Legislation setting out how casino locations will be selected has been put before the House of Assembly.

The Casino Gaming (Designated Sites) Regulations 2015, tabled by Shawn Crockwell, the Minister of Tourism Development and Transport, details the process through which property owners can apply to make their property a designated site where a casino could be housed.

A designated site order does not itself allow for gaming to take place on the site, and should not be construed as an approval for a casino licence.

According to the legislation, parties interested in having their property deemed a designated casino site would have to submit a form with a non-refundable $50,000 fee to the responsible ministry.

Upon receiving the application, the minister will submit it to the Bermuda Casino Gaming Commission, who will consider the application and advise the minister if an order should be made.

Among the factors to be considered by the commission are the location’s suitability for an integrated resort or, if the site is already home to a resort, its suitability to operate a casino, with the burden being on the applicant to prove their case.

“The commission’s decision and advice to the minister shall be based on facts and circumstances known at the time the decision is made and may be subject to conditions that the commission deems reasonable in the public interest,” the regulations state.

“If a requirement made under this regulation is not complied with, the commission may refuse to consider or further consider the application concerned and may advise the minister to refuse to make a designated site order in respect of the application.”

If the commission does approve an application, the minister may make an order designating the site, but the legislation states that the minister is not bound to give reasons for decisions.