Kangar, 17th – The Perlis state government’s decision to suspend the renewal of business licenses for gaming betting shops has resulted in the closure of the first betting shop in the state. The business license for the Sports Toto Betting Shop on Dashishan Road in Kangar expired today, leading to its official closure tomorrow. The closure comes in the wake of the state government’s ban on gambling, which was implemented on June 14.
As the first betting shop to see its license expire, Sports Toto Betting Shop faced uncertainty for several weeks. The gaming company behind the establishment decided to operate on the last day, opting for closure today instead of tomorrow, as per its fixed checkout day every week.
The Kangar City Council Chairman, Norazlan, confirmed that the council had received an appeal letter from the gaming company seeking to update their business license. However, the state government chose to maintain its original policy decision and suspend the renewal of gaming betting shop licenses.
Sin Chew Daily reported that the betting shop’s gaming company did not issue any special notice regarding the closure, but some concerned customers approached the staff verbally to inquire about the shop’s closing date.
Perlis has a total of six betting stations, with three located in Kangar, two in Padang Besar, and one in Perlis Port. In early May this year, the Kangar City Council informed all betting station operators that their business licenses would not be updated after their respective expiry dates.
Sukri, the state secretary of Perlis, confirmed that the issue of the gambling ban was brought before the state executive council for deliberation, leading to the decision to implement the ban on June 14.
In the coming months, the business licenses of three more betting outlets in Perlis are set to expire. These include Asia Triple Sports Toto, Dashishan Road Magnum in Padang Besar, and Padang Besar Sports Toto. Their licenses will expire between September and October this year.
On a positive note, Perlis Port Toto and Padang Besar Da Ma Cai betting outlets renewed their business licenses earlier this year and will remain operational until the beginning of next year.
As the state government’s ban on gambling takes effect, gaming enthusiasts in Perlis will have to seek alternative entertainment options outside of betting shops. The decision to suspend license renewals has sparked debates among residents, with opinions divided on the impact of the ban on the local economy and gambling enthusiasts in the region.
As of now, the future of gaming betting shops in Perlis remains uncertain, with operators awaiting further decisions from the state government.
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