Comment MARCH 2015
Having met with several contacts from the Ukrainian gaming market at the ICE show in London, it was genuinely surprising to hear that the country is looking to tear down its five-year old gaming ban and create a new Gaming Act that will embrace not only the land-based gaming sector in Ukraine, but also seek to con- trol the country’s online gaming sector at the same time.
The new law is said to be in its embryonic stages at present with no details as yet formalised, but discussions are taking place and it appears that there is political will to stop demonising the gaming industry and consider the legitimacy of the business. While there are undoubtedly major issues for the Ukraine government to be dealing with at present, one of the major influences in the reinstatement of gambling in Ukraine is the need to refill the state coffers.
It’s understandable that the government is attempting to stabilise the economy, but somewhat ironic that it is looking to do so with the instigation of a new Gaming Act, having previously sought to dismantle the industry, claiming that it had a destabilising effect on society. My hope is that the country can create robust legislation during a geo-political crisis that will provide certainty for the business both now and into the future.
THE NEW LAW IS IN ITS EMBRYONIC STAGE, BUT THERE’S POLITICAL WILL TO STOP DEMONISING THE GAMING INDUSTRY IN UKRAINE
EDITORIAL
Editor Lewis Pek
lewis@gamingpublishing.co.uk +44 (0) 1942 879 291
News Editor Phil Martin
phil@gamingpublishing.co.uk +44 (0)161 236 6669
Associate Editor (MALAGA) Karen Southall
karensouthall@gmail.com
Consultant John Carroll (BILLERBECK)
carroll@carrollconsulting.de
Correspondent James Marrison
jamesmarrison@gmail.com
Contributors Daniel Lindsay David Addison Bepi Mottes Rory Shanahan
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Searching for an image for the website story, every photograph that displays Kiev in recent website searches reveals a city on fire, buildings, cars and people. It’s a horrible montage to flick through having spent so much time in the city, visiting with gam- ing operators and suppliers during the boom peri- ods of gaming in Ukraine. Having been back and forth during the Orange Revolution, to now seeing the chaos and instability, it’s with real caution that I greeted the news at ICE that the market is look- ing to reestablish itself.
Just as the gaming ban in Greece has perpetuated a black market of 100,000 machines in that coun- try, the dissolution of the gaming ban in Ukraine can only be a good thing for the country - but I hope that it’s not rushed and ill-conceived and presents instead a long-term opportunity.
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PRODUCTION
Sub Editor Lisa Nichols
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