“PNG also has a serious problem, where the regulatory body, the NGCB, is also seeking to be an investor in gaming ventures, including the proposed casino. It certainly shouldn’t want to worsen the situation and having a major casino will certainly worsen the situation. “PNG certainly doesn’t have the laws, penalties, governance, education or welfare capacity that Australia has, and it has serious law and order problems already. Our big neighbour, Australia, has some of the toughest rules and capacity to manage their gambling industry, and they also have strong education and social welfare systems, nevertheless Australia has amongst the worst levels of gambling addiction in the world, with associated damaging social, family and economic consequences. The introduction of slot machines in PNG had already had a “considerable” social impact with many becoming “hooked and squandering their limited incomes in the hope of many a win, but instead leaving themselves in increasing debt and often failing to feed their facilities, breaking their families, causing people to lose their jobs and livelihood,” he said. Eighty per cent of Chinese first-time international tourists visit a casino, and 90% of Chinese visitors to the US visit Las Vegas,” he said.īut Paul Barker, executive director of the independent thinktank the Institute of National Affairs, said that Papua New Guinea did not have the welfare or legal infrastructure to deal with the problems that often accompany gambling. “China’s growing middle class is forecast to account for a quarter of all international tourism by 2030. He also argued that the casino, which will include a hotel, shopping malls and cinemas, would attract tourists, arguing that only one-third of visits to PNG were currently tourism related. George Hallit, Paga Hill’s chief operating officer, defended the plans, saying the casino would create thousands of jobs directly and indirectly. “The global experience with casinos suggests an increased likelihood of money laundering and undue political influence where the regulator is weak or is compromised,” he added.

Sugarhouse 2007 logo png casino