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$3M annual casino regulatory fee paid out
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Posted on Jan 06 2016
The Department of Finance has opened an account for the Commonwealth Casino Commission’s casino regulatory fee fund and the $3 million fee paid out by Imperial Pacific International (CNMI LLC), which does business as Best Sunshine International Ltd., Best Sunshine Live, and the Grand Mariana Resort, has been deposited, according to the commission’s executive director Edward Deleon Guerrero yesterday.
The regulatory fee is a flat fee that covers the licensing fees for casino employees, casino key employees, and fees for slot machines and gaming tables. Before the flat fee was established through amendment to casino law late last year, the fees were assessed individually.
“The $3 million is an amount we have determined necessary to have casino commission fully operational,” said Guerrero an interview yesterday. The fee will help fund commission’s administrative, enforcement and regulations, and audit and compliance divisions.
Thirty-five full-time equivalents were also authorized by casino law amendment last year.
Guerrero said they are anticipating an additional eight new positions, with one replacement, for a total of nine new openings to be announced relatively soon.
He said these positions would be announced “in anticipation of the Grand Mariana” casino resort, currently undergoing construction in Garapan for a targeted completion date of late 2016.
The eight new positions include a certified public accountant for the position of director of audit, an account, a CMS administrator, a financial auditor, an inspector, to permit and licensing clerks, a special agent, and an enforcement agent.
Guerrero said they are also tentatively targeting Feb. 22 to March 4 for a workshop conducted by the International Gaming Institute of University Nevada of Las Vega Campus on island, with an anticipated maximum 45 participants.
The commission is aiming basically aiming to further train every able body at the casino commission, Guerrero said, with invites to casino regulators on Tinian and Rota as well.
Guerrero also said they are planning an official grand opening for the casino commission’s office in Springs Plaza, Gualo Rai, on March 4, the close of the workshop.
