Ireland Does Not Welcome Casino Licence

As the gambling industry is evolving and flourishing in many countries, there still are some countries, that do not welcome the initiatives regarding licensing the casino operators. Ireland is one of them.

Campaigners in Mitchelstown, Co Cork stool against a proposed “casino” in the town have welcomed a court decision to refuse a gaming license at the premises.

The Refused Initiative

Perks Mitchelstown Ltd applied for a gaming license for the former Weavers Bar, located on Lower Cork Street, despite having received planning permission last year to change the use of the premises to an amusement arcade.

The decision did not go too smooth, as it was met with the opposition from a local group, the Concerned Citizens of Mitchelstown. Its appeal against the granting of planning permission was unsuccessful when An Bord Pleanála upheld the decision on the grounds that the objectors’ concerns relating to gambling, and other issues arising from the Gaming and Lotteries Act, were not planning matters.

Despite the decision made, objectors along with Perks submitted to judge John King in Mallow District Court, later this week. The objectors used the document which was passed by Cork Council in 1986 and banned gaming operations specifically in Mitchelstown. The documents are known as the resolution under Section 13 of the Gaming and Lotteries act, dating back to 1956.

Jurisdiction

The representative of Perks, Solicitor Daithi O Donnabhan, has made another step and challenged the council resolution in court. He was saying that there was no record that the local authority notified the minister for justice at the time it was passed, putting the decision under the legitimacy question.

However, the judge said any possible non-compliance with legislative procedure did not invalidate the entire resolution. He said he did not have jurisdiction to grant the application, and it was dismissed.

There were some comments made from the opposition side. Martin Lane representative of the Concerned Citizens of Mitchelstown spoke outside of court, stating that he hopes the message would have gone out that the town did not support such kind of operations.

“I’m absolutely delighted for the up-and-coming generation of youth in Mitchelstown, that this would not be planted right in the middle of our town where it would become a normal, everyday thing for our children to see a casino while their mothers and fathers are taking them up to the butcher, to the bakers, to the local shop.

“A lot of this is all about branding, and when you brand these things into children’s minds at an early age, they end up gambling.”

Apparently, Cork does not want to catch up with the rest of the world on this aspect and keeps being reserved regarding the enhancement of the gambling industry.