One Hundred Sands Casino Files Appeal with Fiji Attorney General

The license cancellation of One Hundred Sands Casino has resulted in appeal for Fiji’s Attorney General in to reinstate the operator’s license.

Fijione.tv reported the casino owner’s legal representatives have made attempts to meet with government officials to discuss the license’s status since February 2015, but has still been unsuccessful.

The Attorney General Counsel has pointed to the Gaming Decree, insisting the courts have no jurisdiction to hear the case. Based on the evidence that the decree is without an “ouster clause”, the One Hundred Sands counsel insists that the people could challenge the decree in question.

Currently, the High Court’s decision to dismiss One Hundred Sands’ review is undergoing a second appeal. The operator was initially granted a 15-year gaming license with exclusive rights in the South Pacific nation consisting of hundreds of islands. Awarded in December of 2011, the license was the first of its kind to be issued in Fiji. According to the agreement, the project had been slated for completion by October 2013, incurring penalties for each month that passed the deadline without a completed and operating venue. Fees mounted as the deadline passed, reaching a tab of $1.5 million and climbing by mid-2015.

One Hundred Sands Limited initially argued that the missed deadline was the result of a change of location for the proposed venue to outside Denarau, which required additional research and logistics before construction could begin.

Fears the license would be revoked were raised as it became evident the Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) had the opportunity to be voted in during the next elections. The party was uninterested if not outright against gambling institutions as a form of tourism for Fiji. After the election, the SODELPA emerged with 15 of the 50 available seats in parliament.

The proposed venue was to be dubbed the Grand Casino and come with a price tag of $290 million. If appeals are successful and the project reaches completion, the venue will offer 500 slot machines, 32 table games, a VIP lounge, racebook, sportsbook, and a convention center to Fijian locals and international tourists.