The government of Ukraine is said to be looking at a number of ways to reintroduce casino gaming to the society.

According to Interfax-Ukraine, one proposed bill not yet introduced would call for a two-tiered system, depending on whether or not a jurisdiction is classified as a resort. In either case, casinos would only be allowed in hotels. The difference is that resort areas would permit placement of casinos in hotels with classification of less than five stars.

Ukraine Deputy Prime Minister for Euro 2012 Borys Kolesnikov, in an interview with local news outlet Dzerkalo Tyzhnia, said the bill calls for licenses to valid for seven years. A license would cost the equivalent of about $5 million, payable in quarterly installments, in advance.

Latin news source Yogonet reports that Lyubov Loginova, who chairs the board of directors of gaming supplier and operator Alsart Group, attended the recent Moscow gaming expo as a member of a Ukrainian delegation that included several government officials involved with the development of gaming. Alsart has been quick to re-engage with Ukraine following last year’s complete shutdown of the market there.

“There are about 30 variants of the new gambling law now being considered by Ukrainian lawmakers, from the rational to the completely absurd,” said Loginova. “What will be the final version of the gambling laws of Ukraine, time will tell. One thing is certain: In this month or in autumn 2010 it will be adopted.”

By GGB Staff

Staff writers for Global Gaming Business magazine. Las Vegas, Nevada.