House panel to review laws leading up to Saipan casino law

The House of Representatives' Standing Committee on Gaming will review all laws that preceded Public Law 18-56, the act that legalized casino gaming on Saipan and established the Commonwealth Casino Commission.

During a House Gaming Committee hearing last Nov. 13, panel chair Rep. Ralph N. Yumul tasked vice chair Rep. Blas Jonathan T. Attao to examine all prior casino-related legislation leading up to PL 18-56, as well as to further study Gov. David M. Apatang and Lt. Gov. Dennis C. Mendiola's request for the Legislature to pass an administration-sponsored bill amending the 2014 Casino Act.

Attao said during the hearing that reviewing all casino-related laws should be the first step before considering any amendments to PL 18-56.

"There's no legislation that's written, or I guess maybe the position of the body is to share what's being, I guess, proposed for PL 18-56, but I still am in a position as a member of this body that we still need to review other laws, not just PL 18-56, because there's 30, I believe-PL 18-37, PL 18-43, PL 18-45, that led up to PL 18-56, and then PL 18-56 was amended a couple of times."

Attao also raised the issue of Team King Investment (CNMI) LLC and its plans for Imperial Pacific International (CNMI) LLC's casino assets.

"They purchased whatever was auctioned out, and are they even considering the casino portion, or are they going to work on the hotel portion? But that's still lockstep in with PL 18-56-with the 2,000 rooms, the water park, all the other amenities that's connected to PL 18-56-and if we're going to amend it, we need to make sure that at the very least, [the CNMI recoups what] IPI owes the central government in casino license fee almost $100 million, and in regulatory fees it's almost $20 million," he added.

Rep. Marissa Flores supported Attao's call for a comprehensive review of the Saipan Casino Act.

"I cannot underscore the importance of what Rep. Attao is stating, that we've got to look at all of these bills and the laws that created 18-56. Because just looking at this proposal, we're going to have a lot of problems if we don't scrutinize this very, very carefully."

Attao also pointed out a key issue regarding the governor's executive order, noting that the administration appears to be reviving the casino industry even as the regulatory casino commission remains inactive.

"The administration hasn't revoked that executive order that stripped the casino commissioners. But in this proposed legislation that is submitted this way, it has commissioners in it. I think they need to take action first in recalling that executive order before proposing legislation that would technically contradict the executive order that was implemented a few months ago."

Flores, meanwhile, said if the Legislature proceeds to amend PL 18-56, she wants more checks and balances in place for casino operations.

"At some point, we have to say 'enough is enough.' Design a bill that will take our community and those who will benefit, which is what they're proposing in this-the [Settlement] Fund, once again, the unfunded liability, let's not forget the elephant in the room. But I don't see anything in here going to schools, going to land compensation. Who's going to have the authority to use all that money? Secretary of Finance? The governor? I don't think so," she said.

The hearing focused on the governor's proposed amendments to the Saipan Casino Act, PL 18-56, following the collapse of Imperial Pacific International and the recent bid won by Team King Investment (CNMI) LLC.

Yumul earlier said the purpose of the hearing was to maintain transparency by engaging all stakeholders before any legislation is introduced or acted upon. However, the House's usual live broadcast of the proceedings was not aired, as it conflicted with a concurrent Senate Standing Committee on Executive Appointments and Government Investigations session.

"The intent of the meeting this morning is to be as transparent as possible to the public, and that's why I went this route, rather than having someone sponsor the bill. And that's not the intent of the chair, and that's why I wanted to be as transparent and forthcoming to you, because the community will be involved, and we learn from the past mistakes of the first exclusive [casino] license, so we're trying to avoid that this time around," said Yumul.

In an Oct. 24, 2025, letter, Apatang and Mendiola urged the Legislature to urgently pass an administration-backed bill amending PL 18-56 to revive the CNMI's gaming industry following IPI's default.

The letter warned of a projected $22.9-million revenue shortfall for Fiscal Year 2026, threatening pension payments, public services, and education funding. The administration stressed that swift legislative action is needed to stabilize public finances and drive economic recovery.

The proposed amendments to the Saipan Casino Act include:

Ending the exclusive casino license system and replacing it with a non-exclusive, multi-license framework;

Setting scalable licensing fees tied to enforceable performance benchmarks;

Linking the Casino Gross Revenue Tax directly to gaming performance;

Allocating a portion of revenues to retiree pensions; and

Legalizing and regulating iGaming and stablecoin-backed digital payments.

The Apatang-Mendiola administration projects more than $100 million in public revenues within five years, alongside broader economic benefits such as job creation and increased spending.

Marianas Press reached out to CCC chair Edward Deleon Guerrero, vice chair Ralph Demapan, and commissioner Thomas Manglona for comment, but they have yet to respond as of press time.