Ousted German Politician Makes Play For Regulating Online Gambling In Honduras

October 4, 2024
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A Honduran deputy has submitted a bill to regulate online gambling in the country with the backing of a far-right German politician turned investor. 
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A Honduran deputy has submitted a bill to regulate online gambling in the country with the backing of a far-right German politician turned investor. 

Deputy Dunia Jiménez drafted the bill, which would regulate online gambling. According to local media outlet Radio América Honduras, she held meetings in the Honduran capital Tegucigalpa with a German businessmen who they claim represents 34 companies in 27 countries. 

Jiménez posted a video on her X account (formerly Twitter) of the aforementioned businessmen, one of whom Radio América named as “Christian Luerh”. 

The man is Christian Lüth (the anglicised version is Lueth), whose LinkedIn account identifies him as the former spokesman for Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. 

He was fired from his position in 2020 for his comments on immigrants, which he made to influencer Lisa Licentia in a Berlin bar, which were later revealed in a documentary by German outlet ProSieben. 

Lüth told her that the more immigrants that come to Germany, the better it is for the profile of AfD: “We could later shoot them all. That's not at all the issue. Or gassing, or whatever you want. It's the same to me."

At the time, the AfD distanced themselves from him, saying his comments were not reflective of the party and that he parted ways with them already.  

His LinkedIn profile states that he is now the CEO of cigar company Gran Honduras Cigars, while his Instagram and press photos from Deputy Jiménez’s X account place him in Honduras this week. His exact role in the drafting of the bill remains unclear.

According to Radio America Honduras, he is interested in replicating the gambling models in Malta and Curaçao in Honduras, which he allegedly said was untouched and ripe with opportunity.

He is quoted as saying: “We need a law that regulates all this and that is responsible, that is why we are here to see if it can be possible.”

Deputy Jiménez, for her part, said that the Honduran model of a regulated online market will seek to attract players both locally and globally, hoping to benefit from the tax dollars of international gamers. 

Ten percent of collected taxes would be earmarked for the health sector under her plan, similar to Colombia. She specifically singled out medical supplies and cardiovascular devices. 

The heart and vascular institute at the George Washington School of Medicine, which operates medical missions in Honduras, confirmed that pacemakers and cardioverter defibrillators are few and far between in the country.  

Lüth did not return a request for comment in time for publication.

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