By Staff Reporter
SAKOP, the Association Confronting Social Problems said on Thursday the new casino bill was filled with provisions contradicting local and EU laws.
The association said it had carefully studied the as well as European laws on gambling and had singled out many provisions “which are completely illegal”.
“What in fact the bill asks the citizens to do is to contravene both Cyprus and European laws, it said in a statement.
“What this amounts to is that the state asks its own citizens to contravene its laws so how can the state then ask its own citizens to respect its laws. This sets a very bad precedent.”
It cited provisions relating to underage children being allowed in the casino “including areas where the games are taking place”.
“No European country allows such an unheard of provision,” SAKOP said.
It also said smoking would be permitted, though the government has said this would only be on the gaming floor and not in any other area.
SAKOP also complained about the “uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic drinks” that would result in gamblers losing their self control.
Gamblers being given credit lines from the casino “so that he can leave in debt to the casino” was also a problem, SAKOP said.
“The proposed gaming authority does not seem to be offering any programmes for therapy for those who will end up addicted,” said the association. “The bill says that they will simply make representations on the subject but it does not even say to whom.”
SAKOP said the state does not seem interested in what people could suffer as a result. It cited anxiety and stress, depression, suicide, poor health, financial problems, resort to loan sharks, bankruptcy, being reduced to theft, imprisonment , family violence and unemployment among others.
SAKOP said in some other counties, it is prohibited to stake more than €1,000 per month at a casino, and all persons entering have to register and state explicitly how much they are prepared to lose and are then not be permitted to lose more than what they have stated.
“These provisions at least must be enforced for the inhabitants of Cyprus,” SAKOP said.
“The Attorney-general, and not the persons administering the gambling unit at the ministry of finance must undertake to prepare a new bill, after due study of European laws on gambling and the gambling commissions.”
