Ukraine’s gambling expansion plans are go after the country’s parliament approved the second reading of the necessary legislation.  

On Tuesday, 248 members of Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada voted in favor of Bill 2285-d, which authorizes the expansion of both land-based and online gambling operations. The vote after the bill’s second reading exceeded the required 226 votes needed for passage, leaving only President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s signature to become law.

Ukraine outlawed most forms of gambling in 2009 but policing unauthorized gambling activity proved not only ineffective but costly. Ukraine’s cash-strapped government hopes to raise UAH4.5b (US$166m) this year from licensing and taxing various gambling activities, including online sports betting, casino and poker (tournaments only, cash games are apparently permitted only at casinos).

The legislation also permits casinos in four- and five-star hotels, except in Kiev, where only five-star venues can participate. A nationwide maximum of 40k slot machines can be approved  for use in three- to five-star hotels, with licenses issued via a competitive bidding process. Retail bookmaking will also be permitted.