Residents on Taiwan’s Penghu ready for casino referendum

Friday 30th of October 2015

Taiwan’s outlying island of Penghu may hold another referendum on whether to allow casinos, local media reports.

The local government's Referendum Screening Committee passed a proposal to hold a referendum on Friday. If the criteria is met, residents will cast ballots after Taiwan's Jan. 16 presidential election and before the May 20 presidential inauguration in 2016.

That would be seven years after the first referendum was held in the county and rejected.

If the referendum proposal is approved, the county's election committee will ask the alliance, which is comprised of tourism and related businesses, to collect signatures amounting to 5 percent of the 82,269 eligible voters in Penghu, or 4,113 people, to allow it to be sent to the election committee.

Enabling legislation to allow casinos on Taiwan’s outlying islands has been stalled at the national level after failing to be put forward during a special session of parliament. It’s unclear as to when it may next be tabled.

The island of Matsu passed a referendum in 2012 opening it up to casinos should legislation be passed.

Bricks & Mortar Referendum Penghu Matsu Casinos