Gumbs says casinos and lottery operators are current on payments

GREAT BAY--Minister of Finance Marinka Gumbs has indicated that casino and lottery operators in St. Maarten are current with their payment obligations to government, responding to concerns raised in Parliament about outstanding revenues from the gambling sector.

The Minister's statement comes after Member of Parliament Ardwell Irion questioned whether government was collecting money owed by casino and lottery businesses and what had become of arrangements previously established to recover outstanding balances.

The issue arose during the ongoing debate on the draft 2027 national budget, in which Irion called for stronger collection of existing government revenues before additional taxes and fees are introduced.

Irion, a former Minister of Finance, questioned the amounts owed by casinos and lottery operators and whether government was continuing collection measures introduced during his tenure. He referred to arrangements under which operators were expected to remain up to date with their regular payments while also addressing accumulated arrears.

Gumbs' indication that the operators are current addresses the status of their ongoing payment obligations. However, the statement should be considered separately from the question of whether all outstanding balances from previous years have been settled.

What Does Being Current Mean?

In financial terms, being current generally means that a person or company is up to date with payments that are presently due.

For casinos and lottery operators, this could mean that they are paying their regular licensing fees or other recurring obligations according to the applicable payment schedule.

For example, an operator that is required to pay a monthly fee would generally be considered current if its payments due under that schedule have been made.

However, being current on regular payments does not necessarily mean that the operator has no outstanding debt from previous years.

A company could be meeting its current obligations while separately repaying older arrears under an agreed payment arrangement.

Similarly, a statement that an operator is current with its gaming-related fees does not automatically establish that it has met every other financial obligation, including any applicable taxes.

The precise meaning of the Minister's statement therefore depends on which payment obligations were being addressed and whether her assessment included historical debts.

Irion Questioned Collection of Outstanding Revenue

During the first round of the budget debate, Irion raised concerns about government's collection of revenue from larger businesses, including casinos and lottery operators.

He questioned whether existing debts were being pursued and requested information about the amounts owed, payments collected and enforcement measures being applied.

Irion recalled that, during his tenure as Minister of Finance, arrangements had been established requiring gambling operators to maintain their current payment obligations while addressing arrears accumulated in previous periods.

He also questioned whether those arrangements continued to be enforced.

The MP's concerns formed part of his broader questions about government's revenue collection practices and the introduction of additional financial obligations for residents and businesses.

Gaming Sector Generates Approximately Cg 8 Million Annually

The gambling sector remains an established source of government revenue through the fees applicable to casinos and lottery operations.

Figures previously provided by the Ministry of Finance to Parliament showed that casino-related collections amounted to Cg 460,000 per month during the first six months of 2026.

Lottery-related collections ranged from approximately Cg 180,000 to Cg 183,238 per month during the same period.

Together, those collections represented approximately Cg 3.85 million during the first half of 2026, equivalent to an annualized amount of approximately Cg 7.7 million if collections continued at a similar level.

In August, Gumbs also indicated that the existing gaming-related fees were being reviewed as part of broader regulatory reforms.

The Minister explained at the time that the amount collected under the existing system reflected the prevailing legislative framework and that further assessment was necessary to determine whether it adequately represented the gambling sector's overall financial contribution.

Gaming Legislation Also Under Review

Government is currently developing a revised legal framework for the regulation of gambling activities in St. Maarten.

The proposed National Gambling Ordinance is intended to modernize licensing, supervision and enforcement arrangements, including the financial obligations associated with regulated gambling operations.

The draft legislation remains under consultation and has not yet entered into force.

The proposed framework includes consideration of licensing arrangements, reporting requirements, supervisory fees and the responsibilities of gambling operators.

These proposed regulatory changes are separate from the collection of fees and any outstanding debts under the existing legal framework.

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