Legal Casinos Bill Rejected By Voters

• Rich Caesar
• November 1, 2017

Having a legal casino industry in Kinmen, Taiwan is not a thing that will come tomorrow. Nothing seems to work out. That is the current state when voters rejected the idea. Voters made sure their voices had influence. The good thing is that they did not show. Nobody used rowdy means.

They all took part in a well-organized referendum. The voters expressed their feelings on this ballot. All in one accord thus rejected the legal casino industry proposal.

First of all, only 2, 705 cast their vote on Saturday in favor of the proposal. The rest 21, 663 rejected the proposal. Finally, that means a majority of the people do not want real money casinos.

Furthermore, according to available statistics, the turnover wasn’t impressive. Only 24% of all the 114, 000 eligible voters living on the island responded. From the word go, that was an tell that the proposal wouldn’t survive.

Saturday’s vote was the fourth attempt. Since 2009, the authorities in Taiwan have tried to push their legal casino agenda in vain. It is now evident that residents do not want anything to do with real money gambling.

It also seems that the government will not relent. Kinmen is Taiwan’s popular tourist attraction point. Leaving it without a gaming sector is not the authority’s plan. Although Taiwan has raised three other initiatives in the past, this was unique. It was the first one that involved eligible residents. This incident gave them the chance to show their feelings.

According to Tsai Chun-sheng, if the island considers even a few casinos, it would help the economy. Chun-sheng who is a member of the county council agreed that this is a good move.
He is the one behind the lobbying of the casino business. Him, together with a few other individuals managed to collect the required signatures.

Will Their Ever Be Legal Casino Gambling In Taiwan?

In fact, their collecting 5, 602 valid signatures were a sure proof that he did good work. The minimum number of valid signature required under the law are 5, 178, which they surpassed. The Taiwan mainland does not accept gambling. However, there was an exemption that was passed in 2009 allowing a chain of islands to run online gambling.

This act is even after China is claiming control over Taiwan. However, on its part, Taiwan is also asserting that it is an independent state thus should govern its affairs. Part of ‘its affairs’ is the gambling industry on the islands.

Remember that in 2009, Taiwan gave six areas their freedom. That would mean that Kinmen along with other five areas were allowed to conduct the referendum.

2009 Offshore Islands Development Act

This referendum happened in the 2009 Offshore Islands Development Act. However, residents are saying no! They argue that if indeed gambling boosts the economy, it has to start with the mainland.

Sheldon Adelson, the owner, and operator of Las Vegas Sands is one casino mogul who has talked about the subject. Although he has a thriving casino business in Macau, he said Twain’s Islands have a lot of wind.

Whether he meant it or not, the fact remains that Kinmen residents are not ready for a legal casino industry on their island.