nationallottery

The national lottery proposed by the Free National Movement has brought strong opposition from the Bahamas Christian Council. The council’s position is clear that it opposes gambling in all forms.

But where was that same level of response when Sebas Bastian, one of the most prominent figures in the gaming industry, stepped into frontline politics?

When Bastian, the CEO of Island Luck, was ratified as a candidate for the Progressive Liberal Party, in November last year, the moment carried weight. It represented not just a business leader entering politics, but a direct link between a major gaming operator and policymaking.

At the time, the response from church leadership and the council was measured, even cautious. Its president, Bishop Delton Fernander, warned against placing the church in direct conflict with politics during an election season. He stopped short of offering a personal view, emphasizing instead that any position should reflect a broader consensus among churches.

“I think it’s dangerous to try to put the church against politics, especially in political season, but what we say has to be from the majority of the churches,” Bishop Fernander told the Tribune, declining to give a personal view.

That restraint is now in contrast to the firm opposition being voiced against the Free National Movement proposal to introduce a national lottery.

The difference in tone raises a broader issue about when that opposition is expressed.

Is the concern rooted purely in the expansion of gambling, or does it also extend to the growing influence of the industry within politics itself?

To be clear, the situations are not identical. One is a policy proposal that could expand state involvement in gaming and the other is an individual entering public life. But both exist within the same ecosystem, where gambling, money, and influence intersect.

In a country where web shops are already deeply embedded in daily life, the debate is no longer theoretical. It is about reality, influence, and consistency.

Silence, especially on issues tied to principle, can shape public perception just as much as strong statements.

Every part of the gambling conversation should be addressed equally.

The proposal by Michael Pintard and the  Free National Movement to introduce a national lottery is a potential shift in how gaming revenue is generated, controlled, and distributed in the Bahamas.

For years, the industry has been dominated by a small group of private operators.

That structure was created by a previous Progressive Liberal Party government under the Perry Christie administration, set by policy decisions, including limits on new licenses, which helped shape a controlled market with a handful of major players. Among the most prominent are Sebas Bastian, head of Island Luck and now a candidate for the Progressive Liberal Party; Craig Flowers owner of FML Webshop chains and Leander Brice owner and operator of A Sure Win.

The FNM’s proposal of a national lottery would place the government into that same space, not as a regulator, but as a participant, which changes the equation.

Pintard said the proceeds of the lottery would not go into the consolidated fund, but into a legal structure established specifically for that purpose that will ensure strong accountability mechanisms, governed by a private board.

Even if the national lottery is designed to coexist with private gaming, it introduces a new competitor with a different kind of advantage. A state-backed system can appeal to national sentiment, especially if it is tied to funding education, sports, youth development, social interventions and culture.

For some players, that connection between spending and public benefit could influence where they choose to spend their money.

For existing operators, the concern could be more about long-term effects. A national lottery raises questions about whether the current structure will remain as protected as it is. It also raises the possibility that revenue, which currently flows through private businesses, could be redirected through a public system with its own governance model.

For Bastian, the situation could become complex. As both a gambling industry leader and a PLP political candidate, the debate around a national lottery will invite more scrutiny, not only of the proposal itself, but of how closely politics and private gaming interests are connected.