The Senate Committee on Gaming is inviting the public to share their opinions on Gov. David M. Apatang’s recommendation to amend the casino law in hopes of reviving Saipan’s gaming industry.
The committee meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, in the Senate chamber.
Committee Vice Chairman Sen. Paul A. Manglona will preside. He said the purpose is to deliberate on the administration-sponsored amendment to Public Law 18-56, the statute that legalized casinos on Saipan. The proposal would replace the “failed exclusive license model” with a diversified framework of multiple non-exclusive licenses, performance-based taxation, and modernization through online gaming and digital payment systems.
In their letter to Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez and Senate President Karl King-Nabors, Gov. Apatang and Lt. Gov. Dennis Mendiola wrote, “this approach addresses past structural weakness while positioning the CNMI to compete within the broader Asia-Pacific gaming industry.”
The Apatang-Mendiola administration proposes reducing the annual license fee to $1 million from $15 million, while requiring casino investors to pay $2 million upfront, covering the first two years. The amendment would also lower the regulatory fee to $1 million, down from $3.15 million.
In an interview Tuesday, Manglona said the Senate has received many calls regarding its position on the governor’s recommendation. The committee recently received the governor’s letter urging an amendment to the casino law.
As vice chairman, Manglona said he is assisting Committee Chair Senate Vice President Corina Magofna. He has scheduled the meeting to bring the issue to the public, adding, “We’ll start by talking about the gaming industry in general and see where to go from there.”
“I think that it’s good we have this opportunity to open up to our people,” Manglona said, noting he also invited Edward C. Deleon Guerrero, chairman of the now-disbanded Commonwealth Casino Commission.
Failed exclusive license
Last month, the governor submitted a support package to the House Committee on Gaming for its review of the proposed amendment.
In a separate letter to House Gaming Committee Chair Rep. Ralph N. Yumul, the governor said the proposed changes aim “to correct the structural failures of the former exclusive license model and to establish a modern, enforceable framework.”
This framework would end the single-operator monopoly, authorize multiple non-exclusive casino licenses subject to strict requirements, establish a performance-based casino gross revenue tax of up to 15% directly supporting 25% NMI retirees’ pension and other public priorities, and provide predictable fee structures to attract serious investors. It would also fully fund an independent Casino Commission through regulatory fees and align the CNMI with proven regional and U.S. regulatory practices.
