The Hamilton Princess and the St George’s hotel project will be eligible to apply for casino licences after being named designated sites.

Both locations were recommended for designation by the Bermuda Casino Gaming Commission and approved by Senator Michael Fahy, the Minister for Tourism, Transport and Municipalities.

Mr Fahy said: “This is the start of the process that will allow Bermuda to realise the public policy goals envisioned in the Casino Gaming Act 2014, namely increased employment and investment for Bermuda and an enhanced tourism product.”

Legislation requires that in order to apply for a licence for an integrated resort casino — only three of which will be available — an applicant must first have their property deemed a designated site.

Among the factors considered by the commission are the location’s suitability for an integrated resort or, if the site is already home to a resort, its suitability to operate a casino, with the burden being on the applicant to prove their case.

There is no limit to the number of designated sites that can be approved, but site designation does not guarantee that a casino licence will be granted.

According to a statement by the gaming commission, HotelCo Bermuda Holdings Limited and Hamilton Properties Limited both successfully applied for site designation in regards to the site of the St George’s hotel project and the Hamilton Princess respectively.

Alan Dunch, chairman of the commission, said: “We at the commission are pleased to mark this milestone in the development of integrated resort casinos in Bermuda.

“I want to applaud both of the applicants and the commission staff for working together to advance these two projects to this stage. We see this as an important step in developing this tool of economic development for the people of Bermuda.”

The designated site application process opened in March. Richard Schuetz, executive director for the commission, said the body had seen “robust demand” for designation.