Speculation is mounting that Premier Dr. Ewart Brown could soon be ready to put the bill allowing gaming on cruise ships to a Parliamentary vote.

In March Dr. Brown had to withdraw the bill midway after it faced certain defeat with rebel Progressive Labour Party MPs lined up to join the Opposition in a free vote.

However, last week a letter was leaked to the press indicating that cruise line Holland America (HA) had been disappointed about the failure of Government to get the law passed.

It would have allowed casinos onboard ships to open from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. while in port here.

Shadow Immigration Minister Shawn Crockwell said he expected the bill, which has lain on the order paper for weeks, would be debated on Friday with the Opposition still lined up against it.

He said: "I know the Premier is reaching out. It's going to come up soon, you can't just continually hold it over.

"At some point you have to demonstrate it has support or withdraw it, so if not this week then the following week I expect it to come up."

Mr. Crockwell said the UBP felt the the bill was unconstitutional because it discriminated against establishments in Bermuda who might like to offer gambling but could not.

In today's paper (see page 4), PLP chairman David Burt said the legislation would vastly enhance the Government's ability to attract cruise ships to Hamilton and St. George's.

He said HA is committed to Hamilton and St. George's for 2010 with 24 visits.

"That's about $8.3 million in revenue for Bermuda.

"However, the bosses at HA are waiting to see how MPs vote on shipboard gaming before deciding what to do about 2011 and beyond.

"Without casinos, they'll probably go somewhere else. You can't blame them.

"Bermuda is a unique cruise destination. Ships do not arrive at 8 a.m. and depart at 5 p.m. They stay overnight. If we want to have more cruise ships overnight we need to be flexible.

"We cannot expect cruise ships to come to Bermuda if they can make more money on a multi-island itinerary where casinos are open while the ships are at sea sailing to the next destination."

And Mr. Burt said, in the mega-ship era, finding cruise ships small enough to fit into Hamilton and St. George's was a tough business.

He claimed the Corporations of Hamilton and St. George's, the Chamber of Commerce and the West End Development Corporation all supported the bill, and he lambasted the United Bermuda Party, in particularly Senator Michael Dunkley, for opposing it.

"We will probably lose the only dedicated ship for Hamilton and St. George's if the 'defeat whatever' strategy continues.

"By the way, another cruise line is interested in St. George's for 2011, but it too is waiting to see if the best interest of the country can trump politics."

And Mr. Burt claimed Norwegian has written to say they're sticking with Bermuda, but without gaming legislation they'll leave Dockyard one night early so they can open their casinos once out at sea.

Some believe that the recession has strengthened the Premier's hand, allowing him to make the argument that Bermuda can't afford to be choosy about business.

But Wayne Perinchief, who was vocal in opposing the bill in March, said: "There are lots of people on those ships with very little disposable income.

"The most they will probably do is take a bus ride to Horseshoe Bay and buy a hamburger, they might take a tour.

"How does it help us if people stay aboard ships gambling?"

And Mr. Perinchief said the Caribbean, which had held the line against allowing gambling in port, would not be happy if Bermuda lowered its standards.

Amid speculation that the Premier might move the vote from a conscience vote, in which MPs don't have to follow the party line, to a three-line whip where MPs must toe the party line or face sanction, Mr. Perinchief said: "It would be futile, I don't think anyone would pay attention to it."

Mr. Perinchief, along with former Premier Alex Scott and backbencher Patrice Minors spoke out against the bill in March.

St. George's Mayor Mariah Caisey said gambling would encourage the cruise lines to pick Bermuda.

"It would be something visitors could do, right now Bermuda doesn't have very much nightlife.

"We need to have visitors here, we should do everything in our power to accommodate them."

She said the Old Towne needed the $250,000 each cruise ship brings.

Normally there are two per season, this year there is one spending three days in port.

"We don't have one cruise ship coming next year. The Norwegian Majesty is being sold."

Gambling was a personal choice, said Ms Caisey, and people would just gamble online and send the money overseas if it remained illegal here.

Hamilton Mayor Sutherland Madeiros said: "Gambling is not going to help anyone in Hamilton at all, it's debatable whether it will hurt anyone.

"I believe if gambling ships are in Dockyard the chances of people coming into Hamilton are less."

He said the Corporation members had mixed views on gambling and no consensus had emerged. "I don't think it's make or break."

Asked if the cruise ship gambling bill was likely to re-emerge on Friday one PLP backbencher said: "It's an outside possibility, maybe the Premier feels he has made headway the last indication I had was that he had not.

"But there is some suggestion that he had picked up some Opposition support."