Latest update May 25th, 2026 12:35 AM
Govt. declares war on gambling
…says unchecked spread of betting ripping families apart
Government has plans to toughen regulations for gambling
(Kaieteur News) – Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday announced that the Government of Guyana is preparing to launch a major crackdown on gambling, warning that the unchecked spread of betting operations has become a “national problem ripping families apart.”
Speaking at his weekly press briefing at Freedom House, Jagdeo said the administration will be rolling out tough new regulations to rein in the gambling sector, particularly online platforms that have taken root in communities across the country. “Gambling has blossomed and created a series of negative problems in our communities—breaking up families and creating hardship for many single parents,” the Vice President said.
Jagdeo, said that gambling, once limited to hotel-based casinos, has now spread uncontrollably through mobile apps, leading to social problems among single parents, especially mothers. “What we have now is gambling on demand. It’s in every home, it’s an app,” he said, adding that the problem is worsened by “a very liberal licensing and taxation policy.”
Initially, gambling was introduced to support the hotel industry by providing an additional stream of revenue. In fact, casino licences were issued under strict conditions, requiring hotels to have at least 150 rooms and meet high service standards.
However, this model has since evolved into hundreds of small gambling outlets across the country, many of which are operating through apps that allow round-the-clock betting. “The moment when you have four or five hundred outlets in every village across the country, and it’s all run on an app, it’s creating a major social problem,” Jagdeo told reporters.
He said the government could no longer ignore the issue, with many sharing stories of families being torn apart, and parents losing their income to online betting. “It’s destroying people. If they want to gamble, they can go to the appropriate place, leave their home and travel, not sit at home all day using up their salary or children’s money,” he urged.
The vice president made it clear that while citizens’ rights would not be restricted, gambling must become a high-cost, tightly regulated activity to discourage excess. Stronger tax measures will be part of the government’s approach to addressing this issue.
He also called for a mindset change, expressing concern that gambling undermines long-term goals such as homeownership and financial stability. Religious organisations have also raised the issue with the administration, prompting the decision to act swiftly. “We are not going to allow that to continue,” he affirmed, confirming that aggressive changes are coming to curb the harmful effects of gambling.
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