In October last year a law was signed into effect to allow two casinos in Samoa, one on each of the country’s two main islands. Plans are now under discussion for a tender process for the construction and operation of the casino facilities. Samoan Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi, is also the minister in charge of casinos and on 9 May at the Fourth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries he said, “Samoa needs a dynamic economy and income generating activities to create sustainable growth and employment opportunities.”
Despite believing that gambling should be a personal choice, the government has bowed to pressure from church groups, some opposition politicians and local anti-gambling groups and decided that the casinos will be open to foreigners only. The Gambling Control Authority will be established to ensure adherence to the law banning locals from gambling at the casinos. The Gambling and Casino Control Bill allows for casinos to be operated by hotels.
In March 2010 the Problem Gambling Association of New Zealand stated that casinos in Samoa were likely to come with a high social cost to local people. Graeme Ramsey, Problem Gambling Foundation CEO, commented, “It has been reported that the legislation in
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Samoa will allow only holders of foreign passports to enter casinos. There are more Samoans eligible for a New Zealand passport than Samoans with a Samoan passport. We know from experience that it is locals that are the backbone of casinos and there will be pressure to allow locals into the casino in due course.”
The prevalence of problem gambling is six times higher among Pacific than for European New Zealanders. When pokie machines were introduced in New Zealand, the country’s Pacific people became the most at-risk ethnic group to develop problem or pathological gambling behaviours. Research is ongoing in Samoa to define casino regulations and requirements. (E-07.18.11)
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