A controversial bill allowing gambling on cruise ships while in dock might be reworked and revisited after being withdrawn during discussions in the House of Assembly.

On Wednesday, Premier and Tourism and Transport Minister Dr. Brown allowed a Vote of Conscience by MPs on the issue, standing down the Government Whip, but suspended the gaming Bill in the committee stage.

Dr. Brown's Press Secretary Glenn Jones said: "The Premier secured the Speaker's permission to 'rise and report to the House', which is basically a Parliamentary manoeuvre that allows a Bill to be deferred. "The Premier refers to it as the Bob Marley strategy because it allows a Bill to 'live another day'."

The House of Assembly approved the first nine clauses of the Prohibition of Gaming Machines Amendment Act 2009 but Dr. Brown then said: "In light of issues raised I'm going to ask the House to rise and report (progress)."

It followed arguments by Shadow Justice Minister Mark Pettingill, who argued the Bill was against the Bermuda Constitution as it discriminated against people on the grounds of 'place of origin'.

He said the Act would allow cruise ship passengers in Bermuda to gamble in dock, but not Bermudians themselves to gamble on land.

"Anyone who isn't a passenger is being discriminated against," he said.

On Wednesday, Government MPs Alex Scott, Wayne Perinchief and Patrice Minors joined Opposition MPs in speaking out against the Act. PLP MPs who were absent included Dennis Lister and Ashfield DeVent.

Mr. Scott told The Royal Gazette: "There were enough Members missing to cause the Minister and the Whip to take pause. I think if it had been put to a vote, it might have suffered defeat."

However, he added: "The Premier may rework it and revisit it. I think he will make a political assessment as to the support, both within and without Government and then determine whether to revisit the matter."

Mr. Scott said the events on Wednesday were "unusual".

"On those rare occasions when the Government of the day does not have full support on a matter you will see this happen but it doesn't happen too often as generally a Bill doesn't come to Parliament until it has all the support of Government members."

Mr. Jones admitted the Premier deferred the Bill as it appeared not to have enough support. After the debate in the House, he told The Royal Gazette: "As the vote neared, the Whip and others indicated the Bill was in danger of defeat based on the Members on the floor of the House at the time.

"So now the Premier plans to reintroduce the Bill later this year. His objective on this issue has not changed." He said current agreements with cruise partners would stand.

Yesterday, he released a statement from the Premier which said: "The Speaker has indicated the Bill can be brought back as soon as Government determines a timeframe. There has been no decision from Government yet."

According to Parliamentary protocol, a Bill suspended in the Committee stage can be reintroduced in the same Parliamentary session. Dr. Brown has until the summer recess to resurrect the gaming Bill.

If the Prohibition of Gaming Machines Amendment Act 2009 had gone to a vote and been defeated, the Premier would have been forced to wait until 2010 to bring it back.

Opposition Leader Kim Swan said: "The issue of gaming is a serious consideration and today's amendment which would allow cruise ships to operate their casinos in port would set a precedence which we felt flew in the face of the Prohibitive Gaming Act. We expressed that the amendment was premature considering a report on gaming was recently commissioned.

"To allow cruise ships to operate a casino in Bermuda would put Bermudian businesses at a disadvantage, as they would not have the same opportunity.

"One fear is that this legislation is the 'thin edge of the wedge' or the slippery slope of no return which would essentially allow gambling in Bermuda.

"The delay achieved because the Premier did not have the support is an indication that some members of the PLP were also concerned about the implications of this legislation."

During the debate in the House, Dr. Brown said: "Bermuda and Bermudians have to decide whether we want to be in the tourism industry or not."

Rather than be "protectionist" and snubbing new ideas by saying "no", he said Islanders had to embrace the changing tourism industry. He said Government is "insisting" that in return for being allowed to open their casinos between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., the cruise lines buy transportation passes for buses and ferries. The Premier said this will bring in $1.5 million in revenue a year to Bermuda.

Dr. Brown added: "Let's be real about it and not fear. We can try new things and if they don't work, usually they are reversible, but I have never seen one jurisdiction that has allowed this kind of gaming to occur which later reversed it."

The Premier said Government had consulted both the Chamber of Commerce and the Bermuda Hotel Association and that both organisations said gaming on cruise ships in dock had the support of most their members. Commenting on a question by Independent MP Wayne Furbert on whether if the Bill failed, would the cruise ships still come to Bermuda, Dr. Brown said: "My answer is I do not know, but I expect them to honour the contracts in place."