In July last year Ukraine’s Accounting Chamber was highly critical of the lack of progress in implementing new gambling laws, stating that nothing had happened since the 2007 audit. The Accounting Chamber has been handling external financial controls for the country since 1997 and has made several recommendations since then on improving conditions for gamblers, cracking down on criminal elements and raising gambling taxes for additional government revenues.

Having been accused by the Accounting Chamber of being too passive in pursuing gambling regulation and the formation of a state body to coordinate gambling legislation, the government of Ukraine reacted swiftly this month when faced with fatalities at a gambling hall on the outskirts of Kyiv. Now accused by some of over-reaction, the government has banned all gambling in Ukraine until gambling zones could be established.

The new law could cost the country as much as US$20 million in lost revenue as well as many thousands of lost jobs. Yesterday around 1,000 protestors gathered in the centre of Kyiv in an attempt to get President Viktor Yushchenko not to sign the temporary ban into law. Many believe that if the gambling ban remains in force until Parliament approves a list of gambling regions then up to 200,000 people in the gambling and related industries could lose their jobs.

Yushchenko has four days to make a decision and has assured the protestors that he and representatives of the gaming industry will this week submit to Parliament proposals on the gambling ban, as a presidential veto of the ban would be immediately overruled by parliament. The law as it stands at present gives Parliament three months to agree a special law on gambling and to designate special areas where gambling would be permitted. (E-05.26.09)

© Copyright 2009 CasinoCompendium



>>> return to archives
>>> return to frontpage