Saturday’s raid on the Atlantis Casino in Clonmel, Tipperary has caused a certain amount of excitement in Ireland. The roulette wheel, cards, chips and all the money were confiscated by the local Gardai and the casino closed indefinitely. Names and addresses of all present were collected. Someone who was in the casino at the time of the raid reported that Club Members were told they were not breaking any laws but that the operators of the club were.

This has led to speculation of a possible clampdown on Irish casinos. As under Irish law casinos are illegal, operators trade as private members clubs and have done so for many years with few problems. A government commissioned report from the Casino Regulation Committee is overdue and a government reshuffle seems to have once again delayed discussion on the issue of casino regulation.

In 2006 the then Minister of Justice, Michael McDowell, sent a shudder through the Irish casino industry when he stated categorically that casinos operating behind the façade of private members clubs would be banned in Ireland. The government backtracked a little, promising the setting up of the Casino Regulation Committee to examine the issue of regulating the industry. The results of the review have yet to be made public.

Following the government reshuffle the new Justice Minister has inherited predecessor Brian Lenihan’s plans to introduce appropriate legislation. Dermot Ahern will have to decide whether a cross-party committee should be the next step in new gambling legislation. As yet there are no details on the Clonmel casino closure, which is more likely to be over a disagreement with local authorities rather than the start of a national crackdown.

Today the Carlow People Regional Newspaper carries an article on Paul Lucey, the owner of the Atlantis Casino in Carlow and the newly opened, and closed, Atlantis Casino in Clonmel. The article does not mention the raid but talks of Lucey’s gaming background on major cruise ships and his training programmes for staff (mainly from Eastern Europe) on problem gambling recognition. The title says, ‘Paul’s casino gamble has paid off in Carlow’ but maybe he has not been so lucky in Clonmel.
(E-05.19.08)

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