The  President of the Bahamas Christian Council  Bishop Delton Fernander says  the church has no problem with the high taxes being imposed on Web Shop  gaming.  Their main concern is the level of addiction. 

 Bishop Fernander says  the high taxes does not make difference and that his is an argument between the state and an industry.

He said, “we have made our  position  clear to the state and to the industry that we were concerned about the positioning of legislation that came forth that weren’t be adhered to. 

“For example, gaming  houses were being built right outside of churches and schools. All of this was laid out in legislation, but there was no regulation,” he said.

Bishop Fernander  said  that there was no response to the addiction  that the gaming houses  were causing  in The Bahamas until the Christian Council spoke up on the matter just recently.

“What has happened is an industry was allowed to go unattended  and the chickens have come home to roost and so it is the state and the industry  battling,  but the church’s position remains the same. The country said no and  our position remains the same,” Bishop Fernander said.

The government in the 2018/2019 budget communication proposed to increase taxes on gaming up to 50per cent. 

The Finance Minister in the Budget Communication said that gaming houses that make revenues up to $20 million will be taxed at a rate of 20 per cent; those that make between $20 million and $40 million will be taxed at a rate of 25 per cent; those that make between $40 million and $60 million at a rate of 30 per cent; those making between $60 million and $80 million at a rate of 35 per cent; those making between $80 million and $100 million at a rate of 40 percent; and the gaming houses bringing in more than $100 million at 50 per cent.

In addition, the gaming board is set to take legal action against the government after it  did not adhere to the deadline  gaming operators  gave for the government to make the necessary changes to this proposal.