Top Online Casinos for Samoa
The country’s Gambling Control Authority was founded in 2010 under the Casino and Gambling Control Act adopted the same year while the Amendment Act from 2015 became the first attempt to regulate online gaming in Samoa. Let’s take a closer look at the entertainment scene of this South Pacific island and find out what else comes along to complement its unmatched natural assets.
Overview
Often referred to as the Cradle of Polynesia, Samoa is located approximately halfway between New Zealand and Hawaii, being home to a population of 180,000 people. It shares the Samoan archipelago with American Samoa, which often leads to confusion between the latter, which is an incorporated territory of the United States, and the subject of this article – The Independent State of Samoa that got its independence from New Zealand in 1962.
Known as Western Samoa until 1997, this country appeared on the global gambling map in October 2014, when the nation’s first land-based casino opened its doors. Part of the posh Sheraton Mulifanua Resort, WhiteSands Casino became the tenth brick-and-mortar project brought to life under the directorship of Gaming Concepts, Asia’s big-name company that operates luxurious casinos in different countries, including Thailand and the Philippines.
The night of the opening ceremony…
… was a really special event and not only because of numerous foreign official guests and flamboyant high-rollers who rushed to try their luck at the brand new baccarat, blackjack, roulette, and poker tables. That night was the only time Samoa residents were allowed to enter the casino and gamble.
Everyone interested could make the tour of state-of-the-art WhiteSands Casino facilities – ten gaming tables and about a hundred penny, 2-cents, and 5-cent slot machines. Some of the one-armed bandits were progressive slot machines, similar to those offered on the floors of New Zealand’s famous Sky casinos in Auckland, Queenstown, or Christchurch. The majority of guests who attended the event were pleased with the assortment of both pokies and table games, however, they say that some visitors from the US were disappointed by the absence of Texas Hold’em, which is arguably the most popular poker variant in the States.
The second land-based casino in the country was opened two years later, in October 2016, inside one of the buildings that make fashionable Sheraton Samoa Aggie Grey’s Hotel & Bungalows. The latter is located in Apia, the country’s capital city and main commercial center, which is also known for its stunning waterfront. The gambling venue was named BlackSands Casino – just in case you were wondering.
Local Gambling Laws
The Casino and Gambling Control Act 2010 is the main piece of legislation that, in the first place, was created to help the development of the country’s tourism sector and raise the quality of life in Samoa. This Act established the Gaming Control Authority (GCA) to promote probity and integrity in gambling and issue licenses to qualified operators.
Can Samoans gamble in the local land-based casinos?
Well, it depends. According to the law, only individuals with a foreign passport who are staying at one of the casino resorts or other hotels (the term “hotel” is clearly defined in the Income Tax Act) are allowed to play in casinos. However, it’s no secret that many Samoans also possess passports issued by New Zealand or the United States, meaning they have no problem enjoying Vegas-style entertainment.
Casino And Gambling Control Amendment Act 2015 became the next step towards a fully-fledged gaming industry as one of its main objectives was regulation of interactive gambling. The Proposed Gaming Control Bill 2016 went even further, including in its agenda the promotion of responsible gambling. The main document was last revised in 2018 but no significant changes in terms of online gambling were introduced, therefore this area still remains unregulated.
Meanwhile, the country’s Gambling Control Authority managed to make headlines in February 2021, revealing its decision to cease paying dividends to Samoa Government. Such an announcement came as a result of the lack of the Govt grants for the GCA operation. It’s worth mentioning that with $1 million in contributions, the agency is one of the major donators on the island, supporting a variety of charitable organizations and sports events, as well as offering financial assistance to students.
Online Casinos in Samoa
In the absence of online gambling legislation, which is still in the process of formulating, there are no gaming websites licensed in the country. One of the possible reasons for a delay can be a pretty small number of Samoans who use the internet – just about one-third of the population.
Anyway, both residents of Samoa and foreigners who visit the island can play at hundreds of offshore online casinos licensed in highly renowned jurisdictions. The list below features a great many websites, each comes with an in-depth review and verified info about banking options, cashout times, and, of course, all bonuses and promotions offered by a particular venue.
Further Reading
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