Two More Appointments To Gaming Commission

May 16, 2015

The remaining two appointments on the Bermuda Casino Gaming Commission are Ms. Judith Hall-Bean and Mr. Derek Ramm, Minister of Tourism Shawn Crockwell said in the House of Assembly on Friday [May 15].

Minister Crockwell said, “In December of last year, Parliament approved the Casino Gaming Act 2014. This Act makes provision for the creation of a Bermuda Casino Gaming Commission that is made up of five members, including a chairman who has to be a barrister with more than five years’ experience.

“Earlier this year on February 17th, I announced the appointment of the first three members of the Commission and they are Mr. Alan Dunch [Chairman], Mr. Garry Madeiros [Deputy Chairman] and Mr. Denis Tucker, and today I am pleased to report and announce that I have completed the remaining two appointments and they are Ms. Judith Hall-Bean and Mr. Derek Ramm.

“Ms. Judith Hall-Bean recently retired as Assistant Cabinet Secretary [Head of the Civil Service]. Ms. Hall-Bean has over forty years of Public Service experience having served as the Director of the Department of Human Resources and the Director of Tourism and she has also served as the lead Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiator for the Bermuda Government.

“Mr. Derek Ramm is an overseas appointment and Mr. Ramm currently serves as the Director of Anti-Money Laundering Programs for the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, and is responsible for the oversight of anti-money laundering compliance at 24 casinos. Prior to that, he spent over seven years as an officer with the Government of Canada’s financial intelligence unit.

“Over the course of the past few months, Commission members have been steadily acclimatizing themselves with the full scope of their duties and responsibilities as members of the Gaming Commission.

“I am pleased with the progress that we have made thus far and I will continue to keep this Honourable House updated as we continue with implementation of the Bermuda Gaming Commission,” the Minister added.

Minister Crockwell’s full statement follows below:

Mr. Speaker,
I rise today to provide this Honourable House an update on the progress that has been made with the set up and implementation of the Bermuda Gaming Commission.

Mr. Speaker,
In December of last year, Parliament approved the Casino Gaming Act 2014. This Act makes provision for the creation of a Bermuda Casino Gaming Commission that is made up of five [5] members, including a chairman who has to be a barrister with more than five years’ experience. Earlier this year on February 17th, I announced the appointment of the first three [3] members of the Commission and they are Mr. Alan Dunch [Chairman], Mr. Garry Madeiros [Deputy Chairman] and Mr. Denis Tucker, and today I am pleased to report and announce that I have completed the remaining two [2] appointments and they are Ms. Judith Hall-Bean and Mr. Derek Ramm.

Mr. Speaker,
I will take this opportunity to provide members a brief background on these members. Mr. Alan W Dunch, JP is the Director responsible for the litigation practice group of MJM Limited. He has over 35 years of practice at the Bermuda Bar, and has developed specialized skills and expertise in the areas of labour and employment disputes, telecommunications and regulatory law, planning law, hospitality law, corporate and commercial litigation and insurance litigation.

Mr. Garry A. Madeiros, OBE, JP is a Chartered Accountant by profession and is the retired [2007] President & Chief Executive Officer of BELCO Holdings Limited. Mr. Madeiros has served on a large number of corporate, community and Government boards and is presently the Chairman of the Sustainable Development Round Table.

Mr. Denis Tucker is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the Hotel Pension Trust Fund. Prior to that he served as the Vice-President and Managing Director of Sonesta International Hotels Corporation. Mr. Tucker has served as a Director for the Bank of Bermuda [now HSBC] from 1995-2012, and he is presently a Director of the Bank of Bermuda Foundation and was recently elected as a Common Councilor and Alderman for the Corporation of Hamilton.

Ms. Judith Hall-Bean recently retired as Assistant Cabinet Secretary [Head of the Civil Service]. Ms. Hall-Bean has over forty years of Public Service experience having served as the Director of the Department of Human Resources and the Director of Tourism and she has also served as the lead Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiator for the Bermuda Government.

Mr. Derek Ramm is an overseas appointment and Mr. Ramm currently serves as the Director of Anti-Money Laundering Programs for the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, and is responsible for the oversight of anti-money laundering compliance at 24 casinos. Prior to that, he spent over seven years as an officer with the Government of Canada’s financial intelligence unit.

Mr. Speaker,
Over the course of the past few months, Commission members have been steadily acclimatizing themselves with the full scope of their duties and responsibilities as members of the Gaming Commission. This process has involved their participation in training and various meetings with gaming administrative and regulatory officials and officers in other jurisdictions. On March 23rd and 24th, 2015, I accompanied the Commission members [with the exception of the two most recent members], when we met with their counterparts from the states of Maryland and Ohio. The meetings were very high level and very productive. From Maryland we met with;

  • Robert Fontaine – Principal Counsel
  • John Mooney – Assistant Director for Enforcement
  • Phil Metz – Licensing Manager
  • Jennifer Wetherell – Director, Electronic Gaming Device Operations
  • Michael Eaton – Director of Audit and Regulatory Compliance
  • Jaclyn Vincent – Director of Gaming Research & Chief of Staff
  • Charles LaBoy – Assistant Director for Gaming

From the state of Ohio, we met with;

  • Matthew Schuler – Executive Director
  • John Barron – Deputy Executive Director and General Counsel
  • Patrick Martin – Director of Regulatory Compliance
  • Laura Clemens – Director of Government Affairs and Problem Gambling Program Coordinator
  • Michael Masterson – Director of Enforcement
  • Mark Leatherman – Deputy Director of Enforcement
  • Keith Cox – Gaming Agent Investigator
  • Himbert Sinopoli Vice President & General Manager

Over the two days of meetings the agenda items included:

  • Licensing Process
  • Procedures for Opening New Casino
  • Staffing
  • Training
  • Internal Controls Approval Process
  • Tax Collections
  • Oversight of Security and Surveillance
  • Audit Procedures
  • Technology and Games Approval Process
  • Oversight of Promotions/Advertising
  • Problem Gambling Programs
  • Disciplinary Process
  • Hearing Process
  • Safety Standards
  • Forensics
  • Contract Approval Process

Again, the meetings were extremely beneficial as Commission members got to hear first-hand from experienced regulators and legislators some of the issues and challenges that will potentially arise once Casinos are operating in Bermuda, and learn from these regulators what steps we can take in advance to address the potential issues. Some of their comments and recommendations will be considered and factored into our domestic regulatory processes.

Mr. Speaker,
On Monday of this week, May 11th, 2015 I and Commission members visited and toured a gaming facility in Florida that utilizes a Central Network Gaming System to gain an understanding of the technology, its inherent benefits, its suitability and compatibleness for use with the Bermuda Integrated Resort Model.

Mr. Speaker,
I am pleased with the progress that we have made thus far and I will continue to keep this Honourable House updated as we continue with implementation of the Bermuda Gaming Commission.

Thank you Mr. Speaker

Read More About

Category: All, News

Comments (22)

Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feed

  1. somuchless says:

    Time gaming starts in Bermuda it will be outdated like everything else here.

  2. Terry says:

    Who will be “gaming” somuchless.
    Who.

    • somuchless says:

      Soon it won’t be anyone cause the tourist ain’t coming here

  3. Triangle Drifter says:

    Come on OBA stop dragging your feet. Gaming should have been up & running long ago. Another year lost without it.

  4. Scotty says:

    It is already outdated as a form of tourism entertainment. How many years has this been on the front and back burners of government negotiations? Bermuda is so far behind the eight ball on this topic. I would suggest there have been far too many fact finding trips, cut the travel Minister and make a decision.
    Hardly a diverse Board, with only one female. As a matter of interest, what does the CEO of BELCO know about gaming, or a lawyer for that matter? What about Mr Petingill, he is a lawyer and he had to have a ‘training period’, we paid his boon doggie to Singapore and now he is Bermuda’s in house resident gaming expert!! Please OBA shake up this MINISTER!

  5. Forethebest says:

    These are all first people to be on a Bermuda Gaming Commission. With the exception of Mr. Derek Ramm, all of these people are well known to us and Mr. Ramm seems to have excellent credentials too.

    • Sayana says:

      “Mr. Ramm seems to have excellent credentials too” What do you base that assessment on. If you have any material information please share with all of us please. Mr. Ramm has a premium profile on LinkedIn do you have access to that?

  6. Bill Stephens says:

    It’s coming and we can ensure that we get the latest technology available as we are getting into the game “late”. Many casinos are in the process of upgrading their properties to the latest machines and we can jump on to that bandwagon and not only be cutting edge but also a shining example of how to do it right! So while others are upgraqding and updating we are delivering – go Bermuda!

  7. Raymond Ray says:

    Lets get the dice rollin’ and the wheels spinning while the cards are being played…

    • cottereaux says:

      all that is already happening, just not in an official casino ;-)

      • Raymond Ray says:

        @ cottereaux: Yeah you’re absolutely correct. I should have included the word, “legally”
        (But of course this does not apply to church halls with bingo etc :-( )

  8. Y-Gurl says:

    Just about everywhere on the planet gaming is at an all time low with entire cities suffering, so we jump on this bandwagon decades to late and it’s going to do what for us? If this is the best we can do for Bermuda and its people we have problems ok

    • Come Correct says:

      I hear in 2164 we’ll think about decriminalizing medical marijuana too. By that time a Bermudian will have invented time travel so we can go back and be the first to do it all instead of leaving slug trails out of the HoA.

  9. On de Hill says:

    So people think you can just open a Casino over night? That there should not be a proper regulatory system in place to ensure that the gaming industry in Bermuda complies with international best standards? If the Government rushed things and something untoward happened, like it has in other jurisdictions, people will criticize the Govenrment for not doing it’s due dilligence. It has only been 4 months since the law was passed. Clearly the Government is making good progress. At least work is getting down, despite all the PLP’s attempted distractions!

    • Come Correct says:

      No, nobody can. Because Bermuda still has its thumb in its a**!

    • Raymond Ray says:

      @ On de Hill: Continue dotting the “i”s and crossing the “t”s…Only, fools rush in where wise men fear to tread.”

    • Scotty says:

      Oh yes you are right…this has never been done before in numerous jurisdictions around the world. That’s right I forgot Bermuda is the first island to ever introduce gaming. So please tell me what the fact finding is about if it doesn’t include the social,political, legal and economic impacts of gaming? Bermuda has reinvented this wheel ten times, but hey the free travel for Ministers is worth it.

  10. big lad says:

    There seem s to be quite a few complaining about the fact that this is taking so long.
    Please understand that it appears due diligence is being carried out. If it wasn’t, the first thing we would complain about when there are issues is that, “it’s not going according to plan.”
    For those who think we are moving into this forum too late, perhaps half a loaf is better than no loaf.
    Also, let’s accept that its impossible to please everyone. I’m sure for every person against gaming, there’s someone against decriminalising marijuana.

    What we really need to do as a community is either get behind those who are putting forward ideas that are aimed to improve our situation on a whole. There just seems to be far too much negativity on our shores, and in my opinion, I think that is a major contributor to what is holding us back.

  11. cottereaux says:

    These guys are all old, retired or close to retirement. Taxpayers are being charged for their travel, expenses, training, salaries that are still undisclosed, etc. None of those expenses were disclosed in the town hall meetings and the terrible threesome who chaired the meetings refused to answer questions on expenses to the taxpayer.

    IF any casino ever opens in 2 to 3+ years, these guys will be ready to retire due to age or health reasons, then all the taxpayer money was wasted. And the hiring process would start all over again.

    Crockwell is racking up frequent flyer miles big time and so far, none of the three casino licenses have been issued.

    Everyone should take note that these commission positions were never publicly advertised.

    • somuchless says:

      Judith hall bean has been in gov for years and years. Come on. Give someone else a chance to make a living wage.