2023 Liechtenstein constitutional referendum

A constitutional referendum was held in Liechtenstein on 29 January 2023. Voters voted on a proposal to ban casinos, with 73% voting against the proposal. If a ban had been approved, casinos in Liechtenstein would have been closed and banned by 2028.[1]

2023 Liechtenstein constitutional referendum
29 January 2023
Do you want to accept the initiators' draft of the amendment to the constitution of 5 October 1921 (casino ban)?
Referendum ballot with question
Results
Choice
 Votes  %
For 3,779 26.68%
Against 10,383 73.32%
Valid votes 14,162 99.25%
Invalid or blank votes 107 0.75%
Total votes 14,269 100.00%
Registered voters/turnout 20,720 68.87%

Background

Gambling was prohibited in Liechtenstein until 2010, when it was legalised. There are currently six casinos in the country, which doubled from three in 2019. The national casino association has conceded that it "sees no economic basis for so many casinos in the future".[2] The industry generated CHF 28 million in gambling levies in 2022, which amounted to 3% of tax revenue in the year.[3]

Petition

The group IG VolksMeinung collected more than 2,000 signatures in favour of a ban, from the population of 38,000. The Landtag of Liechtenstein voted against the ban, so it therefore had to be decided by referendum.[4]

Results
ChoiceVotes%
For3,77926.68
Against10,38373.32
Total14,162100.00
Valid votes14,16299.25
Invalid votes880.62
Blank votes190.13
Total votes14,269100.00
Registered voters/turnout20,72068.87
Source: Abstimmungen

References
  1. Anordnung der Volksabstimmung über das Initiativbegehren «Casino-Verbot» zur Abänderung der Landesverfassung
  2. Kobakhidze, Ana (15 November 2022). "Liechtenstein Casino Association opposes gambling ban". SBC CIS EN. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  3. "LIECHTENSTEIN – The referendum on closing casinos next week". CasinoCompendium. Casino-Compendium-1316815861735827. 23 January 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2023..
  4. "Lichtenstein – Lichtenstein's Casino Association highlights success of player protection instead of outright casino ban". G3 Newswire. 14 November 2022. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
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