The voters of the tiny European principality of Liechtenstein January 29 overwhelmingly rejected a referendum that would have banned casino gambling and led to the closure of its six casinos.
Reuters reported that the vote to retain the casinos was 73 percent, 27 percent for the ban, with a turnout of 70 percent of the voters of the country—which has a population of about 40,000 and about 14,000 registered to vote. That in a country that could fit comfortably in the pocket of the city of London.
Casinos are a relatively recent development in the principality. They were legalized in 2017, however they have proven popular enough with tourists that some have dubbed the Liechtenstein the “Las Vegas of the Alps.” If the measure had passed, all six would have been forced to shut down within five years.
The ballot measure was sponsored by IG VolksMeinung (“popular opinion” in German, the official language of the country, an ironic name, given the election results.) The group argued that gambling addiction and the country’s reputation were at issue.
However, the parliament and Prince Hans-Adam II spoke out against the initiative. So did business interests, who point out that gaming attracts tourists.
