NYN | News
Israeli newspaper Maariv revealed in recent hours a new initiative by the Eilat Municipality to establish a government-run casino in the Red Sea coastal city, in an attempt to mitigate the growing economic losses resulting from the shutdown of the seaport and the decline in commercial and tourism activity.
The paper quoted Eilat’s Deputy Mayor as saying: “We are working on setting up a government casino in the city. This is not merely about entertainment—it’s an essential economic step aimed at meeting the local budget’s needs.” He noted that the city is suffering from a severe financial shortfall following the halt of maritime activity at the port and the loss of revenue linked to the Houthi (Ansar Allah) blockade in the Red Sea on Israel-bound ships.
The official explained that the project is still under discussion with relevant government agencies and is part of broader plans to compensate Eilat for the damages caused by the Houthi-led operations in Yemen, which have nearly paralyzed the city’s commercial port and forced ships to reroute to alternative ports.
Eilat has been grappling with a difficult economic situation for months, marked by a sharp drop in visitors, stagnation in the hotel and services sector, and the shutdown of the seaport to commercial shipping. This follows the expansion of Houthi (Ansar Allah) attacks on vessels heading to Israel via the Red Sea, prompting global shipping companies to completely avoid the area.
