Poker Writer
Jamaica moved closer to having its first hotel-casino resort after the nation’s House of Representatives approved casino gaming regulations. More than 15 years after the Casino Gaming Act was passed in 2010, the country will finally move forward with regulated gambling.
The regulations establish a framework for the Casino Gaming Commission, including a range of gaming details, such as licensing requirements and regulatory fees.
Resort Element Key to Jamaican Casinos
Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness made sure to emphasize that the popular vacation destination island does not want to become a destination only for casinos. Their aim is to diversify the country’s tourism offerings. Any casino that comes to Jamaica will have to be part of a larger resort, with the casino serving only as part of the experience. They will not be standalone gambling destinations.
While speaking during a parliamentary debate he said:
It is not the intention of the Government to make Jamaica a casino gambling destination… What we’re doing is using the concept of the integrated resort, where, within that integrated resort, you can have different products that attract people. So if casino is not your fun today, you go on the beach. If the beach is not your fun today, then you can go and do some tours somewhere else
Holness also discussed other avenues of entertainment that the government seeks to include in these resorts, specifically theater and performing arts.
First Jamaica Casino Resort to Come in 2026
The first Jamaican casino resort was reportedly in the works in 2025. Expectations were for the Princess Grand Jamaica to open near the town of Negril. It was going to open in November of last year.
However, delays in the regulatory process pushed the timeline to 2026. The latest reports cited a hoped-for March opening.
The huge hotel, with more than 1,000 rooms, officially opened in December. All that remains is to get the casino part of the resort operational.
Jamaica Looking to Join the Rest of the Caribbean
The Caribbean is already a very popular area of the world for casino resorts, and any new Jamaican casino resort will compete with the various others in the region. Jamaica is one of the only Caribbean nations without casino resorts. There are more than 150 casinos spread across several countries and territories on the beautiful island destinations.
The Bahamas is one of the most popular destinations in the world for casino resort vacations, with resorts like Baha Mar and Atlantis Bahamas, the latter of which now hosts World Series of Poker Paradise annually in December.
However, Bahamian citizens are unable to gamble in their own country’s resorts as the law prohibits them from doing so. At this juncture, there appears to be no such law limiting Jamaican citizens in the same manner.
