Prompting urgent calls for reform regarding the gaming industry. This 6% accounts for approximately 2800 persons within our community.
The Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT), as part of the broader Country Package Reform under the measure Strengthening the Rule of Law (H2), is spearheading efforts to regulate the gambling industry and address the public health risks tied to addiction.
In collaboration with the Temporary Work Organization (TWO), part of the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK), TEATT developed a multi-agency Plan of Approach (POA). This plan, now in progress, focuses on:
Bringing the island into compliance with international financial oversight bodies (CFATF and FATF),
Establishing a modern, independent regulatory body—the Sint Maarten Gaming Authority (SMGA),
Raising awareness about gambling addiction and enforcing preventative measures by gaming operators.
Findings from the Gambling Study
Recognizing the absence of updated data since 1996, the interministerial workgroup that spearheads the Plan of Approach has assigned the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labor (VSA) to lead a new study on gambling behavior and prevalence. The research, commissioned by VSA in partnership with TWO and the Department of Statistics (STATs), was conducted by Ipsos I&O and surveyed over 800 residents between March 26 and April 8, 2025.
Key results include:
36% of residents (11,100–13,300 people) reported to have gambled in the last 12 months.
Men and young adults (ages 18–34) were the most active gamblers.
30% of the gamblers play daily or weekly, and 15% said they gamble more than one hour a week.
Popular forms of gambling (game of chance in which m