Free casino license in Ukraine: myth or reality?
News from Ukraine related to the legalization of the gambling industry continues to appear on the Internet. Recently it became known that the new president of the country and the government continue to actively work on the problem related to the organization of the gambling business. Despite the fact that the main law has not yet been prepared and is in the development stage, reporters and journalists have learned some interesting details.
In particular, at a press conference held with the participation of V. Zelensky, he stated that the government is resolving the issue of issuing licenses to gambling establishments. It is very likely that, subject to certain conditions, businessmen will be able to obtain it absolutely free of charge. The main condition may be a significant increase in the number of rooms in the hotel business. In this case, it may look like this:
- construction of new buildings that comply with all modern standards adopted in the construction of hotels;
- completion of existing hotels and creation of a special gambling zone with appropriate equipment.
Depending on the amount of money the owner of the gambling establishment invests in such events, the discount on the license fee will depend. In some cases, it can be 100% of the cost of the permit document.
According to the preliminary decision of the government, casinos will be allowed to open only in five-star hotels. However, in the country, hotels that fall under this category are generally not intended for opening casinos in them. Their size simply does not allow this. Thus, the government is trying to kill two birds with one stone: both to allow the organization of the gambling business and to increase the size and number of hotels.
Despite the apparent benefit of such a proposal, it will most likely turn out that it is easier for businessmen to purchase a license for money than to get involved in the construction of new buildings or modernization of old ones. However, it is too early to draw conclusions, since the bill is in development and no specific decisions have been made yet.
