70% of the less than 40,000 inhabitants of Liechtenstein took part in the referendum, with 73% opposing the ban, the remaining 27% supporting it.
In a referendum on Sunday, January 29, the people of Liechtenstein overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to ban casinos in this Western European microstate, informally called the Las Vegas of the Alps, Reuters reports.
70% of the less than 40,000 inhabitants of Liechtenstein took part in the referendum. Of these, 73% were against the ban, the remaining 27% supported it.
The referendum and the signatures needed to carry it out were initiated by the pressure group IG Volksmeinung, which was formed to fight the “casino flood” and gambling addiction.
They say that the gambling industry threatens the image of the country.
But the ban was opposed by the Prince Regent of Liechtenstein, as well as the government, who said the gambling industry was an important source of income, and argued that the ban was too drastic a measure to solve problems such as gambling addiction.
According to official figures, the total income from the gambling business in Liechtenstein, received in 2022, will be about 130 million euros.
In 2016, Liechtenstein passed a law that no longer restricts casino expansion. Since then, anyone who meets certain conditions can get permission to open a casino.
There are currently six casinos operating in the Principality, and the number is expected to increase to ten in the future.
Recall that in an American casino, a 74-year-old pensioner hit the jackpot, he bet five dollars in a poker game and received $1.6 million.
Source: korrespondent
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