Slovakia: gambling prohibited in Bratislava once more

In response to an anti-gambling petition, an absolute ban on gambling has been approved by Bratislava councillors last week.

Out of 40 councillors present, 39 voted for the ban and one abstained, the Spectator reports.  The ban will be effective as of January 1, 2021. 

The measure does not mean that casinos and other gambling venues will disappear from the capital city immediately, but their licenses will not be renewed on expiry, i.e. between 2023 and 2024. New licenses will not be issued.

While Bratislava Mayor Matúš Vallo believes that the ban will move Bratislava forward, operators of casinos and other gambling venues argue that it will simply drive gambling underground.

Operator of casinos Róbert Vystavil recalled during a discussion that blanket bans on gambling in the Czech Republic and Slovakia have solved nothing and that regulatory authorities have been unable to tackle illegal gambling to date. He claims that the current regulations on gambling are sufficient.

The first absolute ban on gambling instigated by the anti-gambling initiative Zastavme Hazard, was valid in Bratislava between May 1, 2017 and December 28, 2018. The ban became ineffective after the Regional Prosecution Service declared that the ban did not comply with the law, with the Regional Court in Bratislava sharing this view in June 2018.

The city’s revenues from gambling amounted to €2.76 million in 2019. There were 89 gambling venues, two bingo venues and six casinos in Bratislava at the end of 2019.