With so many people heading north to gamble, the government has dusted down plans to open a casino, but is it what Cyprus needs?
AFTER YEARS of sitting on a shelf, plans to open a casino in Cyprus have been dusted off and are again making headlines, partly due to the now easy access to casinos in the north. But statements by Commerce Minister George Lillikas that tourism and Cyprus’ economy would benefit from such a step, the move has been rubbished in other quarters.
President of the association Confronting Social Problems (SAKOP) Nicos Rossos recently visited Greece and conducted a study to see who most frequented casinos there and what the true repercussions of such gambling are. While in Thessaloniki, Rossos was escorted to the city’s only casino by a taxi driver who often picks up distraught gamblers who have spun away all their money at the roulette table.
“When we arrived I walked in and was faced with hundreds of fruit machines. I was surprised to see mainly middle aged women sitting at the machines, their eyes glued to the pictures, their hand firmly on the handle,” reads Rossos’ report.
The taxi driver confirmed to Rossos that most gamblers were women from families who earned an average income. They frequented the casino in the avid hope of winning large sums of money that would change their lives.
However all the taxi driver ever saw were desperate people, gamblers addicted to the turn of the card, sweating while the roulette wheel spins and nervously tapping their chips against the table, eventually leaving, some having played away their entire monthly income.
The taxi driver told Rossos that he once had to drive a woman into town for free after she begged him to do so claiming she did not have a red cent left. Another woman was sitting on the pavement and told the taxi driver that she had gambled away her money and had nothing left to pay her electricity bill.
In his report, Rossos also added that tourism had not increased due to a casino, nor were tourists even visitors of the casino. Rossos asked the driver as well as authorities if the casino had helped attract tourism but they said it had not.
All the casino had achieved in doing was causing problems for families, to society and to the economy. Rossos stressed after his findings he cannot understand why the minister continues to plug his beliefs that a casino will strengthen tourism when all it will do, according to him, is break society.
However, Lillikas is standing firm in his belief that a casino will bring prosperity to the island. He has recently carried out talks with all the political parties to secure their opinions on the matter, yet no decision is to be reached until a Betting Industry study is conducted. The study will be conducted by UK Licensing Solicitors Poppleston Allen in cooperation with Cyprus Advocates KPMG.
The island’s largest party, AKEL, was the only one to express negativity and objections to opening a casino in the free areas of Cyprus.
Spokesman for AKEL, Andros Kyprianou told the Sunday Mail that the party was against the implementation of a casino and would not change their mind, no matter how many betting industry studies were completed.
“We have heard all views expressed and we have given ours to the Minister. Our main reason for objecting to a casino is simple. We are concerned about the consequences this could have on our economy and society,” said Kyprianou.
He added that there was already a gambling problem on the island and opening a casino would only feed gamblers’ hunger. AKEL also fears that a casino would be a showcase for money laundering from other countries.
“AKEL does not believe that a casino will contribute to tourism or economic growth. We have given other suggestions to the government as to what can be done to improve the economy and tourism,” said Kyprianou. Regarding the economy, AKEL suggested imposing more tax on property.
THE Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO) believes that a casino will contribute to tourism, which has shown a steady decline in recent years. One senior official within CTO told the Sunday Mail that they have wanted to create a casino for years now.
“We are aware that in other countries studies have been conducted that showed tourists have not visited casinos, but this is why we want a study of our own,” said the source. He added that the study is in progress and that it will be presented to the government once completed.
“We strongly believe that a casino will help enrich tourism and will provide more income for the state,” he said. However the source did not rule out the possibility of social repercussions. “This is why a study must be done.”
He said that the CTO feels a casino could be beneficial to the island if the right measures are taken. Another advantage to having a casino in the free areas would be to stop Greek Cypriots going to north to gamble.
He added that every town on the island is vying to have the casino built in their district, but no decision has yet been reached on whether there will be a casino let alone where it will stand.
The Cyprus Hoteliers Association agree with the CTO and president Harris Loizides told the Sunday Mail that not only would a casino enrich tourism but it will be one good way to stop people from gambling in the north.
“They will stay on this side we hope and choose to go to our casino,” said Loizides. When questioned on whether he is concerned about the consequences a casino could have on Greek Cypriots and whether this could lead to a crisis similar to that seen on the stock exchange, Loizides said.
“We will take measures so this does not happen. We will do what has been done in Greece, where a limited amount of people will be allowed to enter the casino. They will firstly have to declare their income to avoid financial problems,” said Loizides.
It is unknown at this stage whether the creation of a casino in the south will even become a reality yet most political parties, public and private organisations are in favour of a casino, despite their awareness of Greek Cypriots’ addiction to gambling, hoping to improve the island’s economy and attract tourists who once came for our culture alone.
WOULD THEY BOTHER?
THE Sunday Mail spoke to two men who frequently cross into the north after 9.00pm to visit some of the many casinos scattered across the occupied areas.
One man in his 50s, who did not wish to be named, said if they built a casino in the free areas of Nicosia he would go, but only if there were no restrictions.
“If they create a casino and request that I declare my income, then I will not go there. Why should anybody know how much I am earning? My money is just as good as anyone else’s,” he said.
He also said that he would only go to the casino if it were in Nicosia. “If it is built in another town I may as well cross over to the north, because it is closer. It only takes me 15 minutes,” he said.
A second gambler, also in his 50s, revealed that he too would only go to a casino in the south if there were no restrictions. “I can go to a casino in the north, play with my money, eat for free so why should I then go to a casino here and have to declare my income,” he said.
Both men did say that they would rather go to a casino in the free areas as they would sooner lose their money to this state than to the illegal state. “People will lose their money, it’s a casino, that is the whole point, but I doubt it will have a profound effect on people’s economy, as gamblers are already going to the north and losing money,” said the one man.
