Web shops may be shut down for as long as three months if the January 28 gambling referendum passes, to give the government time to properly regulate the sector, Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe said.
Wilchcombe, who has ministerial oversight for gaming, said the government would need between 30 and 90 days to process and approve web shop licenses, among other things.
When asked if web shops will stay open during the transition process, he said, “Instinctively, I say no.”
He added: “I don’t think they will be able to because we’ll have to put everything in place and we have to issue licenses for it.
“Technically, nobody has a license for it right now. Don’t forget the fee for the license has to be paid and the license will have to be issued. So all that will come subsequent if the answer is yes.
Prime Minister Perry Christie has said web shops could face up to $1 million in licensing fees and a performance bond. He has also said that only a small number of web shops will be licensed in a regulated market.
The government could gain $15 million to $20 million a year if web shops are taxed, according to the prime minister.
