RIGA, Jan 4 (LETA) - Kekava local council today decided to turn to the Constitutional Court, appealing the decision of Environment Protection and Regional Development Minister Arturs Toms Pless (For Development/For) to suspend the council's regulations on restricting gambling in the municipality.

The local council's decision was made with 13 votes, while opposition lawmaker Viktorija Baire (New Unity) was against it and Arnolds Keisters (New Unity) did not participate in the vote.

As reported, Pless has put on hold Kekava regional council's regulation "On the Organization of Gambling in Kekava Region".

Pless explained that the municipality has not assessed the impact of gaming venues on different districts of the region, that is, the municipality has not assessed the impact of gambling businesses on the public in districts where there are gaming venues as compared to districts where there are no such venues.

"I have therefore concluded that the imposition of a general ban indicates the municipality's desire to ban the organization of gambling throughout the region without conducting any research or assessing other circumstances," said Pless.

Pless believes that Kekava regional council has no evidence to justify a ban on gambling, in particular a general ban on gambling throughout the municipality, or the council has misinterpreted its right to determine places and areas where gambling is prohibited.

According to Pless, amendments to the Law on Gambling and Lotteries give local governments the right to issue regulations determining places and areas where gambling is not permitted, however, these amendments may not be interpreted extensively, for example, by banning gambling in the entire municipality.

As reported, on September 8, 2021, Kekava regional council made a decision to ban organization of gambling business in the whole territory of Kekava municipality. The local council adopted regulations, providing that organization of gambling in the whole territory is banned. This ban does not refer to those cases when there is still a valid gambling license.

The proposal submitted to local lawmakers includes information that there is scientific proof that addiction to gambling brings negative consequences on individuals, families, communities and the whole society. Gambling harms psychical and physical health, family relations, causes financial problems.

Kekava municipality is the first Latvian municipality to make such a decision based on legislative amendments to the law on gambling and lotteries that came into force last spring.