Targeting tourists rather than local players (Grenada)

1) Policy construction: "casino-in-hotel"

Casinos in Grenada are only allowed as part of a minimum 300-room hotel accredited by the Grenada Tourism Authority or a minister-designated resort. This is directly spelled out in Casino Gaming Act 2014 and programmatically orients the market towards the flow of guests, rather than local demand.

This logic is complemented by a "small" framework for non-casino segments: Gaming Regulations SRO 48/2016 allow licensing slot machines only as stand-alone and prohibit their connection to the central network, which limits the scale of local gaming halls.

To administer the regime in 2017, the Gaming Secret was created under the Ministry of Justice (St. Georges) - the official "front office" for the industry.

2) Why it orients the market to the tourist

High threshold 300 + numbers. Such an object is built under international demand; the local market itself is small. The presence of a threshold makes the model economically justified primarily for resorts with a strong load from tourists.

Actual picture. The island's largest active resort, Royalton Grenada, has 269 rooms, that is, below the threshold. While there is no 300 + resort, not a single casino is open, which again cuts off the "local" casino formats.

Discreet "small" formats. The ban on network machines (stand-alone only) deprives the halls of large accumulative jackpots and network promotions - a typical "local" driver. This further shifts the focus of politics towards a major tourism project, where casinos are only part of the overall resort product.

3) What remains for local players "here and now"

National Lotteries (NLA). The state operator runs Lotto, Super 6 and other products; official results and services are published online. This is the main mass and legal "home" format.

Small slot halls. Possible under license, but only with autonomous machines (without a central network), with age control and reporting. In practice, these are small sites with a limited lineup.

4) Practical effects of such a model

For the economy and development

A casino resort with 300 + rooms creates jobs and multipliers (F&B, transport, MICE), but requires a high CAPEX and external tourist flow for payback. The threshold "cuts" small projects, leaving the goal - a large tourist cluster.

For local consumer

For local players, the choice is limited to lotteries and small slot rooms; "large casino at home" is not provided for by law. This reduces the social risks of "home" gambling, but limits the entertainment offer for residents.

For regulation

Supervision concentrates on several large applicants (when they appear) and on compliance with clear rules for small formats; the operating load of the regulator is lower than with many small casinos in cities.

5) Prospects: What it takes for casinos to appear

Appearance of 300 + resort. As soon as the 300 + hotel/resort is commissioned on the island, the path to the first casino license will open. So far, the largest facility is 269 rooms.

Maintaining a "tourist" focus. Even with the launch of the first casino, the model will remain guest-centric: the location is a resort, not a city; the product is part of a complex recreation, and not a local slot hall.

6) Short conclusions

The legal link "casino = only in a 300 + hotel" and the ban on network slots make Grenada's policy tourist-centric by design.

There will be no casino until the resort meets the threshold; the legal "home" segment is NLA lotteries and small halls with autonomous machines.

Sources used

Casino Gaming Act 2014 - casino permission only in hotels/resorts of 300 + rooms (official publication).

Gaming Regulations SRO 48/2016 - licenses, forms and prohibition of central networks for slot machines (stand-alone only).

Gaming Secretariat Established - government notifications about the creation of the Secretariat (contact point for applicants).

Royalton Grenada - confirmation of the scale of 269 rooms (the largest operating resort at the time of publication).

National Lotteries Authority (NLA) - official pages with products and results (Super 6, etc.).