In response to concerns raised by licensees less than a year ago, the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission (BGLC) has relaxed its policy regarding fit and proper background checks on bartenders who work in prescribed gaming premises.

Effective April 1, 2016, licensing applications for Prescribed Premises Bartenders shall now include the following:

•  Prescribed Premises Worker Form - A
•  Copy Of National ID
•  Two (2) Passport-Size Photographs
• Application Fee of $500

Under the previous policy, bartenders who work in gaming establishments (large gaming lounges or small corner bars) were required  to undergo detailed fit and proper due diligence background checks, inclusive of obtaining  a police record and paying an annual  fee of $5,000 in order to be granted a licence from the BGLC.

The change was prompted by repeated complaints from licensees and operators in the gaming sector who felt that the policy was too onerous, particularly for smaller establishments who had high turnover rates for this category of staff.

According to BGLC’s Director of Licensing & Registration, Maurice Thompson, “This [bartender] policy was the leading topic of discussion during our all-island town hall meeting tour last year and we took careful note of the complaints from our licensees. After further consultations, we have come up with a policy that is more tolerable for all interests.”

In keeping with its new strategic direction, the BGLC has embraced a more customer-driven model which seeks to balance regulation with facilitation and enabling growth. The Commission conducts regular surveys to gather feedback from its licensees and intends to hold town hall tours on a biennial basis as a further means of engaging stakeholders.

The Betting, Gaming & Lotteries Commission is a statutory body of the Ministry of Finance, established in 1975 under the provisions of the Betting Gaming & Lotteries Act 1965 (Amended 2010) to regulate and control the conduct of betting, gaming and lotteries in Jamaica.