Feature: Anton Kuchukhidze
Taxes for Gambling Business – the State Takes Important Steps Casino Life talks to Anton Kuchukhidze, Chairman of the Ukrainian Gambling Council
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or almost a year, the gambling business in Ukraine and the West was expecting progress on the taxation issues, and it finally happened. The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine supported draft law 2713-d in the first reading. The law is aimed at regulating taxation of the gambling sector in Ukraine, as well as making it predictable for Western investors. The lack of the final tax rates makes the reform incomplete but now there are reasons for positive expectations. Even before the voting itself, the Ukrainian Gambling Council supported the amended draft law 2713-d. In our statement, we underlined that the major benefits of the draft law are the following provisions: 1. Ten percent GGR rate for all types of gambling and the introduction of the concept of differentiation in the calculation of this tax; 2. taxation of only those winnings exceeding eight times the minimum wage; 3. the cancellation of the triple license fees for the relevant gambling segments, including a crucial point: All triple license fees already paid will be converted into future annual license fees; and 4. the Committee on Finance, Taxation and Customs Policy of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine requested the National Bank of Ukraine to review the maximum amount of cash settlements with individuals for land-based casinos.
Anton Kuchukhidze, Chairman of the Ukrainian Gambling Council Issue 05
Today, within UGC we started a dialogue between our operators on whether the law should be improved or remain unamended. UGC operators are still forming 7
