Slovakia's Capital Gets Legal Win for Gambling

Slovakia's capital city of Bratislava has lost a court battle to outlaw gambling venues within its limits, with betting venues getting a reprieve that will allow them to keep operating.

Bratislava's city council voted in 2017 to ban gambling in their city, which would have shuttered 305 different venues including casinos, slots, and bingo halls when their gaming licenses expired. The last of those licenses were set to expire in 2021, and the activity would have effectively been vanquished. This week though, a Regional Court said that the ban is not consistent with law, as the council voted after a previous ban attempt failed to pass. The ruling will also keep a third vote from taking place.

For their side, Bratslavia Mayor Ivo Nesrovnal vowed to fight the case to the country's Supreme Court, saying that the ruling trampled on the wishes of his residents.

Slovakia has recently revealed their plans to liberalize their online betting market, allowing operators from other countries to offer casino games to punters within the country.

Casino Listings News will keep up on this story and update readers as we learn more.