Storm International About The Development Of Gambling Business In Ukraine
The government started talking about pg slot เว็บตรง the gambling business return to Ukraine at the end of August 2019. Almost immediately after taking office as country president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy instructed the government and the Verkhovna Rada to start developing a bill on the gambling business legalization. According to the President of Ukraine, the legalization of gambling will have a positive effect on the development of the tourism sector and the country’s economy as a whole.
Let us remind you that the gambling business in Ukraine has been banned for more than ten years, namely, since 2009. In the same year, a ban on gambling business was adopted in Russia, with the exception of five specially organized zones. Thus, the casino work in Ukraine was illegal. At the same time, thanks to the law “On State Lotteries in Ukraine”, halls with slot machines continue to operate, but in an incomprehensible status.
In early July 2020, the Verkhovna Rada was considering a bill on the gambling business legalization. About 3.5 thousand edits were submitted to it. The law was passed on July 14!
After the law adoption, it was confirmed that all gambling establishments will operate exclusively in hotels, most of them 5-stars and some 3- and 4-stars. The same applies to the halls with slot machines. Thus, MPs has promised to remove lottery from the streets. In addition, they promise to take into account the wishes of citizens to prohibit gambling business advertising in public places and to introduce age restrictions, namely from the age of 21, for admission to gambling establishments.
Among the amendments submitted, they also provide for the introduction of strict control and criminal liability for working without a license.
We play in a new way
The document provides new rules for the slot halls operation. Before the law was passed, they had an undefined status and functioned under the guise of a popular lottery. The overwhelming majority of such establishments are located in the vicinity of pawnshops, which has an extremely negative impact on the nation welfare.
The innovations will affect absolutely all categories of the gambling industry: casinos, slot machines, classic lottery and bookmakers. Each type of activity is subject to separate licensing.
It is planned to create a special commission to regulate by the state the all participant activities in the gaming services market. The Commission will be authorized to issue licenses for the gambling business, as well as for the hardware and software used. The supervisory authority is responsible for online monitoring of the gambling business financial side.
The license cost for an online casino site is supposed to be over 200 thousand dollars per year. But this price will be relevant only after the launch of online monitoring. Until then, such a license will cost three times more.
Likewise, regarding the bookmakers work. The license allowing to carry out betting activities includes the Internet and ground points. After the commission starts its work, its cost for a year will be one million dollars, before the start, respectively R three millions. In addition, each ground station will cost bookmakers $ 500 per month, this amount is unchanged.
The establishments with slots will have restrictions on the machines number R no more than 250. The license cost for them will not change, and will amount to 250 thousand dollars per year. However, an additional license for each gaming device before the start of the monitoring system will cost $ 300 per month, and $ 100 after.
Financial revenues to the budget from the sale of licenses are supposed to be directed to such areas as medicine, culture and sports, science and education.
Expert opinion
Michael Boettcher’s Storm International Holding, which is a world-renowned gaming operator, is ready to enter the Ukrainian gambling market. The company manages casinos in Belarus, Armenia and Georgia. The Storm International management hopes for an early legislative decision in favor of the gambling business legalization in Ukraine.
According to Darren Keane, the Storm International director, such bans are not beneficial to anyone. As world practice shows, by prohibiting the activity of the gaming business, the state thereby pushes it to go into the shadows. That only contributes to the violation of legal norms and the development of corruption.
The company’s management understands the importance of the gambling business legalization public discussion in Ukraine. Due to the fact that only 5% of people have an interest in gambling, for the remaining 95% this topic is completely unknown. Because of this, there is a deliberately negative public attitude.
The Storm International units operating in Minsk, Tbilisi and Yerevan employ many Ukrainian citizens in the service sector. As soon as the ban on gambling business is lifted, Storm International is ready to provide jobs in Ukraine. Thus, many Ukrainians will have the opportunity to return home and continue working in Ukraine.