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Basic Law: Gaming, Racing and Betting Act (St Lucia)
Why not "Gaming, Betting and Lotteries Act"
The wording "Gaming, Betting and Lotteries Act" is often found due to confusion with the laws of other Caribbean countries (e.g. Jamaica). In St. Lucia, the correct name is Gaming, Racing and Betting Act, and lotteries are directly withdrawn from its operation and are regulated by a separate law on the National Lottery Authority.
Architecture of Law: What's Inside
The law is drawn up modularly - from general provisions to bylaws and equipment specifications.
PART 1 — Preliminaries. Short name, terms, scope: act "super sadit" former laws on gaming/betting; does not apply to the lottery provided by the National Lotteries Authority Act.
PART 2 - System Management. Creation and authority of the Gaming Authority/Board, racing and gaming committees, appointment of CEO/CFO/COO, inspectors; conflict of interest and MoU. (Part reformatted by Act 24 of 2019 amendments.)
PART 3 - Licensing. License requirement, categories (casino/betting operator, distributor/equipment manufacturer), provisional license, public announcement and objections, investigation, Council recommendation → Cabinet decision, restrictions/refusal, change/withdrawal.
PART 4 - Regulation of gaming. Inspection and admission of equipment, internal controls, bond/security instrument obligation, personnel requirements.
PART 4A - Regulation of Racecourse and Betting Provider. Insert Act 18 of 2018: separate norms for race organizers and bookmakers (registration, appeals, Racing Appeal Panel, etc.).
PART 5 - Finance. Fees from gaming and betting operators, Council revenues and budget, reporting and audit.
PART 6 - Prohibitions and Sanctions. 18 + and bans for minors on playing and betting, a list of undesirable persons, a general list of crimes (deception/cheating, counterfeiting, violation of the rules for broadcasting and using racing information, etc.), corporate responsibility.
PART 7 - General. Register of licenses, exclusion of persons from sites, sublicensing, powers of the minister (policy directions), delegation, service of documents, the right to issue regulations.
Who regulates and how decisions are made
The Gaming Authority/Board is created with the right to form two specialized branches: Racing and Betting Committee and Gaming Committee. They conduct expertise and make recommendations.
The Cabinet of Ministers is the ultimate decision-making body on the issue of a license, after the recommendation of the Council. This increases institutional control and decision weight.
Licensing: the path of the applicant
1. Category and package. Determine the type of license (casino operator, betting provider, equipment manufacturer/distributor).
2. Submission and publication. Statement on forms from Control Regulations (S.I. 75/2001, 78/2002, 197/2020), publication of notice, objection window.
3. Due diligence. Checks of beneficiaries and source of funds, inspection of premises and IT systems, assessment of financial models.
4. Recommendation and decision. Board → Cabinet. Restrictions are possible (by type of games/territory/time), provisional license, subsequent change/revocation in case of violations.
Financial and operational requirements
Bond / security instrument. Bond/guarantee required; the procedure for write-off and cancellation is also duplicated in by-laws.
Internal controls and accounting. Accounting & Internal Control Regulations (S.I. 77/2001) detail accounting records, standard reports, document storage, audit, junkets rules.
Hardware. Equipment Regulations (S.I. 76/2001) contain technical specifications for tables (roulette, blackjack, baccarat, craps, poker options, wheel of fortune, etc.), chips/tokens, inspection procedures and maximum/minimum bets.
Betting and racing: separate circuit
Amendments 2018-2019 formalized the rules for the racecourse operator and betting provider: licensing, calendar and duration of events, appeals, dispute panel, use of racing information, as well as prohibitions on its unauthorized commercial use.
Liability and prohibitions
The law expressly prohibits:- admission of minors (including bets), cheating/hidden manipulations, work without a license or with unconfirmed equipment, violations of broadcasts and the use of racing information - and establishes increased liability for legal entities and for forgery of documents.
Differentiation with lotteries
Gaming, Racing and Betting Act does not apply to the state lottery - it is regulated by the National Lotteries Authority Act. This means separate licensing/supervision procedures and independent financial reporting of the lottery sector.
By-laws: what is important for the operator to know
Control Regulations - forms, publication/objection order, license structure, list of fees. (Including 2020 update.)
Equipment Regulations - technical standards of tables/chips/tokens and inspection procedures.
Accounting & Internal Control Regulations - accounting, reports, audit, document storage.
Evolution and reform
Act 18 of 2018 added Part 4A (racing/betting regulation ribs).
Act 24 of 2019 re-marked section headings and clarified management powers, cementing the modern oversight matrix.
Practical compliance checklist (for applicant)
1. Check if activity falls under Cap. 13. 13 (not under lottery law).
2. Define a license category and build a package (Control Regulations forms).
3. Prepare internal controls/accounting, bond/warranty, equipment specifications for Equipment Regulations.
4. Pass inspection, publications and objection period; wait for Board's recommendation and Cabinet decision.
5. Ensure 18 +, RG practices, staff training and compliance with restrictions on the use of racing information.
For St. Lucia, the foundation of gambling regulation is the Gaming, Racing and Betting Act (Cap. 13. 13) - with clear blocks for management, licensing, financial control, technical standards and responsibility. Lotteries from this field are derived and regulated separately. Understanding the structure of the act (and the current 2018-2019 amendments) is key to proper launch planning and sustainable compliance on the island.
Main sources: Revised Laws of Saint Lucia portal (Cap. 13. 13 and lists of sections/regulations); norms on the scope of application (elimination of lotteries); by-laws on control, equipment and internal controls; regulations on bonds/regulations and on the use of racing information.