Jamaica Awards First Casino Licence to Adamas Grand Casino at Princess Grand
2026-07-30
Source: Global Gaming Insider
Jamaica's Casino Gaming Commission has awarded its first casino operator licence to Adamas Grand Casino Limited for the Princess Grand Jamaica resort, following the April enactment of detailed casino regulations. The casino, to be managed by Grupo Orenes, must still meet pre-opening conditions including AML and surveillance system approvals.
Jamaica’s Casino Gaming Commission (CGC) has issued its inaugural casino operator licence to Adamas Grand Casino Limited, authorising casino gaming at the Princess Grand Jamaica resort in Hanover. The casino will be run by Grupo Orenes, a Spanish gaming and hospitality operator with properties in Spain, Mexico and Andorra. An exact opening date has not yet been announced, as several pre-operational requirements remain outstanding.
The operator must secure approval for its internal controls, surveillance systems, anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing procedures, and player protection measures. It also needs to connect to the CGC’s Gaming Management Information System before doors can open.
Regulatory Framework and Resort Requirements
The licence follows the April adoption of the Casino Gaming (General) Regulations, which fleshed out the licensing, fee, reporting and enforcement rules set out in the Casino Gaming Act 2010 – a framework that had sat largely dormant for more than a decade. Jamaica’s model only permits casino gaming within integrated resort developments, not stand-alone venues. Qualifying projects must build at least 1,000 new hotel rooms, with a minimum of 500 classified as luxury accommodation, plus other tourism and entertainment facilities.
Princess Grand Jamaica is part of a larger resort complex in Hanover that also includes the adults-only Princess Senses The Mangrove, together providing more than 1,000 rooms.
Anti-Crime Cooperation and Licence Terms
The CGC has strengthened ties with the Financial Investigations Division and the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency through agreements covering information sharing and the mitigation of illicit finance, fraud, corruption and organised crime risks tied to casino operations.
Jamaica’s Finance and Public Service Minister, Fayval Williams, said: “The granting of this licence reflects Jamaica’s continued progress in building a modern economy underpinned by strong institutions and transparent regulation.” The licence is valid indefinitely but will be reviewed every five years, with ongoing compliance monitoring by the CGC throughout the casino’s operation.