New Laws Could Allow for Irish Casinos

A new law proposed by the Irish Department of Justice could mean that Ireland could soon see Las Vegas-style casinos built there in the coming years. These new casinos could feature up to 1,500 slots, hundreds of table games and the types of resort amenities commonly found in Vegas.

The first of these casinos would likely be a proposed $603 million facility in North Tipperary, near Two-Mile-Borris. The casino has already entered the planning stage, but developers have needed laws to change before the facility could be built.

According to Dermot Ahern, the Irish Minister for Justice, there may still be some delay before the legal situation in the country changes. According to Ahern, with general elections coming in March, it is probable that new gambling laws will have to wait until after then before being passed, though an earlier passage isn’t impossible.

The change comes after a recent survey by Irish travel website GoHop.ie revealed that the most desirable vacation destination among Irish citizens was Las Vegas. Gambling destinations inside of Ireland may well keep many of those potential tourist dollars at home.

However, the proposal did point out that Ireland couldn’t truly develop an analogue to Las Vegas, for several reasons. While the government report did specify that large casino projects should be legal, it also stated that Ireland “is not so large that it could reasonably sustain a Las Vegas style development.” Instead, the government has proposed that two or three “super-casinos” would be ideal for meeting the country’s needs.