不宜發展「博弈觀光特區」之論證與事實基礎

The Arguments and Facts Against “Legalizing Casino Gambling in Designated Tourism Districts”

是否應該開放「賭博業」和開設「博弈觀光特區」，自解嚴以來已數度引發朝野各界熱烈爭論的議題，歷經二十多年的爭議後，立法院雖於2009年1月12日通過了「博弈條款」，澎湖縣並於同年9月26日舉行國內首次「博弈公投」但未通過，馬祖則於2012年7月7日進行舉行公投，並通過了國內第一個「觀光賭場」的設置案，而澎湖促賭方在馬祖「博弈公投」過關後，也於2016年捲土重來，卻再次被居民否決。事實上，長期以來除了離島，大多數本島各縣市前後任首長都曾競相表態支持爭取在自家開設「觀光賭場」，然而對此議題所涉及之層面和開設「博弈觀光特區」會帶來些什麼影響，能有足夠認識的人相當欠缺。有鑑於此，本文探討的內容涵蓋：特種產業特區化發展的邏輯、「觀光賭場」的本質、「觀光賭場」的實際場景、支持開設「博弈觀光特區」者的盲點――涵蓋藉對開設「博弈觀光特區」以「興利除弊」的可能性與可行性之分析。希望能藉著對相關問題的深入剖析，並借鏡他山之石，以提供各界在思考「臺灣是否適合以『特區』的形式來發展所謂博弈觀光事業」的參考。

This paper discusses whether Taiwan should legalize gambling and allow casinos to be operated in designated tourism districts-- issues having been discussed and debated over the past 2 decades. Various issues have been addressed in the paper including: the rationale of applying designated districts for the development of specific industries; the nature of “Legalizing Casino Gambling in Designated Tourism Districts”; how casinos really operate; and other relevant issues including the possibility and feasibility of adopting gambling businesses to rejuvenate economically depressed regions. This paper is written with the hope that this would clarify what need to be taken into account whenever a critical public policy issue such as “gambling legalization” has been brought up.