Ukraine gambling commission member arrested on bribery allegations

A member of Ukraine’s new Gambling and Lottery Regulatory Commission has been arrested on suspicion of taking a bribe. 

Ukraine.– A member of Ukraine’s new Gambling and Lottery Regulatory Commission (KRAIL) is reported to have been arrested on suspicion of receiving a $90,000 bribe to grant gambling licenses. 

The country’s Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office did not reveal the identity of the official arrested, but the news outlet Ukrainska Pravda has reported that it is believed to be Yevhen Hetman, who was appointed as lead coordination of the gambling regulator in October last year.

The prosecutor’s office said its investigation was ongoing. 

Ukraine legalised gambling last August to tackle the unlicensed market that sprang up during a period of 11 years during which almost all forms of gambling were banned. The period of prohibition followed a fire at a gaming hall in Dnipro in 2009 in which nine people died. 

KRAIL began issuing licences under the new gambling legislation in February and has since issued 40 licences, including seven to high-end hotels in Kyiv. Licences are valid for five years, and the cost for land-based licences varies depending on the city and the type of building. 

According to the Kyiv Post, some experts believe gaming revenues in Ukraine could reach $30bn, some 15 per cent of gross domestic product, if the country can attract more investors. 

Meanwhile, the final bill that will set the tax rate on the newly licensed market has passed its first read.

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