RIGA, March 20 (LETA) - Riga City Council's Finance and Administration Committee today supported extensive restrictions on gambling in the city.

Unlike the previous restrictions, which banned gambling in the entire city, except in four- and five-star hotels, the latest version of restrictions stipulates that there will be several areas in the city where gambling will be allowed, in accordance with recommendations from the Constitutional Court.

The bill states that gambling will not be allowed in municipal properties, neighborhood centers, buildings of cultural significance and adjacent territories, and other certain areas.

Gambling will not be allowed in territories of educational institutions and in an area in a radius of 300 meters around them, railway stations, bus stations, airports, ports and within 500 meters of them, within 300 meters of public transport stops, as well as in territories of private homes, low-rise and high-rise residential buildings and within 300 meters of the boundaries of these areas.

Riga City Council explains that the bill provides for certain areas where gambling will be allowed, therefore they do not infringe on businesses' right to expand or open new gaming venues.

The restrictions will reasonably protect the community from the widespread availability and visibility of gambling outlets in the city, thereby reducing the risk of people impulsively engaging in gambling behavior, said the municipality.

The restrictions will benefit Riga residents, reducing the risk of gambling addiction, promoting health and well-being. The benefits to society will outweigh the impact on gambling businesses.

There will be a reasonable transitional period for the new rules to come into force - five years from the date of the municipality's decision to revoke the authorizations for gaming venues it previously issued.

Riga Mayor Vilnis Kirsis (New Unity) emphasizes that a gambling-free city is a much safer city. The bill will now be reviewed at a meeting of Riga City Council on March 26.

In 2018, the Riga City Council decided to close 42 gambling halls in the capital, which were located in the historic center and its protection zone, as well as in a mixed development area. An exception was made for four- and five-star hotels.

The gambling hall operators took the municipality to court. However, the Constitutional Court later ruled that the City Council's restrictions on the establishment of gambling halls in the historic center of Riga were compatible with the Constitution.

In order to close gambling halls in the rest of the city, the Riga City Council envisaged such a possibility in the new spatial plan adopted in 2021.

The spatial plan was temporarily suspended by the Environment Protection and Regional Development Ministry, thus delaying the closure of gambling venues. However, this decision was later reversed and the Riga City Council in September 2023 made the decision to annul 139 gambling permits.

The municipality said that this would protect the public from the negative effects of gambling.