Israel’s prime minister has given legislators the green light to proceed with a plan to authorize as many as four casinos in the coastal city of Eilat, while insisting that casino tycoon Sheldon Adelson won’t be involved.
In September, Israel announced plans to consider authorizing the nation’s first casino in Eilat, a fading tourist spot on the Red Sea coast.
On Wednesday, Ynet News reported that PM Binyamin Netanyahu had publicly authorized the formation of a steering committee led by Tourism Minister Yariv Levin to come up with a plan to allow between two and four casinos in Eilat.
The plan is for a major tourism complex to be built on the site of Eilat’s former airport. The complex would feature hotels, entertainment venues, an amusement park, retail and dining options as well as the aforementioned gaming venues.
Earlier reports had Netanyahu supporting only the development of a single casino but Levin claims studies of similar complexes in other countries showed that more than one casino was optimal for maximizing consumer interest.
Netanyahu reportedly also preferred that only foreign passport holders be allowed to access the casinos, but Levin is pushing to allow Israeli citizens to partake in casino activity. However, the government could impose Singapore-style entry levies on Israeli citizens, as well as limits on opening hours for local residents and caps on wagering amounts.
Religious conservatives, including the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, are already up in arms over the plan, predicting disastrous consequences for everyone except “tycoons and the wealthy.” Levin pushed back, saying Eilat’s economy was in dire shape and that casino critics should either offer an alternative solution or stop interfering in matters in which “they don’t understand a thing.”
One tycoon that reportedly won’t benefit from Eilat’s new gaming venues is Las Vegas Sands chairman Adelson, with whom Netanyahu has a close relationship. Haaretz.com quoted Netanyahu saying Adelson had no interest in receiving one of the Eilat casino licenses under any circumstances.
