Nils Ušakovs, the mayor of the Latvian capital of Rīga, has ordered that most of the city’s gaming halls have their licenses revoked, according to LSM.LV, the Latvian public broadcaster. The decree will affect all gaming venues except those located in four-star and five-star hotels.
“This is one task that we have to accomplish,” Ušakov said. “We made the first step in 2017 when we banned gaming venues in the historical center of the city. At the same time, it is clear that the problem of gambling is the worst in the neighborhoods of Rīga. That is why the municipality has to do everything in its power to finally make Rīga a city completely free of gambling.”
In 2017, Rīga City Council members announced a plan to shut down gaming halls in central Rīga by 2022. The venues are “almost always found on the same street with pawnshops and payday lenders,” reported LSM.LV.
