Legislation is being prepared for the operation of casinos in Cyprus.

Finance minister says legislation to be drawn up to create casinos in Cyprus

IN A STARK U-turn on government policy, Finance Minister Kikis Kazamias yesterday said legislation is being prepared for the operation of casinos in Cyprus.

“Many among us would probably never enter such establishments during our lifetime, but this does not mean that we should not respond to the needs of the age, taking into consideration the public interest,” Finance Minister Kikis Kazamias told the House Commerce Committee.

The government will very soon table a specific proposal before parliament regarding the operation of casinos, he said.

The current administration had previously stubbornly refused to consider the opening of casinos on ideological grounds, with President Christofias consistently brushing off suggestions that Greek Cypriots would spend their money at casinos in the republic as opposed to the north, which is currently the case. 

In 2009 President Christofias went to great lengths to rule out that there would ever be a casino under his watch: “There will be no casinos in Cyprus as long as I am President,” he said.

At the same time, he added that such establishments are an “expression of corruption and can create a crisis to the system. My party has struggled for years against any establishment of casinos, and there will be none while Christofias is president,” he said.

But Kazamias yesterday said that Cyprus cannot turn its back on a sector that could bring much needed revenues to the state coffers.

He said any proposal would include safeguards aimed at protecting the moral fibre of society.

Many critics of casinos believe that ill-effects of such facilities on the island will far outweigh the projected revenue from the industry, including problems of gambling addiction, criminality, prostitution and turning off a segment of tourists.

The Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO) had prepared a study regarding the matter in 2008, which will be handed over to MPs soon, the minister said.

The CTO study is a roadmap of the actions that need to be followed for the creation of casinos.

MPs and hoteliers yesterday welcomed the government decision.

Main opposition DISY MP and committee chairman Lefteris Christoforou said the government was moving in the right direction and the committee was now awaiting the proposal.

DIKO deputy Angelos Votsis said “it is a pleasant, positive development and provided the government has taken the political decision that the issue is no longer closed” DIKO would work toward drafting suitable legislation to protect “the weak groups of the population, to protect pathological players”.

He said the effort should be to take advantage of the positive effects either on tourism or the economy, without compounding the negatives.

The hoteliers suggested the creation of casinos in all tourist areas and urged officials to set a three-month timeframe to conclude discussions.

Famagusta Tourism Coordinating Committee marketing officer, Lakis Avramides described the move as being long overdue.

“It had to be done a long time ago. It’s never too late and we hope it will be realised soon, of course the Famagusta district will claim an operating licence for a casino to help the seasonality of the district,” he said.

Avramides added that casinos were necessary to help Cyprus attract more tourists. 

Speculation is rife that the former terminal building at Larnaca airport has been earmarked as a possible location for a casino, but airport authorities have refused to be drawn on the rumours.

Cypriots spend millions on gambling – on illegal online games as well as casinos in the north.

The turnover of online gambling in Cyprus is reportedly around €2.5 billion. Many more millions are believed spent by Greek Cypriots in the north.

Cyprus Mail