To Vima and Ta Nea have consistently and adamantly taken a stance against gambling. The decks, roulette, dices, betting and other games can ruin families and devastate societies – all of this is well known, such as the intergovernmental argument that almost overthrew the Mitsotakis government, which some of the older readers might remember.
It was a random event that saved New Democracy’s honor in the early 1990s. The Minister of National Defense at the time, Yannis Varvitsiotis, had participating in a business lunch with the political editors of To Vima. The journalists had asked whether the government ignored the popular outcry and social reaction and would grant a casino license in downtown Athens (at the Hilton) or in Paleo Faliro…
The minister left the lunch and the next day, at the ministerial council, he was like a bull in a china shop. Those who were interested backed down and this episode consigned to the annals of history.
Of course the stench of the scandal persisted and the gambling “entrepreneurs” seemed ready and prepared. While the state betting company OPAP was delaying its growth as part of its… privatization, so-called international gambling pirates emerged in Greece. More than twenty betting businesses have been operating in Greece, by taking advantage of the lack of a legal framework adequate enough to regulate, punish and prevent illicit gambling.
So what did those in charge in Greece do? Instead of stamping out illicit gambling… they issued 24 temporary gambling licenses!
We must assume that these 24 businesses, which were gifted their temporary licenses, will audaciously fight to maintain their privilege.
This situation is a great shame for the state.
Stavros P. Psycharis
Originally published in the Sunday print edition
