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10/27/2025 - CNMI Gov. David Apatang and CNMI Lt. Gov. Dennis Mendiola wrote to the legislature on October 24, 2025, urging lawmakers to take action on their administration-sponsored bill to amend the Casino Act of 2014 amid the islands’ fiscal crisis.
“This legislation is essential to reviving the Commonwealth’s gaming industry, restoring investor confidence, and securing critical new sources of public revenue for our retirees and the people of the CNMI,” they told House Speaker Edmund Villagomez and Senate President Karl King-Nabors.
Apatang and Mendiola acknowledged the collapse of the exclusive casino license framework. They said that while the IPI facility remains unfinished with unfulfilled obligations, Team King Investment (CNMI), LLC, has not only acquired IPI’s assets through bankruptcy court, but has also expressed deep interest in a non-exclusive casino license under a new legal framework.
“The proposed amendment restructures the casino industry by ending exclusivity, authorizing multiple licenses, diversifying the revenue base, and introducing new revenue streams through online gaming and digital payment systems. Unlike the failed single-operator model, this bill establishes stability and resilience by distributing obligations across multiple credible investors,” they explained.
Key provisions of the amendment include:
Establishing a non-exclusive license structure with scalable fees and enforceable performance benchmarks.
Linking the Casino Gross Revenue Tax (CGRT) directly to gaming performance, ensuring reliable public revenues;
Dedicating a portion of revenues to fund retirees' pensions, safeguarding our most vulnerable;
and Modernizing the industry through iGaming and stablecoin-backed payment instruments, aligned with U.S. regulatory standards.
The Apatang-Mendiola administration said the legislation could generate more than $100 million in public revenues in the first five years and potentially even more with online platforms.
They urge Senate and House lawmakers to “act without delay” to pass the administration-sponsored measure. They added, “ The CNMI cannot afford further inaction. This bill represents a balanced, forward-looking reform that addresses past failures while seizing the opportunities now before us.”
Report by Thomas Manglona II
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