Gambling Control - Updating Jersey's Gambling Legislation

On 1 December 2002, a report was presented to the States of Jersey outlining the Gambling Control Committee's wish to modernise the existing gambling legislation. To download this report please click on the following link RC 50/2002 Modernising Jersey's Gambling Legislation. (109Kb)

As a result of this report, the Gambling Control Committee commissioned Professor Peter Collins of Salford University, and Anthony Jennens, Chairman of Gam Care, to research and make recommendations about:

• the possibility of permitting internet gambling services to be supplied out of Jersey
• the possibility of introducing casino or casino-style gambling into Jersey
• the future of lottery gambling in Jersey with special reference to the possible participation of Jersey citizens in the UK national lottery.

The authors were also invited to comment on general matters relating to the updating of existing gambling legislation. Their work was intended to supplement the report Modernising Jersey’s Gambling Legislation and, in particular, to analyse the potential costs and benefits to Jersey of pursuing different policies with regard to each of these three forms of commercial gambling.

A full copy of Professor Collins' report can be downloaded here Report on the Reform of Gambling Law in Jersey (120Kb)

On 20 April 2004, the Economic Development Committee presented a proposition to the States outlining its vision for gambling in Jersey. To download a copy of this proposition click on the following link P62/2004 Economic Developments Proposition to the States.(250Kb)

On 1 March 2005, the States finally debated the modernisation of the Island’s Gambling Law.  Following the debate the States resolved:

• to agree that legislation be brought forward for approval by the States to allow on-line gambling;

• to agree, in principle, that a Gambling Commission should be established in the Island and that the purpose of Commission should be licensing, regulation, harm reduction/social responsibility and ensuring that gambling issues do not harm the Island’s international reputation, with the terms of reference of the Commission to be approved by the States;

• to agree that the Economic Development Committee, in conjunction with the Policy and Resources and Finance and Economics Committees, be tasked with negotiating the introduction of a new public Lottery to be operated jointly for the benefit of the public and charitable institutions in the Island;

• to charge the Economic Development and Finance and Economics Committees with identifying the source of the additional funding required to give effect to these proposals.

Two further provisions that would have allowed for the drafting of casino legislation and the licensing of commercial bingo were lost. 

With the change to Ministerial Government, Economic Development Minister Senator Philip Ozouf has delegated responsibility for gambling matters to Assistant Minister Deputy Alan Maclean.

The department is now in the process of putting into effect the States decisions of March 2005. A Shadow Gambling Commission is being created as an interim measure in order to ‘kick-start’ the new initiatives. A new Remote Gambling (Disaster Recovery)_(Jersey) Regulation is being drafted and will be presented to the States in 2007.

Two new Laws will also be drafted during 2007. The first, a Gambling Commission (Jersey) Law will provide the vires to move the Commission from its Shadow form and provide it with its terms of reference. The second, a new Gambling (Jersey) Law will provide the modern regulatory environment that the States approved in principle in 2005. It is anticipated that both draft laws will be presented to the States during 2008.