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Acoustic problems delay floating casino

The arrival of Austrian businessman Martin Schlaf's Jericho-style gambling ship to Eilat again has been postponed to an undetermined date. The ship, which is slated to operate an Oasis-style casino, had been scheduled to arrive this month.

Until the outbreak of the Palestinian uprising, the Austrian-owned Oasis casino operated in Jericho attracted on a daily basis 3,000 Israelis who spent close to $250 million annually.

However, after the ship was converted for use as a floating casino, serious acoustic problems in the gambling halls were discovered. The owners decided to send the ship for further repair, thereby delaying its arrival to Eilat.

Meanwhile, ultra-Orthodox opposition to anchoring the ship in Eilat has been increasing. Health Minister Nissim Dahan and MK Meir Porush (United Torah Judaism) have strongly opposed allowing the ship to anchor off Eilat's coast. Porush asked Public Security Minister Uzi Landau to deploy police to prevent the arrival of Israelis from the Eilat port to the ship.

The national Mifal Hapayis lottery, which hopes to promote a bill to establish a legal casino in Israel under its own management, is closely following developments in the Jericho casino and in the Eilat venture. A comment by the lottery, which has established a Knesset lobby to help pass the bill, was unavailable yesterday.

The ship, which will contain dozens of betting tables and slot machines, is to be towed to Eilat and will be able to handle hundreds of visitors.

The Eilat municipality and the city's hotel association praised the ship's arrival, particularly after its owners promised not to rent rooms on board.

The floating casino will be anchored at a regular spot at sea, partially in Israeli territorial waters, and gamblers will not be required to present a passport to board.