A tourist island has hired experts to outline how it could introduce casino gambling safely.

The £200,000 report by the Innovation Group is expected to end with a change in Bermuda’s gaming laws.

That would mean the introduction of casinos — seen  as a potential silver bullet to save tourism — and a lottery, either traditional or Internet-based. 

The study will explore gaming’s potential economic and social impact as well as estimating how much the island nation could earn in tax.

Until now, gambling has been limited to the controversial Niobe Corinthian casino ship and other wagering including poker in bars.

‘Support’

The island’s PM Ewart Brown told reporters: “We have listened to the developers who are investing heavily into Bermuda by building new hotels and likewise to those existing hoteliers who are attempting to refreshand renew their hotel product.

“There is broad support for some form of gaming in Bermuda from their perspective but that is not enough to cause the Government to implement it.”

In June, ministers approved a plan to allow cruise ships to open late-night casinos in port in an effort to fight off increasing competition from rival cruise destinations.