Arthur Ward: the Legalization of gambling will bring to the budget of 4-5 billion annually

A total ban on gambling in Ukraine has led to shadowing of the market and the lack of transparent oversight authority for this area.

Moreover, every year the state budget is losing from 2 to 7 billion of potential taxes paid due to the lack of clear rules of functioning of a gaming.

About this during his speech at the I International conference of the gaming industry “Ukrainian Gaming Summit 2017,” said MP of Ukraine, Chairman of the parliamentary Committee on family matters, youth policy, sports and tourism Arthur Ward.

“The legislative prohibition of gambling business in 2009 was seen as a forced but temporary measure to give the opportunity to the Executive authorities better regulate this activity and to develop better legislation. It’s been 7 years and nothing was done. As a consequence, gambling continues to exist, but completely in the shadows, without any state control, however, remains accessible to wide layers of the population. Because of this, the state loses significant amounts of tax revenues that would fill budget and used for various infrastructure, sports, or even educational projects”, – stated the MP.

The conviction of Ward, at an early stage “smart” legalization of gambling market of the state Treasury can be replenished at 4-5 billion annually. This refers to the high fees for the issuing of licences as a condition of legal entry into the market, the taxes on the income of gambling establishments, VAT on related services.

For example, the estimated annual volume of gambling in European countries is around 30 billion euros. Under the current tax system for the EU budget annually receives more than 4 billion euros.

“Personally, I support full legalization of gambling business in Ukraine with simultaneous tight control of the state. Thus it is necessary to restrict access to gaming machines for wide layers of population on the analogy of some European countries to open casinos and gambling institutions only in expensive hotels, airports, special points. Well, the entrance to such institutions only on the passport for identification. Also part of the income from the legalization of gambling is to direct the development of the sport,” said Arthur Ward.

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