By Denise Clarke, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU:
THE STREETS of Montego Bay continue to buzz with the illegal sale of tickets for the game of chance, 'drop pan', despite a crackdown by the police and gaming officials last year.
And although the illegal versions of the game are being sold on almost every street corner in the 'second city', the police say they are not aware that such activity has been taking place.
"We will be making more inquiries into the matter," said Constable Peter Salkey, Constabulary Communication Network (CCN) liaison officer for the parish. He said several persons were charged early last year after the police conducted investigations into reports of the illegal activity, but added that the police were not aware that the practice was continuing.
The illegal 'drop pan' sellers converge on sidewalks in Montego Bay, usually during the hours immediately preceding the 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. draws of the official 'drop pan' game operated by Supreme Ventures Limited (SVL) under the name Cash Pot. SVL operates the Cash Pot game under licence from the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission (BGLC), the governing body for all forms of wagering in Jamaica.
Perpetrators of the illegal game tend to elude the police as they frequently change their locations. One female ticket vendor can be easily found at the intersection of Union and St. James streets. She has been observed selling sweets and snacks in between sales of tickets for the illegal game.
The illegal 'drop pan' mimics the SVL's Cash Pot, as the sellers use the numbers played on the Cash Pot draw as a guide for their payout. As with the official Cash Pot game, players bet any amount from $10 up on a number between 1 and 36. However, the difference lies in the proof of purchase, as the players' only receipt is a piece of paper with the number chosen, and the amount and date of the bet written on it. The sellers' cut-off time is usually shortly before the official Cash Pot draw. The winnings are paid according to the numbers played on the SVL draw.
Last year, agents from both Supreme Ventures and the BGLC teamed up with the police and nabbed several persons involved in the illegal sale of tickets for the game.
