From 'The end of stupidity' to 'Endless stupidity', how Rama changed his mind about the return of betting

The 'Rama' government has made strides as it appears to have decided to bring back online gambling, four years after it was outlawed.

Taking advantage of a public hearing with sports federations, the prime minister admitted that he has failed in the fight against betting.

"This activity has not decreased. It makes this reflection that we did today necessary. High-profile elements of organized crime have appeared active and with completely unreasonable benefits", said Rama, who specifies that there will be no return of casinos or other games of chance as they were before 2019.

The Prime Minister described the intervention as a solution that would help the economy, admitting that online betting was circulating 5 million euros per year. 

But how has Rama changed his mind over the last few years, when he was propagandizing that he would once and for all close all gambling, both physically and online:

On October 8, 2018:

"Starting from December 31 of this year, all electronic casinos will cease to function. Today's change also includes sports bets, as well as any type of bet for any so-called race on the track, with horses, with dogs, or with any type of slave of the Albanian fauna."

On October 14, 2018:

"Black betting money is pouring into the vats to excrete the chatter that this was done to remain an online monopoly! Don't get tired, you can't save bets anymore! Even betting, this online monopoly will die for the New Year."

On October 18, 2018:

"I am sure that this parliamentary group will give you [...] a long-awaited gift on the occasion of the New Year, the closure of electronic casinos and sports betting from football matches to competitions of every kind of four-legged world fauna and betting online. On January 1, there will no longer be any kind of betting, electronic casino in any residential area."

On October 19, 2019:

 "On December 31, mothers, wives and daughters will take back their son or husband sick from gambling. On January 1st, all bets will be closed on the street, or online, and that being said, online today the credit card lotteries and every transaction is registered, taxed and you can't play in the black. On December 31 there is no more. We're going to shut them all down."

On October 22, 2018:

"Gambling activity in Albania is financed to a large extent by organized crime.

Janë burime financimi kriminale, janë para që pastrohen përmes aktivitetit të kumarit dhe janë eksponentë të krimit të organizuar që fshihen ose janë drejtë të përfshirë në këto aktivitete.”

Në 2 janar 2019

“Vit i Ri me këmbë të mbarë, pa kumar e pa kapsolla.”

‘Fundi i marrëzisë’

Industria e lojërave të fatit ishte një kalë beteje i fushatës elektorale të vitit 2013 që solli në pushtet kryeministrin Edi Rama. Operacioni i parë i qeverisë së tij, “Fundi i Marrëzisë” targetoi tregun e paligjshëm të lojërave të fatit dhe në vitin 2015, qeveria miratoi një ligj që u prezantua si radikal për frenimin e kësaj industrie.

Megjithatë, lojërat e fatit lulëzuan edhe më shumë pas miratimit të ligjit të ri.

PD: Po i jepet licensa Olsi Ramës

Partia Demokratike ka reaguar, pasi u paralajmërua rihapja e basteve sportive, të cilat Edi Rama i mbylli me shumë zhurmë disa vite më parë, ndërsa sot pranoi se “lulëzuan” në të zezë.

Sekretari për Çështjet Ligjore në PD, Ivi Kaso hedh akuza se rinisja e këtij aktiviteti po bëhet për t’i dhënë kontrollin e basteve OIsi RTamës, vëllait të kryeministrit. PD paralajmëroi familjen Rama dhe “kumarxhinjtë”, se ora e llogarisë po afron.

Braçe: Nga “Fundi i marrezise” tek “Marrezia pa fund”

Ish-zv.kryeministri Erion Braçe ka reaguar ashpër pas mbledhjes së Edi Ramës me drejtues të Federatave sportive. SIpas tij, marrëzia nuk ka fund pasi persona që kanë marrë peng sportin po përdorin atë për bastet e tyre.

"FROM "THE END OF STUPIDITY" TO "ENDLESS STUPIDITY"; the same people - the same leaders, the same decision-makers; But even the same palaces that have taken sport hostage, speak in the name of sport and use sport for THEIR BET!", writes Braçe.