An executive at Best Sunshine International, one of the companies bidding for the permit, told local media that lawsuits that ran into the proposed $2 billion licensing process for a casino resort in Saipan were hurting the public interest.

A temporary restraining order issued on Thursday by a higher court in the Union of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), a U.S. Pacific territory, prevents officials from refusing or approving licenses. The order was later extended until further notice.

Lawyers for the other bidder, Mariana's Starz Entertainment, have sought a restraining order. Mariana's Starz alleges that agents involved in Best Sunshine, a British Virgin Islands company wholly owned by Macau casino junket investor First Natural Food Holdings, "illegally" offered benefits to at least four local lawmakers in exchange for their support for the new casino law.

The court did not support a separate motion by local lawyer Ramon K. Quichocho to seek more restrictive legal relief for preliminary provisional injunction applications that could effectively freeze all government activities related to the casino policy initiative.

Best Sunshine's chief operating officer, Terence Tay, did not directly comment on the "illegal" allegations of Marinas Stars but said of the proceedings, "Basically this prevents the process from moving forward and prevents the benefits [of the casino resort] from being given to people."

The local government said it is seeking economic development through taxes and income from global gambling resorts aimed at foreign tourists.

Mr Tei said: "Nothing stops as far as we think, except for the court proceedings and the legality of it all.

"We are fully committed to what we have been saying [about the benefits] for CNMI," he added.