes just minutes after the successful debate and passage of the National Lotteries Authority Bill, 2025, which establishes a properly managed lottery system to ensure that all lottery revenues—estimated at EC$70 million annually—remain within the Federation.

“We are aligning ourselves with a modern, risk-based approach to regulation—one that distinguishes between private profit-making enterprises and public-benefit statutory bodies,” Dr. Drew concluded.

With both Bills now passed, the Government of Saint Kitts and Nevis has completed the legal foundation for launching the NLA, ensuring strong regulatory integrity while unlocking new revenue streams for the public’s benefit.

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