Premier Ewart Brown tabled a Green Paper on ‘Gaming For Bermuda’ in the House of Assembly this morning.

The paper was based on a feasibility study conducted by The Innovation Group who looked at the potential impact of relaxing the Island’s anti-gaming laws last year.

The New Orleans-based consultants’ $300,000 study determined that casinos might be an appropriate fit for Bermuda, however a lottery or an Internet gaming scheme would not achieve Government’s primary goal of “stimulating increased tourism”.

“The evidence is clear from other jurisdictions that given the right legislative policies, tax structures and operating environment, casino gaming can be a catalyst for additional tourism development,” the study concluded.

Legislation regulating gaming will be tabled in the third term of the legislative session, with a Bill tabled in time for debate in July.

Government is now encouraging residents to submit comments on the Green Paper via e-mail, greenpaper@gov.bm.

For the full story see tomorrow’s Royal Gazette.