A “pressing need” remains for Bermudians to get educated if the Island is to run its own gaming industry.

Steve Simons, the manager of the Spinning Wheel nightclub and instructor at the independently funded Bermuda Gaming School, is adamant that training must begin now so that locals are not left out when casinos open.

A veteran of the gambling hub Atlantic City, Mr Simons has been interested in gaming for most of his life.

Even if a venue proves ineligible for a casino licence, he believes he can help them conform to gaming legislation. “I’ve been trying to start this school for ten years,” Mr Simons told The Royal Gazette.

Along with his brother Bruce, Mr Simons teaches introductory blackjack and Crown & Anchor at the Court Street betting shop Paradise Games.

Long a proponent of a gaming school, he has aligned himself with schools across the United States so that Bermudians can run their own industry.

“It’s not rocket science. Anyone can do it. We’ve already been gifted to have hospitality in our DNA. We were the leading island in hospitality for years, and we can bring that back.”

His fear is that current plans will exclude locals, leaving licences in the hands of foreign operators.

He believes the range of spinoff jobs associated with gaming would enable two casinos to offer employment to the Island’s jobless.

“We need to train now, so that when this happens we have a workforce that’s ready,” Mr Simons said, estimating it would take a local five years to reach manager level when it should take 18 months.

“It’s going to take five or six years just to adapt to the new industry,” he said.

“They’ll have 300 to 500 people housed in Bermuda that don’t need to be here, for doing these games.”

He said he took his case to tourism minister Shawn Crockwell in 2013 but has received no response.

Mr Simons added that Court Street businesses are often left “out of the loop” when it came to tourism.

“It’s nothing different though. I’m used to this. Just like the owner of Spinning Wheel. He’s been here 40 years. I look at the obstacles they put in front of this man and he’s still here, he’s still going.”

The Island’s racial history has left serious economic disparities, he said of black-owned businesses. “We’re not only educationally at a deficit, we’re at a terrible financial deficit and you can’t do anything without resources.”

With 25 years’ work at the Spinning Wheel under his belt, Mr Simons said people of colour were justified in feeling irate, but needed to pull together to help one another.

“They won’t all be doctors or scientists or attorneys, but they can reach their level of competence,” Mr Simons said.

“With my knowledge of gaming I know the revenue that can be made in a quick time, so with that revenue I’m going to do what I can to elevate the consciousness of our people while enhancing our community.

“We’ll have that America’s Cup show and it will be twice as bright up here. It will be lit right up.”

Describing himself as a firm believer in peoples’ inherent ability to make the right choices, he reiterated the need for thorough training in the impending gaming industry.

“We don’t have to have poverty here and joblessness,” he said.

“I would advise them to be sincere and get a programme started on training people.”

But strong leadership, openness and diplomacy would be required, Mr Simons said.

“There should have been a referendum, but they didn’t want to educate people.

“If you’re not going to educate them, you can’t ask them to vote on something that they’re not familiar with.”

He said 75 per cent of gaming-related jobs should be set aside for Bermudians .

“We need legislation to protect Bermudians in this new industry, because it’s going to be here forever. It’s not coming and going.”