The Bahamas lie not far from the Florida Keys and offer tourists a paradise where they can enjoy an abundance of beauty and many forms of entertainment. With more than 350,000 residents, the Bahamas rely on those tourists for much of their income.
With more than 700 islands, there are also a handful of casinos where tourists can go to spend their time. The revenue generated from those casinos help the Bahamas sustain themselves. The area sees times throughout the year, such as the summer and autumn months when weather conditions and threats of hurricanes bring a huge decline in profits from tourists.
“During the hurricane season, when nobody wants to travel to the Bahamas, we still have thousands of employees to support; we still have hundreds of local vendors and contractors to pay,” said Uri Clinton, a representative for the Baha Mar Casino & Hotel.
This has led to a push toward online gambling legislation which would allow the country to generate tax revenue during those down seasons when things are slow.
Next month there will be a conference held which will be entitled “Shrinking the Global Divide: Synergy, Service and Sustainability.” Online gaming in the Bahamas is one of the topics which will be discussed at this conference. It is set to take place September 18th through the 20th and will be held at the Atlantis Paradise Island Resort. Uri Clinton will speak at the event, providing information on online gambling and its legalization from a global perspective.
Online gambling could prove to be a big boost to the Bahamas revenue. It would allow for continuous revenue during those times when the weather patterns lead to a slowdown of tourism. The Bahamas are a great example of a jurisdiction that could greatly benefit from the legalization of online casinos and online poker rooms.
With the conference scheduled for next month, many are waiting to see what will come from the discussions set to take place. The Bahamas could very well be next in line to jump on the online gambling band wagon which could bring the region some relief during slow times.