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Illegal
Internet
Gambling
Lambros
Themistocleous,
Chief of
Police
for the
Paphos
district
has
taken
action
against
the
ongoing
problem
of a
number
of
Internet
cafes
across
the
region
allowing
illegal
gambling
to be
played
online.
Mr.Themistocleous
said a
number
of
special
expert
technicians
from
Nicosia
have
been
brought
in to
check
computers
in
Internet
outlets
to
investigate
any
illegalities.
Unfortunately,
he also
said
that in
these
cases,
police
need
people
to come
forward
and
testify
and this
does not
often
happen.
Mayor
Savvas
Vergas
has said
that a
number
of these
businesses
are
allowing
customers
to play
on
illegal
online
betting
machines
and
casino
games.
He
commented
that
last
year,
from
nowhere,
15
Internet
cafes
popped
up in
Paphos
town.
Mr.
Vergas
has
received
information
that a
number
of these
Internet
cafes
have
slot
machines
and one
armed
bandits
inside.
He is
very
concerned
that
this is
encouraging
children
to
gamble.
According
to the
Municipality,
a
special
permit
is
required
for
proprietors
to
charge
the
public
for
Internet
access.
The
Mayor
also
said
that
these
places
are
mostly
situated
near to
schools
and
obviously
are
aiming
at young
people.
He
further
said
they are
causing
noise
pollution
and
promised
that the
Municipality
will put
a stop
to these
practices.
Apparently
the most
popular
game is
roulette,
closely
followed
by
Spoof,
Bingo,
Virtual
Racing
and
Triple
Disc.
Gambling,
with the
exception
of
betting
in
registered
bookies,
as they
are
known,
is
illegal
in
Cyprus.
Authorities
can do
nothing
to stop
online
gambling,
as a
2007
European
Directive
states
that
‘any
restriction
on
Internet
betting
is
prohibited
as it
affects
the
freedom
of the
market’.
Other
countries
have
tried to
curb
this
practice,
but the
EU
rejected
stricter
laws on
Internet
gambling,
as it
was
considered
an
infringement
on the
freedom
to
supply
services.
The
Parliament
of
Cyprus
rejected
a bill
submitted
last
year,
aimed at
tightening
laws on
online
gaming
in
Cyprus.
Themisticleous
stressed
that the
Police
follow
the law
and
implement
it, but
the
problem
gambling
perpetuates
is that
many
people
gamble
with
large
amounts
of money
and it
is not
within
the
jurisdiction
of the
law to
tell
individuals
how to
spend
their
money.
Of
course,
he said,
these
circumstances
do not
apply if
the
individuals
are
underage.
ALLIED
SCHOOL
CLEANSING
ALERT.
Mr.
Christos
Aristomdemou,
who is
the
President
of the
Association
for
Primary
School
children,
said
that he
is in
agreement
with the
Mayor’s
comments.
He said
that as
these
cafes
are
mostly
situated
near to
schools,
it is
obvious
that
they are
aiming
at
vulnerable
and
innocent
children.
He said
that the
Government,
the
Police
and the
Municipality
must act
immediately
to stop
the
practice
of
illegal
gambling
and to
control
operations
of
numerous
Internet
cafes as
a matter
of prime
importance,
which
are
permitting
children
to
gamble
in their
premises.
He went
on to
stress
other
problems
in local
schools,
which
have
been
highlighted
in the
canteens.
An
incident
of out
of date
sandwiches
being
sold to
children
recently,
brought
the
problem
to the
fore. He
said
that the
School
Committee
has to
make all
the
necessary
checks
and that
parents
must
have a
say in
what
their
children
are
eating.
He also
went
onto
comment
about
works,
which
are
still
underway
in the
4th
primary
school
in
Paphos.
He said
although
the work
is
disrupting
for the
children,
it is
necessary
as it is
an anti
earthquake
update.
He also
said
that the
same
repairs
and
updating
is
needed
at the
Nicolaideio
gymnasium
in
Paphos
and
urged
the
school
council
to keep
the
school
open for
students
to
continue
with
their
studies
whilst
the work
is
commencing.
Meanwhile,
Costas
Michael,
the
President
of the
Parents
Association
for
Secondary
Education
in
Paphos
also
highlighted
the
problems
of
School
canteens.
He said
that
high
prices
are
being
charged,
food is
of a bad
quality
and
insufficient
health
and
hygiene
conditions
are in
place to
ensure
hygienic
food
production.
After
discussing
a number
of
suggestions,
he said
that the
School
Committee
had
employed
a
specialist
who has
the
knowledge
to
oversee
applications
from
companies
who wish
to run
food
outlets
at the
schools.
He said
that
this
will
ensure
only the
best
people
are
granted
a
license
to
operate.
On
another
matter,
that of
a newly
passed
law
making
it
possible
for
students
to wear
blue
jeans to
school,
Mr.
Michael
said
this has
caused
anarchy
in
schools.
He said
the
result
is that
teachers
do not
know who
is a
pupil
and who
isn’t.
He also
said
there is
a huge
problem
with
foreign
nationals
now
attending
Greek
school,
whom do
not have
a good
grasp of
the
Greek
language.
He
recommends
special
classes
to teach
the
Greek
language
and
pupils
from
these
classes
should
have
their
progress
evaluated
every 3
months.
Only
then, in
his
opinion,
should
these
pupils
be able
to
participate
in
regular
classes.
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