With a unanimous 61-0 vote, the government of Papua New Guinea has passed a gaming law to allow casinos and online gambling in a bid to boost the country's economy.
The gaming law was passed by parliament and will allow each of the country’s 20 provinces to hold a casino licence for 10 years. It will also allow overseas-based lottery products and internet gambling.
"Casinos will contribute substantially to the national economy in terms of new employment, investment, taxes and foreign currency," Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare told parliament.
The law also created a National Gaming Control Board, which will oversee all gambling activities and monitor the social repercussions for its citizens.
