Ukraine entrepreneurs find a way around the gambling ban

It didn’t take the entrepreneurs of Ukraine long to find a way around the ban on gambling imposed only a couple of months ago. Premises that were often gaming halls before the ban are now known as “Internet complexes” or “Interactive Clubs” and the owners charge gamblers for internet access but also take a commission from the money loaded onto an account. The servers are located overseas and the owner of the club is merely providing access. According to Danylo Getmantsev who has written a book on gambling and is honorary president of a law firm in Ukraine, the circumvention is perfectly legal and several such establishments have been set up in the last few weeks and if the police take no action more are likely to follow. Nobody from the Interior Ministry Department for Economic Crime who are responsible for enforcing the ban has so far commented but Valeriy Pysarenko who penned the bill thought the clubs would be a temporary thing until legislation could be passed to combat the activity. He also hinted that they might follow the Russian example of designating special areas in the country where gambling would be allowed. However, Presidential elections are due to take place in January and it is not unusual for Parliament to be quite slow in passing legislation in the run up.