The casino(赌场)at the smart Atlantis resort on Paradise Island in the Bahamas is bigger than 20 tennis courts. Tourists flit from slot machine to roulette table, drift past Temples of the Sun and Moon and walk by Crystal Gate and Poseidon"s Throne. But the only Bahamians in sight are waiters, croupier and cashiers. The Bahamas legalised casino gambling in 1969, when they were still a British colony. But mainly because of the influence of local pastors, both Bahamians and foreigners who live in the country are banned from gambling. This has not stopped residents from placing bets. Instead, they gamble off the books in " number houses" or "webshops"—legal internet cafes that offer illegal bets on the side and operate in plain sight. These have mushroomed in recent years, even as tourism has stagnated and hotels have reduced staff. This pretence will be put to the test on January 28 th, when a referendum will be held on legalising gambling in web shops, as well as on a separate proposal to set up a national lottery. The well-funded campaign supporting the initiative has been distributing posters and T-shirts. It argues that web shops account for almost 2% of jobs in the country, and that gambling taxes could help close the budget deficit. The "no" movement, which calls itself "Save Our Bahamas" , is led by the islands" evangelical(新教会的)churches. Perry Christie, the prime minister, says he has "no horse in the race". The opposition accuses him, without proof, of running a "fixed" referendum on behalf of web-shop owners who back him financially. If the proposal is approved, the government will probably try to pass a series of reforms supported by the big hotel casinos. In order to compete with Las Vegas, New Jersey or Macau, they say, they need authorisation for credit-card payment for chips, online and mobile wagers, private VIP gaming rooms and betting on sports matches while play is in progress. They also want stronger legal tools to collect unpaid debts and the right to void payments caused by computer errors. The tourism minister has already announced support for these policies. However, letting Bahamians into the casinos is not yet on the agenda. What can we learn from the last paragraph