Reports
SLOVAKIA
2000. However many Slovaks still prefer shopping in small format stores.
Shopping malls began to emerge in Slovakia with some significance in 2006. The first modern shopping centre, Soravia was opened in 1998 and cost €14m and had 10,000 sq.m of lease space. This was followed in 2000 by Danubia. Today Bratislava city features malls such as Aupark, Polus City Centre, Soravia and Avion.
Polus City Centre developed by TriGranit is one of Bratislava’s most popular malls whilst Aupark opened in 2001 added Aulandia in 2005 to the top floor and rooftop featuring water attractions such as pools, beach and spa facilities.
THEGAMINGMARKET Under the old communist regime slot machines were not permitted in Slovakia.
However, since 1990 the number has increased and today almost 21,000 slots are operated in around 10,000 single sites and arcades. The total number of slots are divided between around 15,000 AWPS and 6,000 VLTs.
The market in Slovakia has generally been fairly stable and successful with high quality machines imported in the main from neighbouring Czech, Hungary, Poland, Austria and Slovenia and Taiwan.
But with the dark cloud of public finance deficits hanging over many European countries, including Slovakia, changes in the gaming tax regime were recently introduced.
It was expected that Slovakia would exceed its annual three per cent limit by the end of 2009 and it was also predicted that Slovakia would see public deficit of
Thecountry also
faces parliamentary elections in June this year. The opposition
is calling for tax cuts to stimulate the economy however
the financeminister argues that the
burden of taxes and social security
contributions in Slovakia is the lowest in the EU.
around six per cent of GDP at the end of 2009, whilst consolidation was expected to begin in 2010 to reduce it to under three per cent by 2011 or 2012.
At the end of June 2009 the state budget deficit reached €1.108bn which exceeded the sum planned for the whole of 2009. Many say this is down to the drop in tax revenues, mainly from VAT and the reluctance from the government so far to cut its spending.
And so last year the Finance Minister Jan Pociatek began looking at tax hikes on some sectors including alcohol and a new tax for poker games and VLTs, which came into effect in January this year.
This means that operators of arcades will have to pay taxes to the state for poker type card games beginning in 2010 according to a new law approved by the
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