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New law to close dozens of casinos
Message was posted: 11:45 Jul 17th, 2006

User: RickyWalls Rank: Casino Gold: 2984CG Contributor rating: 6320 Status: Offline

Casino news from http://www.sbpost.ie/ Minister for Justice Michael McDowell will this week bring forward legislation to close dozens of casinos. Minister for Justice Michael McDowell will this week bring forward legislation to close dozens of casinos. Casinos are illegal under 1956 legislation, but McDowell intends to close clubs that are getting around the legislation by operating as private members’ clubs. More than 20 such clubs are operating in Dublin. Casino owners have been lobbying TDs and ministers in opposition to the plans. The plans are also facing opposition from Fianna Fail, and sources say a decision on the matter may be postponed. McDowell said last April that he intended to introduce legislation to close private members’ clubs which effectively operated as casinos. ‘‘Casinos, generally speaking, are not desirable,’’ McDowell told the Dail. ‘‘It is the general view of the great majority of people in this society that they are not desirable . . . I intend to make the law workable and to allow the Garda Siochana to close unlawful gaming establishments that are not licensed in accordance with the policy laid down by this house.” According to David Hall of the Gaming and Leisure Association, a group of casino owners formed in response to McDowell’s plans, there had been a ‘‘very positive’’ response from the TDs and ministers contacted by the group. ‘‘Ministers and TDs have visited our clubs, and they’ve seen that they’re not dens of iniquity,” he said. ‘‘We also have gardai and senior counsel among our members.”