In a June 26 report for the Financial Times, Roman Olearchyk wrote: A temporary ban on gambling venues in Ukraine, where gaming houses grew to litter residential streets, officially took effect on Thursday as part of a controversial move by government and lawmakers to safeguard families hit hard by recession.
The ban is scheduled in coming months to be supplemented with legislation that will sanction gambling in restricted zones, including Black Sea resorts on the Crimean peninsula. But its effects are being felt by more than 100,000 gaming venues and their 200,000-plus employees. Yulia Tymoshenko, prime minister, championed the ban, insisting gaming salons were “demoralizing Ukraine’s youth and sucking the last savings from families” whose pockets were already squeezed by recession.
Operators of casinos, slot machine halls and betting establishments accepted the need for gradual steps to tighten regulation on their $1bn-a-year business. Now they are struggling to squeeze out of lease agreements, or to switch to other businesses, including stores and beer halls. Some expect a vast black market to evolve overnight.Click here to read more
