For the purpose of protection of public morals the Supreme Rada of Ukraine temporarily forbade gaming and participation in gambling on the territories of Ukraine. For acceptance as a whole of the bill No 4268, initiated by People's Deputies of Party of Regions Grigory Smituh and "Yulia Timoshenko Block" Valery Pisarenko, voted 340 deputies with 226 necessary for adoption of the law.

As informs Institute of Religious Freedom, this law comes into force from the date of its publication and works before acceptance of special legislation providing the right of realization of gaming in specially created gambling zones.

From coming of the law into force stops licensing for realization of activity on organization and carrying out of gambling in Ukraine. Thus the licenses which were given out to subjects of enterprise activity about one day of coming into force of this law are cancelled.

The law provides for its infringement the penalty at a rate of 8 thousand minimum salaries with confiscation of the game equipment, and the profit of carrying out of illegal gambling should be transferred to the state budget.

Besides, it is entrusted to Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine to develop within three months special law on gaming in Ukraine and special territories where game activity will be resolved.

Thus the Supreme Rada of Ukraine established that gaming is an activity on organization of gambling in casino, on slot machines, in bookmaker offices and in electronic (virtual) casino which is carried out with the purpose of profit. According to the law, any game is considered to be hazardous, a condition of participation in which is entering by the player of the rate that gives the chance to receive a prize and which results in full or in part depends on accident. At the same time, the confirmed law establishes separate exceptions, such as organization and carrying out of lotteries, creative competitions, sports competitions and others.

Earlier, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine introduced into the Parliament the bill No 4452 from 08.05.2009, which suggested placing of gambling institutions (except lotteries) "exclusively outside of settlements". The Government of Ukraine expects that results of introduction of this initiative will allow not only to settle legislatively public relations in gaming sphere, and also will promote restriction of negative influence of activity in this sphere on public morals, will reduce negative economic and other consequences for the society.

On materials of the Institute of Religious Freedom

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