It also adopted a regulation identifying a new adult business overlay district zone, documents obtained by Variety showed.
The zoning board proposed to designate as adult business overlay zones the land within 200 ft. of each side of the centerline of Chalan Pale Arnold in Middle Road which extends to the south side of the Sugar King Park.
Attorney General Matthew Gregory signed the amendments to the gambling exemption certificate published in the July issue of the Commonwealth Register.
The regulation establishes procedures that must be followed by those who want to operate gambling activities in the CNMI.
The amendment defined gambling devices as “any device or equipment used in the performance of gambling activities, including but not limited to roulette wheels, cards or dice.”
Entities to be granted gambling certificate will now be required to submit “security plans” which must provide information about crowd control, protection of funds, protection of cashier area, protection of poker chips, among other things.
The Attorney General’s Office is in charge of issuing the gambling exemption to applying entities loosely defined as “an entity which has submitted an application.”
According to the published documents, gambling activities will be allowed from 1 p.m. to 1 a.m.
“All gambling activities shall be limited to the following games: 1) roulette; 2) blackjack; 3) poker; and 4) raffles. All game rules and gambling devices must have prior approval of the Office of the Attorney General,” it stated.
“No wage by any one person may exceed $25 in cumulative or total amount. All games must use poker chips issued by the Commonwealth Department of Finance for indication of wager and award of winnings,” it added.
Press Secretary Charles P. Reyes Jr. said he is not aware about the intent behind amending the gambling rules.
During the 15th Legislature, the Fitial administration pushed for the enactment of legislation that would allow limited casino-gambling activities at the government-owned La Fiesta Mall.
The House passed the bill but the Senate rejected it.
Six of the Senate’s nine seats are held by Tinian and Rota, where casino gaming is legal.
