Jamaica completed a long-awaited legislative milestone. The Senate approved the General Casino Gaming Regulations of 2025, closing the parliamentary cycle that had begun in February with the backing of the House of Representatives. The country now has the necessary legal framework to operate land-based casinos, fourteen years after the Casino Gaming Act of 2010 laid the groundwork for the sector without it ever materializing. However, the country’s first casino still has no opening date.
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A parliamentary debate focused on player protection
During the Senate session, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith defended the regulations, highlighting that the included measures were designed to protect customer well-being and ensure the integrity of operations. She emphasized that the Casino Gaming Commission (CGC) will be responsible for ensuring compliance with international standards for financial crime prevention.
For his part, Senator Dr. Elon Thompson praised the regulations as a careful balance between fostering investment and entertainment, and maintaining accountability within the sector. Thompson noted that the new framework represents a shift in regulatory stance: moving from passive oversight to active harm minimization.
Specific safeguards include prohibiting participation by intoxicated individuals, mandatory procedures for handling minors on premises, and requirements for detailed monitoring of customer activity along with formal dispute resolution mechanisms.
What the new regulations establish
The General Casino Gaming Regulations of 2025 define in detail the operation of the CGC and establish licensing requirements, reporting protocols, fee structures, and the regulatory body’s oversight powers. The framework also aims to improve transparency and accountability within the market, two pillars that Jamaican authorities consider fundamental for building trust among investors and citizens.
The CGC and its agreement with the Financial Investigations Division
In March, CGC Executive Director Cleveland Allen reaffirmed the body’s commitment to building the sector on solid foundations. In this context, the Commission signed a memorandum of understanding with Jamaica’s Financial Investigations Division, aimed at strengthening information exchange and reinforcing oversight of financial crime risks before the opening of the first casino.
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Princess Hotels and Resorts: the operator that will usher in the era of casinos in Jamaica
All attention is focused on the Spanish hotel group Princess Hotels and Resorts, which will be the first operator to receive a license under the Casino Gaming Act. The establishment will operate within the Princess Grand Jamaica complex, an integrated development valued at $400 million located in Green Island, in the parish of Hanover.
However, the project has accumulated consecutive delays. In June 2024, the Senior Advisor to the Ministry of Tourism, Delano Seiveright, anticipated an opening for mid to late 2025. Enzo Pezzoli, General Manager of Princess Hotels and Resorts, later corrected that forecast and pointed to the first quarter of 2026. Neither of the two dates was met.
Pezzoli attributed the delays to the complexity of finalizing regulatory documentation with the CGC and technical challenges in setting up gaming equipment. To date, no confirmed opening date has been announced.
A liberalization process that goes beyond land-based casinos
The approval of the casino regulations is part of a broader effort by the Jamaican government to liberalize and modernize its gaming industry. This process also covers the online gaming segment, although comprehensive regulation of that market is still under development.
With the regulatory framework now defined, Jamaica’s challenge is to translate this legislative progress into operational reality and concretize the effective start of its casino industry, an objective that remains pending after years of postponements.
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