2013年トンガとフィジーは海底通信ケーブルが敷設された。アジ銀と世銀の支援で、だ。

Casino moves ahead

Thursday, July 1, 1999 - 12:00. Updated on Friday, January 8, 2016 - 13:40.

Thursday, July 1, 1999 - 12:00

A proposal to set up a casino at Royal International Airport Inn-still under construction-has brought objections from church and community members in Tonga who are opposed to gambling. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 14, no. 3, July 1999.

https://matangitonga.to/1999/07/01/casino-moves-ahead

Tonga's govt denies issuing casino license

Wednesday, January 25, 2017 - 22:49. Updated on Thursday, January 26, 2017 - 12:52.

Wednesday, January 25, 2017 - 22:49

Tonga's Government this evening has refuted claims that it issued a casino license to a US company called Red Warrior Entertainment LLC, while admitting that it had supported two projects for a tourism investment facility, known as "Tavake Tamafua Investment Project", proposed by counterparts.

https://matangitonga.to/2017/01/25/tongas-govt-denies-issuing-casino-license

Public record shows Tavake Tamafua Ltd. registered in Tonga

Thursday, January 26, 2017 - 12:37. Updated on Thursday, January 26, 2017 - 16:28.

Thursday, January 26, 2017 - 12:37

A public record at Tonga's Business Registry shows that a company called Tavake Tamafua Ltd. was registered in Tonga on 29 November 2016 with two directors 'Epeli Taione and Havea L. Gatti.

https://matangitonga.to/2017/01/26/public-record-shows-tavake-tamafua-ltd-registered-tonga

Should Casinos be allowed in Tonga?

Thursday, January 26, 2017 - 17:46. Updated on Thursday, January 26, 2017 - 17:47.

Thursday, January 26, 2017 - 17:46

Should Casinos be allowed in Tonga? Matangi Tonga asked five members of the public for their opinions in a random survey.

https://matangitonga.to/2017/01/26/should-casinos-be-allowed-tonga

Chinese nationals arrested for gambling

Tuesday, August 20, 2019 - 19:45

Twenty-six Chinese nationals have been arrested for gambling after more than $89,000 pa’anga cash and other foreign currencies were seized at Tofoa, on Sunday, August 18.

https://matangitonga.to/2019/08/20/chinese-nationals-arrested-gambling

Chinese nationals charged with gambling

Thursday, August 22, 2019 - 17:50

Twenty six Chinese nationals have been similarly charged with gambling after more than $89,000 pa’anga and other foreign currencies was seized on Sunday, August 18.

https://matangitonga.to/2019/08/22/chinese-nationals-charged-gambling

Chinese gamblers fined, others plead not guilty

Friday, August 23, 2019 - 21:09

Twenty-one of 26 Chinese nationals charged with gambling were fined on August 23 after pleading guilty at the Fasi Magistrate's Court. They were arrested by Police after more than $89,000 pa’anga and other foreign currencies was seized on Sunday, August 18 at a building in Tofoa.

https://matangitonga.to/2019/08/23/chinese-gamblers-fined-others-plead-not-guilty

Court orders release of money forfeited in gambling raid

Tuesday, June 9, 2020 - 19:37. Updated on Wednesday, June 10, 2020 - 09:17.

Tuesday, June 9, 2020 - 19:37

The Crown has been ordered by the Lord Chief Justice to return more than $30,000 pa’anga in cash to 13 Chinese people. The cash was forfeited when they were arrested during a police raid aimed at illegal gambling in 2019.

https://matangitonga.to/2020/06/09/court-orders-release-money-forfeited-gambling-raid

Tonga Tourism Autority のサイトより。カジノの変遷がまとまっている。米国インディアンのカジノ会社による運営。教会の反対。。

While many island nations including Tonga used to be known as tax havens for international corporations, and the domain name .to is popular for various categories of websites that might be blocked elsewhere, Tonga still resits building casinos.

In 2017, Tavake Tamafua Ltd, a corporation owned by Red Warrior Entertainment, a casino holding firm owned by American Indians, applied for the first casino licence in Tonga. All seemed well for an investment of over $450 million US. Besides a casino, the company would build a shopping mall, luxury villas and an airport resort that included gaming facilities.

The company alleges Tonga minister Tevita Lavemaau had written them guaranteeing government support, provided they invest at least 450 million US dollars in infrastructure and that 80 percent of the labour would be sourced from within Tonga. The government would grant them the exclusive right to build a casino in Tonga within the next two years. While gambling is still illegal in Tonga, the minister promised a change in legislation to support their efforts.

However, the directors of Tavake Tamafua Ltd later received a letter stating the government would be backing out of the deal. The Prime Minister stated in January that gambling is prohibited by law and that any attempt from Red Warrior Entertainment or any casino company to attain a licence would be futile. The backlash appears to have been religiously inspired. Reverend Tevita Haukinima, Treasurer of the Free Wesleyan Church stated that the FWC does not believe in casinos and dealing cards. The church, Christians, pastors and people are against gambling, according to him.

This explains the popularity of online casinos for Tongan players. This decision may have also hurt the Tongan economy in the long run. While a casino may be a risk for certain problem gamblers, a casino could have attracted thousands of tourists from the entire Pacific region, including Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Korea, China and even the USA. These are the type of tourists that have led to Macau’s financial success. More recently, casino tourism has begun injecting money into the Philippines’ economy. Other island states such as Curacao and Malta also benefit greatly from licensing online gambling, so this is clearly a missed opportunity for the Tongan state.

https://thekingdomoftonga.com/online-gambling/

アメリカのインディアんが経営するカジノ会社との協力が書かれている

https://www.gamesbras.com/english-version/2017/1/27/tonga-denies-casino-license-tribal-company-644.html