Bratislava Mayor Matúš Vallo will soon launch a new public petition calling for a ban on gambling in the capital city after local legislation to that effect expired at the end of 2018, following a court ruling that it wasn't in line with national law. At least 15 percent of Bratislava's adult population must sign the petition for it to have some effect, noted Vallo, adding that the city authority can't ban gambling on its own. The Gambling Association (AZAH) stated that the current laws are the strictest ever and that there's no point in launching a petition to achieve a gambling ban. An absolute ban on gambling in Bratislava was introduced in May 2017 following a public petition that was signed by more than 136,000 people. Nevertheless, a court later ruled that the ban was at odds with national law, and its effect expired at the end of 2018.
