Ukraine to restrict bonuses in new responsible gambling regulations

The regulations were drawn up by KRAIL last week, and released to the public yesterday. The rules define responsible gambling provisions for operators under the new re-regulated market, after Ukraine passed a bill to legalise a wide range of gambling verticals last year.

Among the rules is a major restriction on bonuses for existing players. Operators are “obliged to refrain from providing players with any bonus payments, and/or providing goods or services through incentives, the provision of which is directly or indirectly due to the losses of a player in a certain game”.

This rule would mean operators would be unable to offer a bonus to players because they have lost money, or to make a bonus contingent on losses.

In addition, all players must have the option to both self-exclude and set deposit limits. Players must also be allowed to see how much time they have spent gambling.

Operators must also train their staff to recognise the definition and possible signs of problem gambling.

Although KRAIL has already issued licences, Ukraine is also still drawing up legislation to tax gambling. Last week, the country’s legislature, the Verkhovna Rada, progressed a bill to set gambling taxes in the country to a second reading. However, a motion to pass the bill immediately with a single vote fell short of the required vote total, despite more Deputies voting for the bill than against.

The proposal – bill 2713-D – was first put forward by a legislative committee in February this year through amendments to an earlier proposal and would set tax rates at 10% of gross revenue for all verticals. Previously, plans for gambling tax in Ukraine’s newly-regulated landscape called for a rate ranging from 10% to 30% of gross revenue depending on vertical.