Russia and Ukraine Both Grapple with Casino Gambling Bans

Russia and Ukraine each passed laws outlawing casinos and limiting gambling to distant zones, but now implementing the laws is causing more harm than foreseen.

The Ukrainian legislature is set to override the presidential veto which allowed gambling venues to keep operating, while the Russian government wants Prime Minister Putin to reconsider that country's casino ban, hoping gambling can continue. Both countries have enacted policies to shut down all casinos, later allowing openings only in limited zones.

Now the policies are creating disruption of the economic systems in the distressed Eastern European area. Ukrainian President Viktor Yuschenko vetoed the gambling ban passed by his country's legislature, saying 200,000 jobs were at risk.

Meanwhile, Russia lawmakers decided to close all gambling in Moscow, relocating gaming to four distant zones, effective July 1st. But the zones are not ready to operate, and casinos are finding loopholes to keep running, using exceptions for the lottery and the Internet to maintain operations.

The Russian Ministry of Economic Development formally requested that Putin delay the implementation of the law, as neither the new zones nor Moscow are prepared for the economic upheaval.

But even as legislators try to convince Putin to suspend or delay the gaming ban, Ukrainian lawmakers are looking to bypass Yuschenko and push their casino ban into effect.

"We will go to the Verkhovna Rada with the proposal to override the presidential veto on the law," said Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.