Government Senator Dr Elon Thompson says the Holness administration has struck the right balance between promoting investment, commerce and entertainment, and putting in place mechanisms to ensure accountability and responsible conduct with the Casino Gaming Regulations.

Dr Thompson made the observation during a sitting of the Senate on Friday and shortly before as the Upper House approved the Casino Gaming (General) Regulations 2025.

The regulations will govern the Casino Gaming Act which was enacted in 2010.

Senator Thompson noted that the regulations set out the foundational rules for the Casino Gaming Commission’s administrative processes, licensee obligations, record-keeping and reporting, regulatory fees and procedures, inspection and enforcement powers, and general standards to ensure the industry operates in an orderly and transparent manner.

“There is a genuine fear that casino gaming will lead to addiction, financial distress, and social dislocation. That fear must be respected. But it must also be examined against what the law actually does. These Regulations do not ignore these risks, they anticipate them and legislate directly to address them. They expressly require systems to safeguard player health and to prevent or manage problem gaming behaviours,” Senator Thompson commented.

He outlined further safeguards which the Casino regulations will put in place.

“They prohibit participation by intoxicated persons. They mandate procedures for dealing with minors. They require detailed tracking of patron activity, dispute resolution mechanisms, and reporting structures that ensure patterns of harm do not go unnoticed. When one reads these provisions alongside the Responsible Gaming Framework which may be found on the Casino Gaming Commission Website, the policy intent becomes even clearer.The Framework is not a peripheral document. It is an anchor of the regime,” Thompson reasoned.

He argued that the casino regulatory framewwork recognises that while many individuals can engage in gaming responsibly, others are vulnerable due to psychological, social, or economic factors, and may struggle to make informed decisions.

Thompson says that recognition is critical, because it shifts the approach from passive regulation to active harm minimisation.

Senator Thompson highlighted that the casino regulatory and legal framework establishes a three-tiered model of protection that addresses the individual, the organisation, and the wider community.

He noted that the framework requires that patrons are not only allowed to participate, but are equipped with the information necessary to understand the risks.

“The framework requires that operators build internal systems capable of identifying and responding to problematic behaviour. And it requires collaboration across institutions to ensure that prevention, detection, and treatment are not theoretical concepts, but operational realities,” Thompson told Parliament.