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Bill to allow minors to transit through casino introduced
Another bill to amend the casino law was introduced during a House session yesterday. This time the amendment is to allow those under the age of 21 to transit through the Saipan casino, as current enforcement of smoking enclosures in the T-Galleria mall have reportedly forced tourists “to go around” the casino by stepping outside.
“That bill intends to allow those minors to go through the casino floor along with parents,” House Speaker Rafael Demapan (R-Saipan), the bill’s author, told reporters yesterday. “Right now, for them to go through they would have to go outside DFS and by doing that, as DFS is very close to the roads” there are safety concerns.
With the bill in effect there will be “a designated pathway for those kids who are less than 21 for them to walk to one place to another,” said Demapan.
The bill’s purpose is for “the safety of the kids and that’s basically it,” he added, calling it “tourist-friendly.” “To my understanding, it is also been requested by DFS.”
“Demapan’s bill states that between 2,500 to 3,000 people are affected by the current regulation, directly or indirectly, to bar individuals under 21 years of age except for employees from the gaming areas of the casino.
The bill looks to gaming areas in Nevada and Colorado, where those under 21 are allowed to be present in gaming area for the sole purpose of making their way through, “as long as these individuals do not loiter or gamble.”
The bill argues the practice should also be adopted by the Commonwealth to help tourists avoid the unpleasant experience of heavy traffic, and ease strain on tour operators who must supervise these groups—who may have to be split, if minors have to go around the mall, the bill states.
“…One lone supervisor cannot supervise both adults and the minors,” the bill states.
“The CNMI can ill afford to inconvenience any tourists, particularly those with young adults and children,” it adds. “…Finally, we cannot and should not wait for a traffic accident to occur before we take remedial measures.”
