In the middle of an international crisis, Ukraine is trying to improve its gambling regulations and maintain the market secure and safe. New changes have been proposed by the government, and if they’re accepted, banks won’t be able to lend money to self-excluded customers.

The Committee of the Verkhovna Rada on Finance, Tax, and Customs Policy proposed an amendment that will ensure banks are double checking if the individuals who are requesting lends aren’t self-excluded from betting, including both online gambling and various land-based casinos in the country. Those not on the list of self-excluded gamblers won’t be able to get credit from the bank. The amendment has not been approved yet.

Growing Rate

The Ukrainian Commission for the Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries (KRAIL) a few months ago announced that the number of self-excluded players is increasing, and that was concerning to all included parties in Ukraine.

From January to April this year, 245 people made it to this list. Compared to last year, when the entire list consisted of 315 people, and 2021 when there were only 195 people total, the number of 687 by the end of April was a massive increase.

This isn’t the first change of the gambling law in Ukraine in the recent period. Only last month, the new law regarding procedures required for organizations subjected to anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing risk was approved, and Ukrainian operators will have to pass more detailed inspections. Operators are warned about unscheduled inspections as well. The government’s action plan for 2023 included new KRAIL proposals, including a whole set of new regulations related to canceling and suspending licenses. One of the main points of discussion was whether the operators who are offering their services in occupied territories should continue working.

Future of KRAIL up in the air

KRAIL keeps working on new regulations, but its future is also uncertain. Mykhailo Fedorov, the Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, in May, submitted a proposal that can make KRAIL be replaced by the new regulatory body. Besides being a Deputy Prime Minister, Fedorov is also a Minister for Digital Transformation, and his main concern about the body is its failure when it comes to the late issuing of gambling licenses to operators.

KRAIL currently consists of a chairman and six members, and for a license to be approved, five members must be present at a meeting. When the war began, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a President, signed the major decree “On the introduction of martial law in Ukraine”, which led to some KRAIL members being mobilized into military service, which prevented KRAIL meetings from happening.

Source: “Ukraine Gambling Regulations Self Exclusion”. iGaming Business. August 7, 2023.

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Bulgaria’s National Revenue Agency (NRA), the country’s government department responsible for the regulation of gambling, announced that self-excluded people are not be allowed to work for casino companies.

According to the NRA, people who are included in the country’s newly-introduced self-exclusion register are prohibited from working with gambling operators. Employers must also adhere to a special norm outlined in Bulgaria’s gambling laws, the NRA noted.

As announced by the agency, gambling companies that violate this rule and employ self-excluded people risk a fine of between 5,000 and 20,000 Bulgarian leva (around $2,800-$11,250).

For reference, the NRA also prohibits people in the national self-exclusion register from entering gambling establishments. Armed people, uniformed people and minors also may not enter a casino, as well as people without ID or those under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Operators are required to make sure that the players they allow on the premises of gambling properties are not self-excluded. Bulgaria’s national register, however, is not public and is available only to certain NRA members and operators that request access for safer gambling purposes.

Thousands of Bulgarian Players Are Excluded from Gambling

Bulgaria re-launched its national self-exclusion program in December, 2022, allowing Bulgarian citizens to exclude themselves from gambling for two or more years. The NRA invites people who believe themselves to be high-risk customers or problem players to sign up in the register and shield themselves from gambling.

To do so, players must visit a NRA office and fill in a document or sent the document digitally to the NRA’s official email address. Players can learn more about the register on the NRA’s official website.

In the meantime, the list of self-excluded persons continues to grow, according to the agency. Recent data shows that some 11,500 people are excluded from gambling now. This figure is based on data collected in June, 2023, and represents a significant growth from the 7,000 excluded people recorded in April, 2023.

Bulgaria’s Gaming Market Looks Promising

Bulgaria’s budding gaming market makes the country an attractive destination for international operators and suppliers. This is underscored by the high number of companies seeking to expand their footprint in the Balkan country.

Just now, Kaizen teamed up with 7777 gaming, agreeing to power its Betano Bulgaria brand with content. Prior to that, Spinomenal teamed up with Palms Bet and Alphawin, expanding its presence in the country.

Palms Bet, on the other hand, also secured solutions from Altenar.

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