Comparison with other small island countries (Grenada)
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1) Starting point: where is Grenada now
Offline: small gaming halls at hotels/in tourist clusters; bet on slots, limited - board games.
Online: the actual "gray zone" - access to offshore sites without local licensing and fiscal returns.
Economy: contribution is a local multiplier (employment, F&B, services), and online potential is not monetized.
Challenge: how to develop without overheating social risks and at the same time increase the tax base and tourist value.
2) Quick cut across "similar" jurisdictions
Conclusion: Grenada is closer to St. Lucia/St. Kitts/Barbados in an offline profile, but it can take lessons from Antigua (about online monetization) and take into account the latest Curacao reforms (about compliance standards).
3) Regulatory models: what works in small markets
1. Light offline + tight control
Low entrance barrier for small halls (reasonable license/annual fees), but strict RG/KYC/AML and inspections.
Grenada is suitable now - it supports tourism without "twisting" rates.
2. B2C online licenses (phased)
Start with a limited pool of licenses, moderate GGR tax (10-15%), public register, monthly reporting.
Case: Antigua - visible fiscal effect and new jobs.
3. B2B-cluster
Licenses to software vendors/payments/call centers, without GGR tax, but with audit.
A plus for Grenada: digital jobs, low physical CAPEX, anti-seasonality.
4) Taxes and fees: "golden mean"
Small island economies are holding moderate GGR rates and understandable annual fees so as not to push demand offshore.
RG-levy (0.5-1% GGR) and compliance fee fund oversight rather than the budget "as a whole."
For pilots online, it is reasonable to limit the number of licenses and annually revise the parameters for KPI.
5) Tourism and product
St. Lucia, Aruba: evening "anchor" - slots/live tables + F&B, bingo/show, seasonal campaigns.
Antigua: Added "iGaming-jurisdiction" marketing effect.
Grenada can scale: Caribbean themes (spices/sea/music), "Beach Bingo" bingo nights, mini-tournaments for cruisers, MICE packages.
6) Responsible play and social contract
Neighbors' best practices include:- Public RG policies, hotlines, self-exclusion, deposit/time limits, staff training.
- RG fund from industry deductions (not from the general budget).
- Reporting: how much has been collected and what has been spent (sports, culture, prevention).
7) Payments and fintech
Tourist islands converge on the mix: cards (NFC/Apple/Google Pay), e-wallets, stablecoins from online operators.
"Pain" regions - MCC 7995 and card failures; solution - multimid acquiring, cascading payment gateways and clear KYC logic.
For online - the principle of "deposit = withdrawal," verification of the source of funds, minimizing disputes.
8) Manpower and employment
Offline: dealers, slot technology, cash desk, security, marketing, compliance.
Online/B2B: support 24/7, risk/fraud, KYC operatives, CRM/content, DevOps/QA.
Successful jurisdictions launch dealer academies and iGaming classes (short courses for real vacancies).
9) Risks and how neighbors reduce them
10) What Grenada can take "as is"
1. B2C pilot (5-10 licenses) + monthly reports and registry, GGR 10-15%, RG-levy 0.5-1%.
2. B2B licenses for support/content/payments: low annual fees, strict due diligence.
3. Tourist formats: bingo nights, mini tournaments, Caribbean live tables, co-marketing with cruises.
4. Industry Academy: dealers/cash desk/appliances + short iGaming modules (support, KYC, CRM).
5. Transparency: regulator's annual report, KPI-panel (fiscal, RG, employment).
11) Roadmap (18-30 months)
Stage 1 (0-6 months)
Offline audit, draft framework, consultations with hoteliers/banks/social partners.
Stage 2 (6-12 months)
Launch: offline rule update (RG/compliance), B2C online pilot, B2B registry start, public license portal.
Stage 3 (12-24 months)
iGaming class for 20-30 seats, co-marketing with cruises, UX standard for slot zones, first KPI reports.
Stage 4 (24-30 months)
Expansion of the license pool upon KPI achievement, in-depth audit, adjustment of rates/fees, B2B scaling.
12) Short comparison of strategies
13) Withdrawal
Compared to its neighbors, Grenada already has the "right" offline tourist product - chamber halls, evening demand, a bundle with F & B. The next step is a moderate, phased online framework with a focus on transparency, Responsible Gaming and a B2B cluster. This will replicate the best practices of small island economies without copying their risks, and turn iGaming from a "leak" into a controlled source of income, employment and reputational capital for the Caribbean Spice Island.