Summer Day Camp Lottery Registration System

Bermuda Government News

Published March 31st, 2026

Detected April 1st, 2026

Summary

The Bermuda Department of Sport and Recreation announced a new Camp Connect lottery registration system for Summer Day Camps, replacing the previous first-come-first-served approach. The new system opens a two-week registration window where all applications receive equal treatment, with placements assigned via transparent lottery. The change aims to address fairness concerns while demand for approximately 4,000 camp placements continues to exceed supply.

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What changed

The Department of Sport and Recreation is replacing the first-come-first-served summer camp registration system with a modernized Camp Connect lottery system. Under the new approach, families will have a two-week window to submit applications with first and second programme preferences; no advantage is given for early submission. After the window closes, placements are assigned through a transparent lottery that considers sibling placement and programme preferences. Households selected through the lottery will have all registered children placed together.

Parents should create family profile accounts during the registration period and select both first and second choice programmes. A waitlist will still be maintained due to continued high demand. Families can log into their accounts anytime to check application status and receive updates on placement and payments. The registration period itself serves as the key timeframe—families must submit within the two-week window, but there is no advantage to applying early within that period.

What to do next

Create a family profile account during the two-week registration window
Select first and second choice camp programmes when registering
Log into accounts to check application status and confirm registration after placements are announced

Source document (simplified)

Camp Connect

31 March, 2026

Good morning everyone,

I’m pleased to speak with you today about an important update to our Summer Day Camp programmes and how we are improving the registration process for families.

Each year, the Department of Sport and Recreation delivers summer programmes for preschool, primary, and middle school-aged students. Last summer, we successfully provided approximately 4,000 camp placements across multiple sites throughout Bermuda, offering safe, structured, and enriching recreational experiences for our young people while supporting working families.

These programmes are made possible through strong collaboration with private camp operators, the Ministry of Public Works and Environment, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Health.

Together, we ensure that appropriate facilities are secured and that all health and safety standards are met. This year, we have also partnered closely with the Government’s Digital Transformation Team to improve the overall Camp Connect experience.

While families have consistently expressed high satisfaction with the quality of our camps, we heard very clearly that the registration process has been a source of stress and frustration.

Many parents felt intense pressure to log on the moment registration opened, only to find camps filled within minutes. In some cases, one child secured a spot while another did not, leaving families in difficult and uncertain situations.

We listened carefully to this feedback, and we are acting on it.

This year, we are introducing a modernized Summer Camp Lottery Registration System. This new approach is designed to improve fairness, transparency, and efficiency, ensuring a more equitable experience for all families.

Here’s how the new system will work:

The registration period will be a two-week window. During this time families will be encouraged to create a family profile account. This includes entering all required information for each child, followed by selecting their camp preferences.

Parents will select both a first and second choice programme. Importantly, there is no advantage to applying early as every application submitted within the window will be treated equally.

Third, after the registration period closes, placements will be assigned through a transparent lottery system. This system will take into account factors such as sibling placement and programme preferences. If a household is selected, all registered children in that household will be placed. Families will then be notified of their assigned camps and the next steps to confirm their registration.

Parents will also be able to log into their accounts at any time to check their application status and receive updates, including information about placement and payments.

Now, I want to be clear: while this new system greatly improves fairness and transparency, demand for these programmes remains high, and not every applicant will be able to secure a spot. A waitlist will still be necessary. However, what this system guarantees is that every family has an equal opportunity . . . registration will no longer depend on who can click the fastest.

Access to our Summer Day Camps should be fair for everyone, and this new system reflects that commitment.

We remain committed to supporting our families and creating positive, enriching experiences for our young people, and we look forward to another successful summer season together.