[ad_1]
Kosovo has banned all games of chance over the next decade to fight crime after the killing of two casino employees last week.
Betting, especially on sports, has become extremely popular in recent years in Kosovo, where about one third of its 1.8 million people are unemployed.
Addressing Parliament, which pbaded the bill Thursday night, Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj said the measure was aimed at "strengthening public security".
"We will not allow these places to be places of murderous crime," he wrote later on Facebook.
A police officer was arrested as a suspect in one of the killings that took place earlier this month in two separate casinos a few days apart.
Prior to the ban, police had boarded most of the 470 gaming sites in Kosovo.
The government levies 20 million euros annually (17 million pounds sterling) in the form of gaming taxes.
Earlier this week, Haradinaj had declared that only a state-controlled lottery would be allowed to operate. "It's total chaos, total abuse and it's good that we stop this," he said at a press conference.
The game industry has grown rapidly over the past 10 years. The Gambling Association of Kosovo stated that it employed 4,000 workers. Ruzhdi Kosumi, who owns 14 gaming shops, said that 40 of his workers would be out of work.
"The decision to close us was made after the death of two of our workers. It does not make sense. We lost people and now we are losing our jobs, "Kosumi told Reuters.
Kosovo, which declared its independence from Serbia in 2008, is one of the poorest countries in Europe. Political instability, crime and corruption deter investors.
Neighboring Albania banned gambling in January to tackle organized crime and social problems such as drug abuse and poverty.
Source link
