Abkhazian politician proposes to allow gambling and open a casino

Gambling in Abkhazia

Head of the Gali district in Abkhazia, Konstantin Pilia, has proposed an initiative for a casino. He believes this will make the area attractive to tourists and have a positive impact on the local budget. Unfotunately, gambling is prohibited in Abkhazia.

The Gali region of Abkhazia is populated mainly by ethnic Georgians. Konstantin Pilia has even scouted a place for a casino — the village of Primorskoye which, although located on the coast, is not popular with tourists.

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Gambling has been banned in Abkhazia since 2006. The ban was introduced by former president Sergei Bagapsh after several people committed suicide over gambling debts. Many believe that the ban is right and should be upheld.

So it will not be easy for the current president Aslan Bzhaniya to give the green light to the opening of a gambling zone in Gali. But Pilia is related to Aslan Bzhaniya; Pilia’s nephew is married to the president’s daughter. And in Abkhazia, this is often how things get done.

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