Citizens of the TRNC to be Allowed to Legally Play in Casinos under Conditions

A bill that would allow citizens of the TRNC to legally visit casinos is once again under consideration in Northern Cyprus. However, they will need to fulfill several conditions for this.

According to the Kıbrıs Postası publication, the formula for making casino visits a legal form of entertainment for Turkish Cypriots is currently under review by the relevant parliamentary committee.

According to the document, a mandatory condition for visiting casinos will be having dual citizenship, such as Turkish citizenship. Additionally, the player must be over 25 years old and prove that they are not a student.

• For instance, if you have a Republic of Cyprus passport or a Turkish ID, you will be considered a "dual citizen," and thus, entry to TRNC casinos will be free, - claims the publication.

It is noted that if the new formula is implemented, most residents of the TRNC will not face problems visiting casinos since a significant portion of the population holds both Republic of Cyprus passports and Turkish IDs.

However, there is currently no consensus on this issue between the Ministries of Finance and Tourism. The Central Bank of the TRNC, the Association of Casino Operators, and the Association of Turkish Cypriot Hoteliers are participating in the discussions on the bill in the current sessions of the relevant committee.

It is worth mentioning that, at present, citizens of the TRNC are not legally allowed to visit gambling establishments. Nevertheless, they continue to gamble in casinos illegally.

For example, last year, there was a report about a Turkish Cypriot who, despite all the prohibitions, entered a casino, won a significant jackpot but ended up owing money.

The police regularly conduct checks to identify violators of this rule.