2023 Liechtenstein constitutional referendum explained

Country:Liechtenstein
Date:29 January 2023
Question:Do you want to accept the initiators' draft of the amendment to the constitution of 5 October 1921 (casino ban)?
Yes:3779
No:10383
Invalid:107
Electorate:20720

A constitutional referendum was held in Liechtenstein on 29 January 2023. Voters voted on a proposal to ban casinos, with 73% voting against the proposal. If a ban had been approved, casinos in Liechtenstein would have been closed and banned by 2028.[1]

Background

Gambling was prohibited in Liechtenstein until 2010, when it was legalised., there are six casinos in the country, which doubled from three in 2019. The national casino association has conceded that it "sees no economic basis for so many casinos in the future".[2] The industry generated CHF 28 million in gambling levies in 2022, which amounted to 3% of tax revenue in the year.[3]

Petition

The group IG VolksMeinung collected more than 2,000 signatures in favour of a ban, from the population of 38,000. The Landtag of Liechtenstein voted against the ban, so it therefore had to be decided by referendum.[4]

Notes and References

  1. https://apps.llv.li/amtsblatt/kundmachung/display/125897 Anordnung der Volksabstimmung über das Initiativbegehren «Casino-Verbot» zur Abänderung der Landesverfassung
  2. Web site: Kobakhidze . Ana . 15 November 2022 . Liechtenstein Casino Association opposes gambling ban . 17 January 2023 . SBC CIS EN .
  3. Web site: 31 January 2023. 23 January 2023. Casino-Compendium. LIECHTENSTEIN – The referendum on closing casinos next week. CasinoCompendium. .
  4. Web site: 14 November 2022 . Lichtenstein – Lichtenstein's Casino Association highlights success of player protection instead of outright casino ban . 17 January 2023 . G3 Newswire . en-GB.