Public Affairs sues gov't over approving excessive gambling

Brno, Feb 26 (CTK) - The opposition Public Affairs (VV) has sued members of the government of Petr Necas (Civic Democrats, ODS) because they allegedly do not respect the gambling law, VV leader Vit Barta told journalists yesterday.

"High bets and losses clearly cause distraints and many life tragedies," Barta said.

He said the ombudsman repeatedly criticised the current situation, too.

The VV's complaint has been filed against the cabinet members who last April voted for the cancellation of a government resolution on the approval of gambling machines and the setting of hourly limits for bets and losses on video lottery terminals (VLT).

Despite the ombudsman's recommendations, the government decided that the Finance Ministry need not set a maximum limit for bets and losses.

The Finance Ministry has been proceeding in accordance with law, its spokesman Ondrej Jakob told CTK.

Under the gambling law, the highest bet is 50 crowns and a player may lose maximally 10,000 crowns within an hour. But the government has tolerated bets of up to 1000 crowns and hourly losses of up to 252,000 crowns on VLTs.

In 2011, the Constitutional Court concluded that there is no reason to have different rules for the operation of gambling machines and video lottery terminals.

Moreover, licences for gambling operators may last maximally 12 months according to law, but the ministry first issued unrestricted licences, then licences for 10 years and now it issues three-year licences.

Jakob rejected the criticism.

"The ministry has taken resolute steps against gambling. Gambling has been properly taxed since 2012, municipalities can fully regulate it on their territory and nearly 30,000 licences for gambling machines were cancelled in the latest period," he said.

Jakob said the ministry respected the limits set by the gambling law.

VV lawmaker Josef Novotny said the issuing of gambling licences was provided by corrupt officials of the Finance Ministry.

Novotny said the corruption can be proved and Necas and Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek (TOP 09) only covered it up.

He said there has been no social study on the impact of gambling on Czech society.

The Finance Ministry worked out such a report, but the government said it was not good. Kalousek said he would submit a revised version only in June 2014, which is roughly the date of the next general election.

($1=19.189 crowns)