Nitra Follows Bratislava’s Example, Adopts Gambling Ban

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The Slovak city of Nitra moved on with a long-anticipated restriction on gaming activities that forbids the establishment of gambling establishment rooms throughout hotels, boarding residences, as well as public enjoyment structures. Nitra’s authorities embraced a resolution to outlaw gaming within the city in June 2020. Nevertheless, its enforcement was delayed because of court challenges. The resolution was driven by an application authorized by over 21,500 locals who urged wagering to be prohibited.

One of the main reasons for the hold-up pertained to the concern of shedding gaming revenue as a result of the ban. Nitra’s City Councilor Roman Agh urged the restriction deserved thinking about since it would certainly spare residents from incurring huge gaming losses estimated at EUR21 million. By comparison, the city loses only EUR650,000 in annual licensing costs. The Mayor of Nitra, Marek Hattas, worried that his position on the betting ban had actually not transformed as he considered it damaging to the neighborhood culture and economic situation.

Nitra is not the only city in Slovakia to impose a ban on gaming. Similar measures were introduced in the country’s funding Bratislava just days earlier. While video gaming areas as well as casino sites will not go away from Bratislava right away, their licenses for operation will not be renewed after their expiry in 2023 and also 2024.

Similarly to Nitra, the choice for a gambling restriction in Bratislava was reached as a result of an anti-gambling petition, which caused city councilors voting in its favor with a frustrating majority. As many as 39 city councilors accepted the betting prohibition while one person abstained.

Bratislava Ban Effective from January 1, 2021

The step comes into impact at the start of 2021. The Mayor of the funding, Mr. Matus Vallo, is positive the prohibition will certainly have a positive influence on Bratislava however not every person agrees with this point of view. Bratislava betting operators consider this an inadequate decision, suggesting that such restriction would just cause underground gambling activities to flourish.

Gambling enterprise driver Robert Vystavil from the Slovak Gambling establishment Respect shares these sentiments. Mr. Vystavil commented that the total restrictions on gaming in Slovakia and also the Czech Republic have attained nothing in the past. They have proved ineffective in taking on unauthorized betting until now according to the casino site operator. Mr. Vystavil believes the country has appropriate enough gaming guidelines so that a straight-out ban is unneeded.

It should be noted this is not the initial attempt in behalf of regional authorities to forbid gambling on the territory of Slovakia’s funding and its biggest city. Bratislava saw its initial covering ban on such activities in Might 2017. Nevertheless, the decision was revoked toward completion of December 2018.

The Regional Prosecution Service firmly insisted that the restriction did not have conformity with the local regulation and the Bratislava Regional Court agreed in June 2018. Bratislava produced betting income of over EUR2.7 million last year. As of completion of 2019, the Slovak resources was residence to 89 gaming places, 2 bingo spaces, and 6 casinos.