According to the results of a survey ordered by the Minister for Human Rights and Minorities in the Czech Republic, the vast majority (80%) of municipalities want to limit gambling in their areas. In the Senate an amendment to the gambling law has been tabled that would give the municipalities more control over casinos and gambling venues as well as ban Internet and telephone gambling.

The Finance Ministry is drafting a new gambling law which should be presented to the government before the end of this year. If the bill is passed it would make the old law and any amendments obsolete. A report from a group commissioned to study gambling in the country has recommended that the new law should limit gambling to specific premises in order to protect the young and the vulnerable members of society.

Much as in Russia until the official clampdown, at present gaming machines and other betting facilities are available in many places, including stations, cafes and restaurants. The Minister for Human Rights and Minorities, Dzamila Stehlikova, has said she intends to push for the Internet and telephone gambling ban and ensure that gambling venues are kept away from places such as schools, hospitals and social amenities.

Government figures show that gaming machine numbers grew by 12% last year and video gaming machines by 50%. Czechs spent a record 108 billion koruna (US$7.1 billion) on gambling and an estimated 300,000 people (around 3% of the population) are problem gamblers and another 100,000 gambling addicts. The commissioned report on gambling has said that a fund should be established to subsidise anti-gambling campaigns. (E-07.01.08)

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