JVP protested against casinos due to politicial deals with casino kings: Deputy Minister

Colombo, August 4 (Daily Mirror) - The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) earlier protested against casinos as certain political families struck deals with casino kings such as James Packer by giving them special perks and trying to start casinos even without an Act for regulating it, Deputy Tourism Minister Prof. Ruwan Ranasinghe said.

He told reporters that they are against locals being attracted to casinos and that the government has restricted locals from entering casinos through the new Act.

Prof. Ranasinghe said the government aims to attract foreign tourists in large numbers to Colombo through the “City of Dreams" institution and earn foreign exchange.

"We have opened the casino business after introducing an Act to restrict locals from being attracted to casinos. However, there will be no restrictions for the affluant locals who can afford it," he said.