New Pro-Gaming Group Aims To ‘Educate Public’
Earlier this week flyers were left in some areas of Hamilton, promoting a new “Bermuda Hospitality Gaming Training Centre.”
The organization behind the flyers, headed up by Steve Simons, is aimed at educating the general public about the benefits of gaming, and also hopes to open a Training Centre to teach Bermudians the skills necessary to be employed in the field.
Mr Simons said if legislation is passed to allow the expansion of gaming, Bermuda could experience an influx of foreigners being brought in to staff the casinos if we do not prepare in advance. He said the more ideal scenario to bring the great benefit to the island is to have Bermudians educated in advance and able to be employed in various capacities within casinos.
Mr Simons, the Managing Director of Spinning Wheel, has a background in gaming having worked as a croupier in Atlantic City for 10 years. Others involved in the project — which is presently being funded by Mr Simons — include taxi driver Careen Tucker and graphic artist Dean Richards.
The aim of the Training Centre would be to train people to do the various work required within casinos; such as working as casino dealers as well as handling security aspects and the required technology. Mr Simons also hopes to be able to attract international students who may be interested in learning Crown & Anchor.
Earlier this year, Premier Paula Cox tabled the Referendum Act 2012 in the House of Assembly, saying it would be followed by a referendum on gaming in Bermuda in due course.
When asked how he thinks Bermudians might vote in the referendum, Mr Simons said providing information to educate the public about the benefits of gambling is part of their agenda, and also pointed out that we already have gaming here in other forms.
Mr Simons said as a tourist destination Bermuda is in a very competitive market, and we need to have what our guests want to stay competitive. “We need to bring a little excitement back on the island,” said Mr Simons.
“We are not trying to make people gamble, we just think we need to provide the option for visitors to stay competitive,” said Mr Simons. “It will bring alot of jobs and benefits to the island. We should not be over a billion dollars in debt…”
According to a Government-commissioned study done by the New Orlean’s based Innovation Group [PDF], gaming would add nearly 3,000 jobs and up to $146 million a year to Bermuda’s economy.
Most of the island’s religious community is in strong opposition to gaming, with dozens of religious groups forming a group ‘United to Change’ to work to oppose any change to the law.
I fully support gaming as a revenue source for Bermuda. Will it solve all our financial woes? Probably not. But it will provide opportunities.
People need to realize that gaming is already here in some forms.
If the church or others don’t want to gamble, then don’t! Simple as that.
i support gameing lets face it if we don’t alow locals to gamble i don’t see a proplem if we don’t allow a cruise ship to open their casino they will go somewhere else we need to get hip a ship can not stay here 3days with a casino closed bring on theb vote or just simply pass the damm law now
Bermuda College should have gaming courses starting next year for students over 21 years old if they were in touch with what is going on in Bermuda, but somehow I think the administration is in the clouds somewhere….
You need a basic minimum competency in maths in order to teach a proper gaming course. That minimum level of competency is sadly lacking at Bda College.
While I’m a poker player and would enjoy it here. I think those in power need to really, and I mean really go over the laws carefully and not half ass it like they do most other things because there could be massive issues if they mess up the laws.
On a different note, am i the only one who thinks it is odd that a group called ‘United for Change’ has nothing to do with change and is actual about keeping things the same.
There is nothing productive about teaching people to gamble. Many have lost fortunes gambling and the average classed Bermudian can not afford this addiction that can destroy their job, cause loss of savings and put their family in the poor house. I am not able to support this and no matter how many advocate for the legalization of gambling I cant support it or any legalization of drugs. I could support medical reasons for a person to be allowed a prescription for marijuana if they have extreme pain or cancer or no hope of a recovery from a devastating injury or a terrible disease that causes them to live in terrible pain but for no other reason. Any legalization of Gambling or use of marijuana for medical pain relief will be detrimental to our society! Leave this matter alone like Independence, the majority are happy with the way things are exception for this terrible recession and the loss of faith we have in our government.
It is important to note from what I read in the article the Bermuda Hospitaliy Gaming Training Center’s primary objective is to educate & positivly uplift our Bermudian community.I would encourage Dawn de Toilet to actually read the brochure, or the article from which they will discern that they(BHGTC) are about training Bermudians to work in the gaming/hospitality industry. So that when Gaming does become a revenue generating hospitality industry (which I believe to be inevitable), this Gaming Training Center will be able to produce well trained, qualified Bermudians to work in this industry.
In closing, I would like to thank Bernews for such a well written article. which clearly states that BHGTC is about training Bermudians to work in the industry and not gamble. The pros far outweigh the cons – You really think about it, the Gaming industry will provide a multitude of jobs in many areas.
I’m glad we have you to speak for us. D:
I meant to say in that sentence “Any legalization of Gambling or use of Marijuana (except when medically prescribed by a physciation for extreme pain) should not be legalized otherwise will be detrimental to our society.
Govt must act quickly…….the Morgans Point Group was held hostage for years for reasons that I won’t mention……open up everything across the board to foreign investment including real estate purchases in the lower/mid range to avoid borrowing more money just to keep the lights on
Not worth it. When people travel specifically to gamble, why would they go to a place that doesn’t specialize in it?
Let’s focus on the traits that make our country unique and that already exist.
This will only make Bermuda tackier.
When tourist travel to Bermuda for Cup Match, Crown & Anchor is a major reason for them going to the games, for some its thier primary reason for coming because they don’t even understand the game of cricket.
There needs to be education in English language and literature first.
@ freedom…..you are right, but the errors do not take away from the overall message. If you really care, contact Mr. Simons and offer your services going forward.
Screw that – I CAN’T even read the “fyler” attached to this article!! Seriously, who is resonsible for penning that piece of horrible rubish? What language is it written in? Clearly English is not the author’s first language.
Seriously, I wanted to educate myself on this but if I can’t get through the first paragraph of a printed (and paid for) “fyler,” then I can’t be bothered to even consider the message.
EPIC FAIL IDIOTS!! Invest in SpellCheck for the love of God and all that’s holy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*responsible
LOLZ for days. The grammar is horrendous in that pamphlet
eye hurt—please visit gas stations to see the flyers which are far more clearer and well presented with clarity and professionalism…don’t strain your eyes pleeas!!!
Bermuda needs this. This conservative island needs to let it’s hair down a bit. Tired of the churches trying to run things, while they all sleep with each other and the leaders steal from their parishioners…
Amen to that brother…CAN I HAVE AN AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!
AMEN.
Bermuda doesn’t need this. And I’m absolutely not a church-goer. I just think it would make the island much tackier.
I’m at this very moment in the process of opening a “Hooters” at the sight of the old Canadian Hotel on the corner of Reid and Court (wink, wink). Think I’ll get some business? Comments are welcome.
God d@mnit! I was gonna do that, but we can’t bring in foreign franchises so its gotta be Tooters or something. Need a business partner? I can cook some well greeze, I’m no chef but who the hell is qualified these days. lol
Hello to the Bernews People.
To the people agaisnt gaming, and the Christian group who are coming together need to ask themselves 1 question. IF they are not bias, how can you say you don’t want gaming, when we have bingo and Seahorse, Gametime, and the other shops here already. Anyone can loose part of their fortune, or their job, or anything else, so are you against these businesses? I dont see anyone marching about bingo being played on a weekly basis. So please, if you are going to make a stance, let it be across the board.
Exactly.. Always with the tired line about how gambling ruins lives and breaks up families.. so does alcoholism but I dont see anyone calling for all bars to be shut down.
Exactly, life is about choices, you lose your house that’s your choice. I for one will not gamble, simply because my luck sucks and the odds are always against you.
Bermuda is grappling with social ills that the island is having difficulty addressing. High percentage of criminal convictions that are drug related, broken family bonds, increase of fire arm activity, a significant number of black males that do not graduate from Secondary School, substantiated unemployment for the first time in history…..add gaming to the picture and see what we get? We are such a small country the effects of something that has the potential to be harmful will ripple through the community. How do we know for sure that this will be managed properly?
I go Las Vegas 3 times a year everytime I go back the place is packed with people. Bermuda needs to catch up with the rest of the World.
FAST!
To all concerned, Think about this. When you think of gaming/gambling I would ask you this, picture the casino (if you’ve ever been in one that is). Most only see the people playing the games, but if you can foucus on the whole picture you would be able to see the multitude of people employed. Croupiers, People serving refreshments (which means someone has to prepare them), Security, Someone has to clean up before & after, Maintenance of the gaming machines, Entertainment, Decorators/Visual artists,just to name a few. In otherwords jobs for Bermudians. PROPERLY MANAGED the Gaming Industry can have a lot of advantages. No its not a fix-all but it can be benificial.
Yes, I have been inside a casino (in Canada). But I foresee mainly non-Bermudians getting these jobs, if a casino does open here. The hospitality industry is already heavily staffed by non-Bermudians (in restaurants, etc.) the reason being, the owners claim they can’t get Bermudians to work those jobs (long hours and low pay). How much money do you think a person serving refreshments is going to earn? If that trend continues, employment for Bermudians will be minimal, at best.
I concur and don’t see how this is going to really bolster local employment given the obvious inability to locate locals for current hospitality roles. I think anyone coming to a Bermuda casino would expect a level of service well above what the typical hotel in Bermuda currently provides. Let’s face it, the level of service in recent year has headed south. Bermuda has fostered a society where ‘servitude’ is frowned upon and actually shunned by this generation. Oftentimes I get the feeling that I’m inconveniencing staff or that they are doing me a favor when you request the simplest of things. Don’t get me wrong, some people do still understand that importance of being pleasant and helpful….but many do not. We live in a ‘trophy generation’…everyone gets a trophy just for being there…everyone is on the same level. There can never be any winners or losers anymore…there’s a prize for coming in 8th out of 8 competitors. Sorry, but you need to recognize that in the workplace there are indeed strata of employees. You have a boss, they have a boss and ultimately you are there to SERVE the customer.
If Bermuda has her gang problems now, wait til they are gambling and running out of money. Watch the show “Pawn Stars”. This place is in Detroit, watch as the people come in and pawn their goods for gambling money.
“Pawn Stars” – Not a bad business idea for here. lol
Again, thats what they choose to do.
‘Pawn Stars’ is in Vegas .
‘Hard Core Pawn’ in in Detroit.
Yes , a lot of Pawn Star’s clients probably are dumping their stuff for gambling debt. Some even admit that they will go and blow the money they just got for an old family heirloom on the casinos.
The majority of people shown on ‘Hard Core Pawn’ appear to be junkies though .
And nasty , illiterate ones at that .
@ Kevin Smith: “we have bingo and Seahorse, Gametime, and the other shops here already.” I don’t know how any of these businesses except Bingo got a toehold here. We certainly weren’t asked if we wanted off-track betting, etc. In fact, it would seem that, given all the legislative hoops we are going through now, those businesses are either illegal or slipped through some sort of loophole.
Personally, I wouldn’t mind if both gambling and alcohol were banned. Alcohol remains the biggest scourge of our community, affecting negatively families for generations and, far more than marijuana, is the real ‘gateway’ drug. Every addict I ever worked with relapsed to alcohol first. Alcohol is implicated in many domestic and sexual violence crimes. I am persuaded that the increased conscienceless gang-style behaviour is connected to alcohol consumption during the early stages of pregnancy, before the woman is aware she is pregnant.
At the risk of repeating myself, ad nauseum, we are a highly addictive society and to introduce yet another way for families to be at risk seems very irresponsible and callous. Those who are not addicts can smugly state that gambling, like alcohol or drugs, is a choice. But that flies in the face of all the research, which clearly shows how the brain is impacted, making the behaviour a compulsion and removing the possibility of choice.
Can you provide a source for your “Research”?
Sorry, @ Geza, just got back here. Sure I can supply various sources. Email me @ tvc.bda@gmail.com and I will look out the last course I did – I think I have that information on island. In the meantime, Dr. Daniel Amen at the Amen Clinic has a multitude of research on how addictions impact the brain, as well as SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography) photographs of your brain on marijuana and the holes that develop.
One more point.
We need to decide what is the purpose of having a cruise ship stop here. If it is just to be able to count how many cruise ships stop here, then, by all means, let them gamble in port. Best case scenario in that instance would be to have them dock off St. George, since Bermudians would need a ferry to take them out to the ship, and that would be a way to monitor/prevent would-be gamblers.
However, if we want the cruise ships passengers to see something of our unique island and, just perhaps, purchase a few items, allowing port-side gambling doesn’t seem to be a sensible choice. Gamblers, if allowed to gamble, would rather gamble than do anything else, and that includes sight-seeing or souvenir shopping. The ship benefits, but we don’t.
Hard core gamblers are unlikely to be taking a cruise to satisfy their addiction given the crappy house odds on a ship, the vast majority of cruise tourists would likely just spend an hour or so gambling after dinner. During the day they would more than likely be out exploring the island and spending money on taxis, bike rentals and the odd drink or t-shirt.
Gambling is rarely the sole reason you go on holiday to a certain place, but it certainly provides a much needed entertainment option that some people chose to enjoy. Why not offer it to them, and present Bermuda as a complete holiday destination?
I would only support casinos if they are only in the hotels. Anything else would be of no use to tourism.
If we had casinos in the hotels we wouldn’t have to give them tax breaks to upgrade, there would be more entertainment in the hotels and the government could make money from taxes charged on gambling profits.
Having casinos anywhere else but the hotels makes absolutely no sense. I hope that when the time comes to vote that there will be the opportunity to decide what form of gambling we would want. I’m sure there are many wealthy Bermudian just rubbing their hands in anticipation of openning a casino in Bermuda, but this would be wrong. HOTELS ONLY PLEASE!!!!
Damn, look at us! Fighting over jobs we don’t even have.
Some lot we are.
Well your gaming with the PLP.
Odds are….
I grew up in Bermuda and there is absolutely no way that it should adopt gambling. Gambling is tacky as well as dangerous. Not just in terms of addiction but also crime that’s related. That includes drugs. That includes guns. I am not religious but I know right from wrong. By the way, ANY professional from the USA could clean out the tables without completely and utterly trained casino staff. Where would such staff come from? The USA centres of gambling. No more, no less.
Onyoursidebda….I totally agree with you. Introduction of gambling would be one of the worst things to happen to Bermuda.
I can see it now:
Player: Card please
Croupier: Good Morning:
Player: Card Please:
Croupier: Good Morning
Player: I need another card please
Croupier: Good morning
Player: Ok lets go to Vegas
We all can agree that the industry would open up lots of jobs…but for whom?! The question isn’t do we have willing Bermudians; the real question is do we have capable ones? We live in a time when values are nonexistent at best and deplorable at worst. Lets fix the things that need fixing now before we spoonfeed the government, police, and public another bite…they already can’t chew!
#ijs
I’m sure that Bermuda Institute (Seventh-day Adventist Church) and “Be Encouraged Today” Bermuda: (open-air outreach preaching ministry) won’t be too pleased to find that they are sharing hosting of their web sites with http://bermudagamingschool.com/ , provided by mediaville.tv !!
Those of us who know these words understand they should not stay only at Cupmatch!
& County Games.
“UP SHE COMES” homegrown, traditional words that should not be forced to be silent
(3) quarters of the year! We are cheating others of really knowing our own brand, which is original as “The Gombeys”. Remember the smiles(:) around the Crown & Anchor boards not to mention the the Bermuda receipes like conch stew, shark and that tasty fish that really makes for a complete day. Bermudians are still capable of looking out for ourselves, while having good times as in the past.
Vote “Yes” to the referendum, but keep our Brand alive.
Good day to all…A quote from Wayne Taylor, Chairman of the Hopi people.. ‘The ultimate nagative effect of Indian gaming is not an individual doing drugs,or becoming addicted to gambling; it is the destruction of a culture, a people, a tribe….. this got me thinking …peace to all