How to control gambling advertising? This question is key at the traditional round table of gambling experts. UGC is preparing a special memorandum together with market representatives.
"This memorandum is not legally binding. But there is a culture of behavior, and there is etiquette in a certain area. This memorandum will be a kind of code of honor. Regardless of whether it is a legal document or not, there will be a signature of the gambling organizer. This will mean an awareness of the social responsibility of this memorandum," - said Anton Kuchukhidze, head of the Ukrainian Gambling Council.
Boris Baum says: 90% of Ukrainian gambling operators support the rule of law and a balanced approach to advertising. The document is already in the final stage of development.
"It is a self-regulating internal document of all market participants, which does not change any norms, does not add any norms, it simply defines the rules of the game for all market participants, so that everyone has the same understanding and interpretation of norms. Moments of outdoor sponsorship advertising are affected so that there are no cases when 1% is about the sponsor and 99% about the brand. This, of course, creates distrust in the newly created market," - said the head of the All-Ukrainian Union for the Development of Bookmaking Mikhail Koval.
Another important issue of the round table is the fight against the illegal market. Legal businesses are urged to unite because illegals primarily harm legitimate gambling establishments.
"Investment in one legal hall - 2-2.5 million dollars. Investment in an illegal hall - 20-50 thousand dollars, no one pays taxes, security is also not guaranteed. If a player wants to play and has nowhere to play, he will play in the nearest place. We all understand that in the remote sleeping areas, where there are no hotels that meet the requirements, illegal halls will be opened," - said Slots City CEO Oleg Kononchuk.
At the same time, the operators note that the struggle of law enforcement officers against illegals is already noticeable. Boris Baum emphasizes that now the number of "black" gaming halls is in the hundreds, not thousands, as before legalization. As for the budget, the deputy head of KER predicts - by the end of the year the total receipt in the state treasury of Ukraine from licenses will make one and a half billion hryvnias. Provided that the Verkhovna Rada adopts amendments to the Tax Code in September.
"We very much hope that taxes will be introduced on January 1. I do not want to pull, I want to go into legal history. Therefore, we hope that in January there will be the first receipts from GGR, and we will prove to everyone that there is nothing complicated in this, the market works normally and pays all taxes," - says Boris Baum.
The online monitoring system should be ready by November, says Boris Baum. Together with the adoption of changes in taxes, this will be a signal for foreign investors: you can enter the Ukrainian market. But another detail that can prevent investors from building their business plans is the size of the minimum wage, to which license fees are tied. In three years it can grow up to 30%.
"What can I say, of course, if by the age of 24 the minimum wage increases by 30% - it's probably bad. But, on the other hand, we understand that it is the hryvnia, we also have inflation, maybe it will somehow level it. Unfortunately, there is no way to change this situation in any way, neither by law nor by anything. The only thing we can do is to take the initiative in 3 years to revise the tax legislation, maybe even the license legislation. Because there is such a practice in the world," - says Boris Baum.
The report especially for Gamingpost.net.
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