Cyprus’ in-debt gamblers being met with brute force

Jamie Hinks
November 24, 2010
3 Comments

cyprus-gamblers-met-with-forceIn recent times, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Cyprus has turned into a rather ugly place reminiscent of an episode of the Sopranos. That’s if you decide to take to the illegal online gambling sites offered by some companies on the island.

Customers at these sites have recently become embroiled in scenes of a violent nature that would not be out of place in Tony’s show. When players get into debt the underground bosses of the sites sort it out in the only way they know how – by sending round the heavies. It’s resulted in many a hospital trip for those in debt, and is seemingly dragging the name of online gambling through the mud.

Police spokesperson Michalis Katsounotos stated, “The police have repeatedly underlined – publicly in fact – that online gambling is the originating cause of many crimes – whether these involve loan sharking, or threats, or blackmail or even taking people hostage illegally.”

Now the fact that legal online gambling from internationally renowned firms is available in Cyprus should be outlined here. There’s a choice and residents are making the wrong ones right now. So online gambling is clearly not the “originating cause” of many of these crimes. Maybe the police should advise people to use these sites and then we wouldn’t have this messy situation on our hands.

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Tags: Article, cyprus, illegal onlie gambling, Police, violence
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