On July 14, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted a law on the legalization of gambling in the country. During discussions, more than 3,500 amendments were made to the bill. Prior to that, in Ukraine, all gambling entertainment, except for state lotteries, was formally outlawed for 11 years. In practice, the gambling business in the country was not regulated in any way. According to preliminary estimates, the withdrawal of gambling from the gray zone of the economy will bring to the state treasury from 2.5 to 4 billion hryvnia annually.

Casino can be opened in the following locations:

• in five-star hotels in Kyiv with at least 150 rooms;
• in five-star hotels in the country with at least 100 rooms;
• in suburban recreation areas with an area of ​​at least 10 000 sqm, 5-star hotel is a must;
• in special gambling areas.

Requirements are lowered for arcades and betting shops. They can be located in three-star hotels with a room stock of 25 rooms or more, for Kyiv - from 50. the casino will be issued for 5 years, payment must be made in installments annually. The cost of a license for a casino is:

Лицензия для наземных казино, залов игровых автоматов и интернет-казино будет выдаваться на 5 лет, оплату необходимо вносить частями ежегодно. Стоимость лицензии для казино составляет:

• in Kyiv - 9.18 million euros;
• in other cities - 4.59 million euros.

License for a gambling hall machines will cost 1.15 million euros. Additionally, it is necessary to license each machine - 916 euros per year. One license can place up to 250 slots, but no more than 50 in one room.

An online casino will have to pay 1 million euros for a permit document. At the same time, to organize an online poker game, it will be necessary to purchase a separate license for 765,000 euros.

The gambling business will be controlled by the Commission for the Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries. The members of the commission will be elected by the government. They will create the State online monitoring system. It will have to record all transactions online with an indication of the exact time up to seconds.

A legal entity with experience in the gambling industry can become the organizer. Separately, it is noted that only a resident of Ukraine can be a founder. The organizer must deposit a bank guarantee of 1.1 million euros to pay out the winnings.

It is forbidden to offer players alcoholic drinks and beer for free as a reward for playing. Gambling establishments will no longer be able to accept bets on credit or issue loans, but players will be able to deposit with a credit card.

Players must be 21 years of age or older. Gamblers will be able to self-exclude for a period of 6 months to 3 years. The regulator may ban gambling at the request of a player's family members if they have a lot of debt, spend more than their monthly income, or do not pay child support.

It is worth noting that a number of significant changes have been made to the bill sincereceipt of a recommendation on adoption in the second reading. In particular, the required number of rooms for hotels in Kyiv and large cities was reduced, the system of auctions for the purchase of a license was canceled, now they have a fixed price.