• Subscribe
  • Magazines
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
Friday 11 July 2025
  • zh-hant 中文
  • ja 日本語
  • en English
IAG
Advertisement
  • Newsfeed
  • Mag Articles
  • Video
  • Opinion
  • Tags
  • Regional
    • Africa
    • Australia
    • Cambodia
    • China
    • CNMI
    • Europe
    • Hong Kong
    • India
    • Japan
    • Laos
    • Latin America
    • Malaysia
    • Macau
    • Nepal
    • New Zealand
    • North America
    • North Korea
    • Philippines
    • Russia
    • Singapore
    • South Korea
    • Sri Lanka
    • Thailand
    • UAE
    • Vietnam
  • Events
  • Contributors
  • SUBSCRIBE FREE
No Result
View All Result
IAG
  • Newsfeed
  • Mag Articles
  • Video
  • Opinion
  • Tags
  • Regional
    • Africa
    • Australia
    • Cambodia
    • China
    • CNMI
    • Europe
    • Hong Kong
    • India
    • Japan
    • Laos
    • Latin America
    • Malaysia
    • Macau
    • Nepal
    • New Zealand
    • North America
    • North Korea
    • Philippines
    • Russia
    • Singapore
    • South Korea
    • Sri Lanka
    • Thailand
    • UAE
    • Vietnam
  • Events
  • Contributors
  • SUBSCRIBE FREE
No Result
View All Result
IAG
No Result
View All Result

IPI sues Saipan regulator for breach of casino license agreement, calls for abolition and repayment of all regulatory fees

Newsdesk by Newsdesk
Tue 12 Dec 2023 at 01:28
Commonwealth Casino Commission threatens to suspend IPI gaming license for failure to meet community benefit fund obligations
18
SHARES
458
VIEWS
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Embattled Saipan casino operator Imperial Pacific International (IPI) is suing its regulator, the Commonwealth Casino Commission, alleging breach of their Casino License Agreement and seeking exemption from payment of all regulatory fees. It is also asking for a court order requiring the CCC to pay restitution for all regulatory fees paid in the past, according to a report by Marianas Variety.

The latest twist in the ongoing IPI saga comes after the CCC last week served IPI with a 30-day notice to pay US$62 million in unpaid license fees or have its casino license revoked. The casino in question, Imperial Palace • Saipan, was shuttered in early 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic before having its license suspended in April 2021 as a result of the unpaid fees.

As per the terms of this new civil complaint, IPI is suing the CCC for unconstitutional impairment of contract violation of the contracts clause of the US and CNMI constitutions, violation of the takings clause and violation of the due process clauses of the US Constitution.

Marianas Variety revealed that IPI is demanding a jury trial and want the District Court for the NMI to issue a declaration stating that IPl is exempt from or not subject to the terms of the regulatory fee based on the terms of the casino license agreement originally entered into.

It also want an injunction preventing enforcement of any annual regulatory fees, a declaration that payment of such fees are unconstitutional and for the CCC to pay restitution for all the regulatory fees it has paid in the past.

Finally, it wants the court to vacate and nullify any orders made in relation to such unpaid fees, including the suspension of its casino license.

“The Regulatory Fee Statute imposed additional fees for doing business in CNMI, which constitutes a substantial and unconstitutional impairment of the CLA (casino license agreement),” the lawsuit says.

“IPI was and is still required by CCC to pay the US$3 million annual regulatory fee as a prerequisite to exercising its existing contractual and property rights set forth explicitly in the CLA, rights for which it already has compensated the Commonwealth,” the lawsuit stated, claiming that the regulatory fee represents a double whammy on top of other license fees.

“The annual regulatory fees are substantial, and the impairment to the express and implied terms of the CLA is direct. The later imposed regulatory fees effectively nullify the explicit terms of the CLA and impose completely unexpected and new liabilities and limitations on the operation of IPI.

“CCC requires IPI to pay excessive and unlawful fees pursuant to the later enacted regulatory fee statute without formal condemnation, as a condition for IPI to operate its business under the CLA despite the CLA already expressly providing for an annual license fee and no such regulatory fee, and further, despite IPI being legally prohibited from operating the casino during the pandemic and when its license was suspended.”

The CNMI is “thereby permanently, directly and substantially interfering with IPI’s use and enjoyment of its contractual and property rights, amounting to an unauthorized taking without just compensation.”

IPI noted that it had paid its agreed annual US$15 million license fee each year between 2014 and 2019 but that the new US$3 million regulatory fee was implemented by way of a new law in December 2015, aimed at covering all costs of the CCC but “regardless of the actual costs incurred.”

IPI has previously argued its inability to pay its fees was related to the closure of its Saipan casino which it says was the result of force majeure events.

RelatedPosts

Crown saga claims new scalp as Western Australia’s Chief Casino Officer steps down over conflict of interest claims

Crown Perth deemed suitable to maintain casino license after three-year remediation

Tue 8 Jul 2025 at 12:40
Genting Malaysia’s New York subsidiaries price an additional US$100 million senior notes as equity raising continues

Genting Malaysia says full casino operations could be launched within six months if New York bid successful

Tue 1 Jul 2025 at 06:11
We’re Back!

Decision on Crown Perth’s suitability said to be imminent

Mon 26 May 2025 at 13:33
We’re Back!

Singapore regulator renews Marina Bay Sands casino license for three years

Sun 13 Apr 2025 at 10:29
Load More
Tags: casino licenseCasino License AgreementCNMICommonwealth Casino CommissionImperial Pacific InternationalImperial Palace‧Saipan
Share7Share1
Newsdesk

Newsdesk

The IAG Newsdesk team comprises some of the most experienced journalists in the Asian gaming industry. Offering a broad range of expertise, their decades of combined know-how spans multiple countries across a variety of topics.

Current Issue

Editorial – An inconvenient truth

Editorial – An inconvenient truth

by Ben Blaschke
Fri 27 Jun 2025 at 15:21

It’s understandable that political observers, academics and members of the public in greenfield jurisdictions would express caution around the legalization...

Light & Wonder’s Siobhan Lane

Light & Wonder’s Siobhan Lane

by Ben Blaschke
Fri 27 Jun 2025 at 15:19

Siobhan Lane, Light & Wonder’s highly experienced CEO of Gaming, speaks to Inside Asian Gaming about the company’s ongoing transformation...

Honesty is the best policy

Honesty is the best policy

by Ben Blaschke
Fri 27 Jun 2025 at 14:13

The Thailand Entertainment Complex Roundtable brought industry stakeholders, politicians and supporters of the government’s Entertainment Complex Bill face to face...

Sri Lanka’s casino industry

Sri Lanka’s casino industry

by Shaun McCamley
Fri 27 Jun 2025 at 13:36

Industry veteran Shaun McCamley delves into the complex history of Sri Lanka’s casino industry at a time when the country...

Evolution Asia
Your browser does not support HTML5 video.
Aristocrat
GLI
Nustar
SABA
Mindslot
Solaire
Hann
Tecnet
NWR
Jumbo
568Win

Related Posts

Government report says online gambling poses far greater money laundering threat than Singapore’s land-based casinos

A deeper look at how Singapore introduced casino gaming: possible lessons for Thailand

by Newsdesk
Fri 11 Jul 2025 at 07:15

Inside Asian Gaming is delighted to publish this paper by LAU Kok Keng, Head of Gambling Law Practice for Rajah & Tann Asia, on Singapore’s casino legalization experience. The paper, titled, Singapore’s Casino Legalization Experience: Setting the Standards for Minimizing and...

Philippines’ maiden PIGO platform generates GGR of US$2.3 million in first six months of operation

Alliance of Philippines fintech companies says members prepared to implement strict due diligence measures for online gaming

by Newsdesk
Fri 11 Jul 2025 at 06:34

Fintech Alliance Philippines, described as the Philippines’ largest organization of financial technology companies, said in a statement that its members have agreed to implement stricter due diligence measures in response to concerns over the rapid rise of the country’s domestic...

Shinawatra family rejects opposition claim that casino policy drove away Chinese tourists, doubles down on need for entertainment complexes

Shinawatra family rejects opposition claim that casino policy drove away Chinese tourists, doubles down on need for entertainment complexes

by Ben Blaschke
Fri 11 Jul 2025 at 06:20

Thailand’s suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and her father, former Prime Minister Thaksin, have rejected claims by its former coalition partner Bhumjaithai that a massive decline in Chinese tourism this year is linked to the government’s casino policy. Instead, the...

SunTrust becomes listed tourism business as Suncity releases first renderings of Manila hotel and casino project

LET Group turns full focus to Manila casino development but admits uncertainty over ability to fund project completion

by Ben Blaschke
Fri 11 Jul 2025 at 06:17

Hong Kong-listed LET Group says it is now “fully-focused” on its US$1.25 billion LET X hotel and casino development in Manila’s Westside City precinct, despite admitting lingering concerns that it may not have the funds to complete its construction. The...



IAG

© 2005-2024
Inside Asian Gaming.
All rights reserved.

  • SUBSCRIBE FREE
  • NEWSFEED
  • MAG ARTICLES
  • VIDEO
  • OPINION
  • TAGS
  • REGIONAL
  • EVENTS
  • CONSULTING
  • CONTRIBUTORS
  • MAGAZINES
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • ADVERTISE

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

No Result
View All Result
  • Subscribe
  • Newsfeed
  • Mag Articles
  • Video
  • Opinion
  • Tags
  • Regional
  • Events
  • Contributors
  • Magazines
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • About
  • Home for G2E Asia

© 2005-2024
Inside Asian Gaming.
All rights reserved.

  • English