Comment: Aydin Guney
Ukrainian Gaming Business Legalization Chronicles By: Aydin Guney
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n spite of many unsolved issues before the first casino can open its doors to its long and patiently waiting customers, there have been improvements in the Ukrainian Gaming Market during the past several weeks. As it is clear to all of us now, before gaming operators can receive a license to operate any gaming, hotels, where the gaming operator is planning to start operation, must receive permission. Before understanding which hotels are eligible to apply for permission to place gaming zone (live casino, slot arcade or sports betting) in their territories, they need to be categorized and certificated by European standards as Ukraine is approaching towards Europe under President Vladimir Zelensky’s ruling. Up until today, many hotels all over Ukraine have had to reconsider and replan their infrastructure and floor plan to be able to get in the right category and receive the correct certificate to be able to apply for permission to place a gaming zone. So far, 18 hotels from Kyiv, Kharkov, L’viv, Odessa, Rivne, Vinnitsa, and Bela Tserkva have applied to KRAIL for permits. 02.02.2021 – Ivan Rudy, the Head of UGLC, announced on his Facebook page that the first license was issued to online casino «СПЕЙСИКС» (SpaceX) better known with its brand name in the gaming market as «Космолот» (Cosmolot) who has been operating in Ukraine during the last several years under a lottery license. «СПЕЙСИКС» (SpaceX) paid 23,4 million Hryvnas to conduct gambling. Even though it costs 6500 minimum wages (~ 6000 Hryvnas) = 39 million Hryvnas to receive an online casino license and can be paid in 5 even yearly payments, since there is no online monitoring system established, operator had to pay 3 yearly payments in advance which made it 23,4 million Hryvnas. Issue 03
09.02.2021 – While Hotel Rus and Hotel Lybid of Kyiv have received their permission to replace gaming zone (slot arcade) in their hotels, Hotel Intercontinental was turned down because of missing documentation. 10.02.2021 – Two more operators, «ПАРИМАТЧ» (PARIMATCH) and «ГЕЙМДЕВ» (GAMEDEV) have received their license to conduct online casino this week. It was announced on the official web site of КРАИЛ (KRAIL). 5
