Sports betting, online and land-based casinos to be legalized in Ukraine
Legislation that legalizes and regulates gambling across Europe‘s second largest country, including sports betting casinos, bookmaker’s offices, and online casinos has been published by Ukraine’s Ministry of Finance. The passing of the bill ends a six-year ban on gambling, which was introduced in 2009, the same year a fire in a gambling hall in Dnipropetrovsk killed nine people.
The creation of the state-owned National Service for Gambling, which would be responsible for issuing licenses to private gaming operators and organizing gambling in the country, is also included in the Draft Law, according to Asia Gaming Brief.
Stipulations of the new bill include legal Ukrainian companies that possess more than $2.2 million in capital, without borrowing, would be eligible to apply for a license. Only one lottery operator would be created, its license issued by means of a tender process. A one-year license would cost land-based casino operators between EUR 300,000 and EUR 1 million, while EUR 1.5 million would be the cost for an online casino license.
The legislation provides that bookmaker’s offices would be restricted to certain gaming zones, while bookies will also be permitted to operate online. The new bill sets minimum requirements for gambling establishments, namely the number of tables, slot machines and various other equipment required, as well as the number of employees a casino must have.
Ukraine’s Ministry of Finance, along with other bodies of executive power, is responsible for the state’s financial, taxation, budgetary and customs policies as well as issuing and conducting lotteries.
