New bill to allow Turkish Cypriots into casinos on the way

A new amendments to the TRNC’s gambling legislation put forward by the government may, if passed, allow Turkish Cypriots to enter casinos in north Cyprus for the first time, opposition party CTP ‘MP’ Salahi Sahiner said on Friday.

Sahiner who highlighted the potential pitfalls of the plans, said if the amendments enter into force, “they will prevent domestic capital from contributing to the country’s economy and instead fill the coffers of casinos”.

At present, Turkish Cypriots who hold an identity card issued by the ‘TRNC’ are not allowed to enter casinos in north Cyprus.

Sahiner added that the amendments will also do away with the current stipulation that new casinos not be built close to schools and town and city centres, while also removing the limit of five casinos in north Cyprus per company.

He also said, casino permits will also be automatically offered to any hotel with 1,000 beds or more.

“These regulations will make it easier for tax payments to be delayed and for unlimited casino permits to be granted. The government is about to make one of the biggest mistakes in history while people’s lives are becoming more difficult day by day, and the government is aiming to protect the interests of the casinos,” he said.

He added, “the state of public finances is obvious and it has reached a point where we cannot even buy a needle without borrowing, while tension in society has practically brought us to the brink of civil war, but the government’s only concern is to protect the interests of casinos”.

“The government has been like the three monkeys – see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil – over the needs of its people, but has become full of orders of all kinds of regulations over the casinos.”

He warned that if the amendments as currently written are passed, the number of casinos in north Cyprus will “triple in a short time”.

“It is unacceptable that the government breaks its fast at the end of the month of Ramadan by sharing profits with casinos.

He added, “these regulations aim to ensure that the money stolen from people’s pockets flows into the coffers of casinos”.

The current number of casinos in north Cyprus is believed to be around 30.