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Lukashenka approves gambling industry concept

Alyaksandr Lukashenka on Tuesday approved a concept of the development of the country's gambling industry drafted by the government, BelaPAN said.

"The gambling industry, if treated properly, can and must become an additional source of tax revenues for the budget, contribute to the creation of new jobs, attract tourists and investments in Belarus," the presidential press office quoted Mr. Lukashenka as saying at a government conference.

"Against the backdrop of changes in Russia's and Ukraine's laws, we have every chance of taking the leading positions in this delicate, sensitive sphere," Mr. Lukashenka said, referring to restrictions on gambling businesses introduced in the two neighboring countries.

The concept provides for a transparent gambling industry where all cash flows would be monitored by the government through a single computer network, which would rule out tax fraud.

In accordance with the concept, the computer network would be run by a monitoring center, which the government expects to be created by a large private company. Speaking at the conference, Prime Minister Syarhey Sidorski said that a US-based company had already announced its intention to invest $200 million in the project.

The concept envisages the introduction of uniform technical requirements for gambling equipment. The government projects all casinos to be equipped with electronic roulettes connected to the network at some point in the future, with all information about bets and payouts entered into the database.

The concept would prevent gambling businesses from operating more than two or three big casinos in Minsk and more than one casino in a regional capital.

The government plans to ban gambling from cities with a population of less than 50,000 and prohibit certain groups of people from visiting casinos.

Mr. Lukashenka said that the government could invite bids from companies for the contract to create the monitoring center within the next month.

He warned that only the tax authorities should have access to the computer network. "I object to nearly each agency having a computer with information about these commercial channels. It is the tax authorities that should deal with the subject. What do the SCC [State Control Committee], KGB [Committee for State Security], OAC [presidential Operational and Analytical Center] have to do with it? Is dealing with the gambling industry their function?" Mr. Lukashenka was quoted as saying.

The Belarusian leader suggested that the government should finalize a presidential edict on the development of the gambling industry within two months.