NOT all web shops currently in operation in the Bahamas will be licensed if the Bahamian public votes in favour of decriminalising the industry, Prime Minister Perry Christie said yesterday.

Speaking of the “stringent requirements” that would have to be met before a license would be issued, Mr Christie pointed out that the companies that would be eligible to receive a license will essentially boil down to who has the “capacity” to run a business of that kind.

“It’s going to be no different from what happens in the casino business. There is a necessity to regulate that business and not leave it unattended,” he said.

Noting that he intends to address the nation shortly with respect to the upcoming gambling referendum, Prime Minister Christie said it is his hope that the referendum will consist of one question which will amount to “do you agree or disagree.”

“Everything is going to move very quickly now in terms of the process. I should be communicating with the public shortly and there are some major issues that I am wrestling with, respect to the legitimacy and to make it a legal enterprise in the Bahamas with the consultants and so I think I’m about ready to communicate with the Bahamian public.

“What has happened is that Web Shops have become much more sophisticated in their offerings to the Bahamian public and we had consultants who began the process of an in-depth examination of their operations and so the challenge to us is to work towards ensuring that we have the right regulations in place but before we go and do all of those things we have first to determine whether the Bahamian public agrees with the legislation of it so the referendum is the defining feature of moving forward.

“So I think now the only question is to agree the formulation of the question and I have a number of possible questions that we will put to the electorate. It will hopefully be one question which will amount to do you agree or disagree,” he said.

At this point, the Prime Minister said his government has not determined whether a national lottery also will be included in the referendum question. He did stress, however, that an emphasis will be placed on the Web Shops’ current operations as they exist in the Bahamas today.

“I am preparing to speak definitively on the subject that is exactly what the Bahamian public has to know prior to voting, including the actual question which will be asked on the date of the referendum,” he added.

The contentious debate over whether or not the country should liberalize “web shop” gaming and establish a national lottery has raged since it was announced that the long-standing issue would be put to a referendum before the end of the year.

There has also been criticism of the scope of the proposed referendum, with former prime minister Hubert Ingraham stating that the referendum should address gaming in its entirety. The Bahamas Christian Council has accused the government of rushing a gambling referendum, while some local pastors have called for all gambling participation – including the participation of tourists in casinos – to be outlawed.