AGE ONLINE
ONE of the largest mass lay-offs in recent Russian history will occur tomorrow, and the Kremlin itself is decreeing it.
The Government is closing every legal casino and slot-machine parlour, under an anti-vice plan promoted by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin that only a few months ago was widely perceived as far-fetched. But the result will be hundreds of thousands of people thrown out of work.
And in a move that at times seems to have taken on almost farcical overtones, the Kremlin has offered the gambling industry only one option for survival: relocate to four regions in remote areas of Russia, as many as 6500 kilometres from the capital.
The potential marketing slogans — Come to the Las Vegas of Siberia!, Have a Ball near the North Korean Border! — may not sound inviting, but that is in part what the Government envisions. However, the regions are not prepared for the transfer, and no casino is expected to reopen for several years.
Mr Putin introduced the law that started the process in 2006 when he was president, speaking of the perils of the blackjack tables and the one-armed bandits, and of shady characters running the industry.
The casinos have repeatedly asked for a reprieve, proposing a regulatory body to cut down on abuses, and lately pointing out that the ban would create hardships for workers during the economic crisis. The industry has also said it pays more than $A1.25 billion a year in taxes. Read more here
