Ukraine’s first two casinos will open in Lviv and Odessa
The Gambling and Lottery Regulatory Commission of Ukraine (GRAIL) officially announced the approval to open the first two casinos in the country. The licensees were large companies Nebula Games and Primum.
On the official website of the regulator states that the operator “Nebula Games” received permission to organize a land-based gambling establishment in Lviv. It will be located on the basis of a large hotel Grand Hotel Lviv, which also was licensed by KRAIL in accordance with the norms of current legislation. The total area of the facility will be about 500 square meters.
As for Primum LLC, this company will open a casino in the port city of Odessa. Here, on the territory of the 21-storeyed hotel complex Gagarinn on the area of at least 4200 square meters will be located a gambling establishment and slot-machine halls. Under the redevelopment the Commission gave the operator the first and the seventh floor of the high-rise building.
It is important to note that the company LLC “Nebula Games”, which will be the organizer of a legal casino in Lviv, is a subsidiary organization of JSC “Successful. And it, in turn, owns Fjorst Element LLC, an operator that received permission from the KRAIL to launch the first online casino in Ukraine.
Current Ukrainian gambling legislation has established the cost of licenses for opening land-based casinos in cities. So, to run a large gambling establishment company-organizer must send to the budget 30,000 minimum wages or 180 million hryvnia. It is noteworthy, but for the capital of Ukraine, this figure is twice as high – 360 million hryvnia.
In this case, the casinos can be placed only in hotels with 4 or 5 stars (in Kiev – only in 5-star hotels). Also the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine is now considering an initiative that would allow the opening of casinos and gaming halls in certain suburban complexes with enhanced comfort.
Recall that the Verkhovna Rada Finance Committee was not allowed to form the composition of the Ukrainian regulator.
