CASINO owners in the occupied areas are raking in the money that Greek Cypriots are losing at their establishments. Betting laws in the Republic prohibit the creation of a casino and Greek Cypriots flock to the north in order to play.
“I know for a fact that casino owners in the occupied areas are laughing at the current Greek Cypriot situation regarding casinos,” Ian Ohalloran, who has been in the gaming business for 15 years, told the Sunday Mail.
Ohalloran, owner of the prestigious Mayfair Club Casino in Dublin, wants to lobby the government into creating a casino in Cyprus, as he feels it will not only increase the island’s revenue but also be beneficial to society.
Ohalloran has plenty of ideas on how Cyprus, a beautiful scenic island, could benefit from a lavish casino, marina and golf course all rolled into one.
Statistics show that gambling revenue in the UK was £30 billion in 2003. It is also true that every EU country bar Cyprus has casinos or is planning to create them.
“The revenue from a casino will be in the billions of pounds, not millions. There would be other spin-offs such as an increase in hotel occupancies and an increase in the high end of the property market,” said Ohalloran.
He referred to Marbella, once a fishing village, now ranked as the most affluent area to live in Europe, with its marinas, casinos and golf courses. Cyprus could be the same, according to Ohalloran.
Cyprus relies heavily on tourism for its revenue and the gambling entrepreneur firmly believes that a casino in the south will attract high-flying tourists, people with a lot of ready cash.
Referring to the government’s fears that Cypriots would gamble away their income due to compulsive gambling tendencies, he said:
“If the government structures the casino with rules and runs it efficiently, then there is no valid reason why there should be social and economic destruction.”
Casinos in the UK follow strict regulations and Ohalloran confirmed that his casino had many times turned away people wanting to gamble at his establishment.
“Rules state that there is a 24-hour cooling off period for new members. You start out as a guest and can enter with a member and then you can get your own membership,” said Ohalloran.
He stressed that if management felt anyone had come to the casino to play away all their money, they were simply refused entry. “This is how it should be done in Cyprus. There must be restrictions and rules as to who can play and when,” said Ohalloran.
“Only an extreme minority has a gambling problem. These persons would most likely have an addictive personality anyway with alcohol and other substances,” he said.
Ohalloran said that a properly-run casino would pick up on a heavy gambler and deal with the situation immediately. He added casinos were not seedy places but fun and entertaining environments.
With so many years’ experience in the gaming industry under his belt, Ohalloran believes that a casino could never be destructive to Cyprus.
Not only does he disagree with the government over predictions of economic and social catastrophe, he sticks by his guns that Cyprus is in need of such establishments.
“I cannot believe that such a liberal country is still considering legalising casinos. It seems that individuals in the government would like to push the issues surrounding casinos under the carpet to protect their position in the government, rather than voice their personal thoughts.”
He is determined to move forward with a casino and feels this must happen sooner than later.
He revealed that he had had offers from people in the north to open a casino there, as he has investors willing to put up £20 million for a new establishment.
The Cypriot government is letting revenue slip through its fingers, he warns. “The revenue would be for the direct benefit of the Greek Cypriots as the money would go towards the state,” said Ohalloran.
Now that Cyprus is an EU-member state, the government must re-evaluate its gaming laws and finally make the decision to open a profit-making casino that will draw in locals as well as tourists. He added that he had the experience, the financial backing and the expertise to open a casino in the south, and that he was available for any consultation with the government to discuss the matter further and move forward.
“It is time to wake up and smell the Greek coffee!” he quips.
