Bermuda Casino Gaming Commission executive director Richard Schuetz has resigned for “personal and professional reasons”.

Mr Schuetz will continue to serve in the position until the end of the year and help to identify and prepare his successor for the role.

Commission chairman Alan Dunch said: “The Bermuda Casino Gaming Commission is thankful for Richard’s two years of service, leadership and commitment to formulating a framework for Bermuda’s introduction of integrated resort casinos.

“We understand and support his decision to step down and are grateful for his assistance in positioning the commission and its staff for future growth.

“As a result of Richard’s resignation, one of our immediate priorities will be to implement a search process with a view to recruiting a new executive director.

“I am pleased that Richard will be assisting us in this process so that his expertise will be available to us in terms of assessing the credentials of any applicants and advising us as to whom is best suited to take over from him in this role.

“He will also use his remaining time with us to ensure the Hamilton Princess response to the request for proposals for a provisional gaming licence is appropriately handled without any disruption.”

The commission was appointed to regulate, manage and safeguard the island’s emerging gaming industry.

Mr Schuetz said: “It’s been an enormous privilege to work with the commission and its staff, to help create a viable casino industry, one that operates with a high level of integrity and ethics, and produces jobs and investment for Bermuda, as well as enhancing the island’s tourism product.”

Prior to the July 18 General Election, Mr Schuetz gave notice to commission chairman Mr Dunch of his intentions.

But the news was not made public in an effort to avoid it becoming “part of the clamour surrounding the political campaigns”.

Mr Schuetz joined the Bermuda Casino Gaming Commission in September 2015. During his time in office, several pieces of gaming legislation were approved in the House, but not without controversy.

Debate over regulations establishing the cost of casino licences became particularly heated with independent MP Shawn Crockwell joining opposition MPs in declaring the fees too high.

While the BCGC said it had not had any pushback about the proposed fees, Mr Crockwell claimed that Australian casino expert Tibor Vertes had raised issues in a meeting with Mr Schuetz.

A defamation suit was subsequently filed by Mr Schuetz personally against Mr Vertes over comments made in an e-mail. As of yesterday, a spokeswoman for the BCGC confirmed that case remains ongoing.

Prior to coming to BCGC, Mr Schuetz worked for four years with the California Gambling Control Commission.

In addition to working as a senior executive in the gaming markets of Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Reno/Tahoe, Laughlin, Minnesota, Mississippi and Louisiana, Mr Schuetz served as a consultant to the City of Detroit and the state of Kansas as they introduced casinos.

For more information on the Bermuda Casino Gaming Commission, visit www.bcgc.bm.