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 %
Yes 3,779 26.68%
No 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%
No
  60–70%
  70–80%
  80–90%

Background

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Gambling was prohibited in Liechtenstein until 2010, when it was legalised.[2] As of 2023, there are six casinos in the country, which doubled from three in 2019.[2] The national casino association has conceded that it "sees no economic basis for so many casinos in the future".[3] The industry generated CHF 28 million in gambling levies in 2022, which amounted to 3% of tax revenue in the year.[2]

Petition

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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

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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

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  1. ^ Anordnung der Volksabstimmung über das Initiativbegehren «Casino-Verbot» zur Abänderung der Landesverfassung
  2. ^ a b c "LIECHTENSTEIN – The referendum on closing casinos next week". CasinoCompendium. Casino-Compendium. 23 January 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2023..
  3. ^ Kobakhidze, Ana (15 November 2022). "Liechtenstein Casino Association opposes gambling ban". SBC CIS EN. Retrieved 17 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.