There have been numerous reports about casinos in the Azerbaijani press in recent days.
Yeniavaz.com reports that the news in the press states that the reopening of casinos in Azerbaijan will bring income to the country.
It should be noted that in discussions on social networks, many are concerned that the reopening of casinos will increase social problems.
Some economists believe that the opening of casinos has the potential to increase the number of foreign tourists. This model has reportedly been successfully implemented in the neighboring Georgian city of Batumi. Every year, thousands of tourists visit Batumi because of the casinos. This also has a positive impact on hotels, restaurants, transportation and other sectors.
Experts believe that if casinos start working, thousands of people can be employed here. This can also lead to a decrease in unemployment. New jobs may be created in various service industries, such as waiters, security guards, technicians, accountants, etc. At the same time, if casinos operate legally and under supervision, a large amount of tax revenue can be obtained from this area. Also, special license fees can become an additional source of income for the state.
However, as we noted, in the discussions on social networks there are also those who are dissatisfied with the resumption of casino operations.
The main argument of the dissatisfied is that the spread of casinos increases the risk of gambling addiction. This can negatively affect family relationships, psychological health and personal financial situation. People who are addicted to gambling can create financial and moral difficulties in their families. Debts, family conflicts, divorces and even criminal cases may arise.
According to the experience of many countries, fraud, illegal activities under the guise of lending and other crimes are observed in places where casinos are located. At the same time, some people believe that the majority of the population in Azerbaijan is Muslim and gambling is considered a sin (haram) in Islam. Therefore, they believe that opening a casino is contrary to religious and moral values.
The most serious problem with casinos is the fear of money laundering. Most experts believe that casinos are the most convenient means of money laundering.
It is reported that the main means of payment in casinos is usually cash. Money obtained through criminal means can be easily converted into chips (gaming chips). Then, very little is played with these chips, and the rest is withdrawn under the name of “earnings”. Thus, a person can arrange these funds by bank transfer or check.
In some countries, transparency and control mechanisms in casinos are weak. This makes it difficult to track “dirty money”. If a casino does not undergo serious inspection or does not cooperate with official bodies, abuses in this area can increase.
Today, casinos in many countries have become known for money laundering. For example, between 2010 and 2016, large sums of money were laundered in casinos in the Canadian province of British Columbia.
Macau, a special administrative region of China, is famous for its casinos. Here, too, for many years, Chinese businessmen and criminal groups have used VIP gaming halls to launder their “dirty money”. In some cases, casinos even acted as “shadow banks” under the pretext of providing loans.
Serious money laundering allegations have been brought against casinos operated by the Australian company Crown Resorts. According to available information, the company’s casinos were used to launder millions of dollars from Asia.
Experts emphasize that casinos are a convenient place for money laundering. To prevent this from happening, strict legal controls, transparent auditing and financial monitoring in accordance with international standards are needed.
Discussions in the press and social networks give the impression that opening a casino in Azerbaijan can have both positive and negative consequences.
Most experts say that if a decision is made to reopen casinos, there needs to be a broader public debate and expert opinions from different fields.
Elnur Ali
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