Bahamas

The Bahamas regulates gambling under the Gaming Act 2014, passed by the House of Assembly in September 2014 by 25 votes to 7. The Act brought web shops, the local gaming houses that had operated outside the law, under licensing and tax, and kept the ban on residents gambling in casinos. Supervision rests with the Gaming Board for The Bahamas, set up in August 1969.

How Do Bahamians Bet on Sports?

Through licensed gaming house operators. The Government of The Bahamas lists seven licensed gaming house operators that run domestic online gaming, offering lotto, slots and sports betting, with all transactions carried out over the internet. The Act generally requires Bahamians to wager online. The Numbers Game, the lotto product web shops offered before 2014, is the exception and can be played over the counter for cash.

Can Residents Gamble in Casinos?

No. Casinos in The Bahamas are reserved for tourists, and the 2014 legislation kept the ban on residents playing in them, though residents may work there.

What Did the 2014 Law Cost Web Shops?

To make up for the years they ran without regulation, existing web shop operators had to pay business licence fees and gaming taxes covering six years of past operation, and the government expected about $25 million from penalties, back fees and application fees during the transition.