Jamaica to open first casino by 2025 at Princess Grand Jamaica resort

Jamaica is set to open its first casino in mid-to-late 2025, marking a significant milestone for the country’s tourism and gaming industries. The casino will be a key feature of the new Princess Grand Jamaica resort in Hanover, developed by Spanish-based Princess Hotels and Resorts.  

"If all goes according to plan, we expect that the casino at Princess Grand Jamaica will be open mid to late 2025," said Delano Seiveright, senior adviser and strategist in the Ministry of Tourism, as reported by Jamaica Gleaner.  
  
The Princess Grand Jamaica resort, located on Green Island near Negril, will become Jamaica’s largest resort complex when fully built with a total of 2,037 rooms, including two adults-only hotels. The resort’s second phase, which includes the casino, will also feature 1,025 hotel rooms and 14 overwater villas.  

Phase one, comprising 1,012 hotel rooms, recently opened. To facilitate the construction of the second phase, Princess Hotels plans to build a temporary road to minimize disruption to the resort’s main entrance.  
  
Princess Hotels was granted an Approved Integrated Resort Development Order (AIRD) in March 2024 by the Ministry of Finance, making it eligible to apply for a casino gaming license. Once completed, the project will position Princess Hotels as Jamaica’s first casino operator, a status that eluded previous AIRD projects due to financing challenges.  

The resort is expected to create significant economic activity, accommodating 1,800 workers, 1,800 all-inclusive guests, and 600 casino patrons daily.  
 
Casino gambling was legalized in Jamaica in 2010 after prolonged lobbying from business interests, despite strong opposition from religious groups. However, early projects faced hurdles, including high investment and room count requirements.  

To attract investors, the government revised the conditions, reducing the required investment from $1.2 billion to $500 million and the minimum room count from 2,000 to 1,000.  
  
Previous AIRD projects, such as the proposed Rose Hall casino in Montego Bay and Harmony Cove in Trelawny, stalled due to financial and operational challenges. Harmony Cove, a joint venture between the Jamaican government and Tavistock Group, is reportedly still viable, according to Finance Minister Nigel Clarke.  

The Princess Grand Jamaica casino is part of a broader effort to grow Jamaica’s hotel room capacity from 32,000 to 50,000 within five years, alongside the expansion of tourism offerings such as casino gaming.  

Recent developments include the Riu Palace Aquarelle in Trelawny, which opened with 753 rooms, and plans for the construction of a 450-room Unico Resort next year.  

“Despite global headwinds, the tourism investment climate is buzzing with new developments and plans,” Seiveright said, highlighting the government’s commitment to diversifying Jamaica’s tourism sector.