Lithuanian and Ukrainian regulators sign MoU

The two regulators plan to work together on the supervision of gambling and lottery operations.

Lithuania.- The Gambling Supervisory Authority in Lithuania and the Commission for the Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries (KRAIL) in Ukraine have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The agreement will see them work together on certain aspects of the supervision of gambling and lottery.

The regulators will exchange information, ideas and best practice with the intention of expanding their knowledge of the industry, improving each country’s gambling sector, and ensuring the optimum implementation of relevant laws.

Experts from each regulator will also collaborate on the exchange of legal information, details of regulatory practice and other issues. They will also take part in joint seminars, lectures and staff exchanges.

Virginijus Daukšys, director of Lithuania’s Gambling Supervision Service, said: “We are ready to share with Ukrainian colleagues our experience in areas in which we already have considerable expertise and practice, such as in the field of problem gambling prevention, measures against entities providing illegal remote gambling services and technical requirements for gambling devices.

“We are very happy with this agreement and the fact that our new partners are colleagues of this persistent, unyielding and proud state institution. We hope that this cooperation will be mutually beneficial, and we will help our Ukrainian colleagues as much as we can in their needs according to our competence.”

Earlier this month, the Lithuanian legislature, the Seimas, approved new amendments to the country’s gambling and lottery and gaming tax legislation. The changes will allow the national regulator, the Gambling Supervisory Authority, to offer a specific licence for remote gambling.

The move will allow the government to split the requirements for remote gambling and land-based gambling, which are currently tied. Online gambling operators currently need municipal consent to tie in with a land-based gaming operator.

Meanwhile, the regulator has been very active in enforcement action against operators for breaches of Lithuania’s ban on promoting gambling. It has issued several €25,000 fines to operators in recent months.

In Ukraine, gambling businesses in some areas have begun reopening amid Russia’s continued attack on the country. Some operators that were located in heavily bombarded areas in the east have relocated to the west of the country. Venues have been allowed to open but must respect the ongoing curfew.

Many gaming businesses have donated funds to charities working to help alleviate suffering in Ukraine during the conflict.