(source: Smadišová Stanislava, SME)
Bratislava city council members approved a complete ban on casinos in the capital. After their licences expire, casinos can no longer be housed in hotels, blocks of flats, shopping centres, community houses or in spaces for public entertainment. The only exception is betting.
Councillors had already voted in February on a complete ban on gambling, but they failed to pass any regulation. The generally binding regulation (VZN) will come into effect at the beginning of May.
The discussion about gambling was ongoing for several months in Bratislava between the municipality, councillors, casino operators and activists fighting to stop it.
During the March 30 vote, councillors were divided into two camps – those who were for strict regulation and keeping the casinos in hotels or shops, and those who were for an area-wide ban. Due to the complete ban, the capital could lose about three million euros per year.
The Entertainment and Games Association (AZaH) considers this vote illegal and is going to challenge it in court, informed the spokesperson of AZaH, Dominika Lukáčová.
“The first vote failed to ban gambling, but in today’s vote the regulation passed and the mayor chose the result according to his preferences,” said Lukáčová, as quoted by the TASR newswire. She adds that these steps have nothing in common with democracy.
Lukáčová also stated that with this ban, online gambling revenues will increase, while illegal gambling will also grow.
