US-based expert gives advise to boost casino industry

Tinian –– With the intense competition to attract players from various casino destinations all over the world, an official of a Las Vegas-based gaming consulting firm said allowing customers to play on credit would help in enticing international players to come to Tinian.

According to Dennis L. Amerine, president of Amerine Enterprises, gaming destinations like Australia and Las Vegas allow customers to play on credit. “It is important for the casino industry here, given the type of customers that they want to attract, to allow credit by customers,” he said. Mr. Amerine, a former member of the State Gaming Control Board, spearheaded sweeping changes in Nevada’s casino regulations. He said the Tinian Casino Initiative needs to undergo an overhaul to make it more relevant to the fast development in the casino industry.

But the biggest factor that will affect the development of the industry is making the island-municipality of Tinian accessible to visitors through direct flights from various destinations.

“Visitors want convenience, they want to travel quickly since they will only come to play,” he said.

Mr. Amerine was on island recently to put together a regulatory audit plan and perform a casino audit of the Tinian Casino to make sure that all the taxes are properly paid and that the establishment complies with the regulations of the Commission.

As part of the Commission’s skills development program for the staff, TCGCC will hire a firm that will assist in the training.

Mr. Amerine will establish audit programs based on those used in Nevada and adjust them to meet the objectives and needs of the Commission. Since the casino industry is a cash intensive business and the evaluation of internal control procedures must be performed frequently and thoroughly to make sure that reasonable assurance taxes are obtained and properly reported by the casino. It is also meant to ensure that the casino is complying with the requirements of the Gaming Initiative and the Commission regulations.

With the constant changes in the international gaming industry, the Commission is under pressure to maintain world-class standards. As a regulatory body on the planned casino industry in Tinian, TCGCC also wants to make sure that Tinian Dynasty Casino, the lone multimillion investment on the island would survive.

Mandarin Air is set to begin its twice a week charter flights on May 1 from Taipei to Saipan to attract casino players there which is expected to boost visitor arrivals on the island.