Sejm urged to amend gambling act to signal anti-corruption commitment

Today Sejm will amend the law on gambling and mutual betting. Yesterday Deputy Prime Minister Leszek Balcerowicz wrote a letter to members of parliamentary clubs to back the proposals of the government. "The voting will test the sincerity of pledges to fight corruption," wrote Balcerowicz in the letter. The amendment will iron-out the matter of gambling machines. According to the present law, any establishment like bar or pub, can have them without a license. The new draft envisages the machines will only be placed in cities with more than 40,000 citizens and in casinos or gaming centers. Deputies rejected the proposal of the government to allow foreign capital to be involved in gambling enterprises. (Gazeta Wyborcza, page 31) M.M.