When each of the political parties said during the election campaign that they would hold a referendum on gambling for Bahamians and legal residents in The Bahamas if elected, many thought that the referendum referred to would put on the table the full issue for the people to decide upon.
The Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) won the election and it is now in power. Prime Minister Perry Christie has committed to holding the referendum, but it won’t be on the full issue of gambling.
There are at least three mainstream forms of gambling: sports betting, casino gambling and lotteries. Based on the statements of the prime minister it appears as if the referendum will only be on lotteries.
The hotels have long opposed Bahamians being allowed to use casinos. At the heart of it, there has always been a fear by some that regular Bahamians would not know how to behave in a casino. Therefore, according to those who hold this position, Bahamians should be barred.
This is a bizarre position to hold in that Bahamians can rent the most expensive rooms in hotels and spend tens of thousands of dollars per night, or they can lavish friends in the most expensive hotel restaurants or nightclubs, spending additional tens of thousands of dollars at a time, and this is fine. But these same people would argue a Bahamian would not know how to behave if he lost $50 at a slot machine.
A major problem with the current system we have of allowing illegal gaming is that it perpetuates a culture of lawlessness and duplicity in The Bahamas. We say we are a land of laws, yet we allow an industry to operate openly in violation of the law. Finally holding a referendum on gambling should be viewed as the moment to once and for all decide what we want to do on the issue as a people. Either it is legal or illegal. By only voting on one type of gambling we risk legalizing that type of wagering and leaving the other types to continue to flourish as open illegal operations.
While the numbers business is likely the biggest of the forms of gambling in The Bahamas, many Bahamians also regularly engage in illegal casino play and sports wagering.
Why not put the full question to the people? If they say yes, it is legal. We then regulate it, tax it and move on. If they say no, we should move to shut down the whole industry.
A rigorous debate has already erupted between the church and those who seek to legalize numbers. This is good. Such a momentous vote should be preceded by a fierce back and forth between the sides.
However, we must take time to consider what it is we are going to vote for in this referendum. Referenda are supposed to put difficult and momentous issues before the people in order for them to make what sometimes is a once in a generation decision. Will we resolve this issue by only posing a part of the question?
Editorial from The Nassau Guardian
