President Volodymyr Zelensky responded to the petition to prohibit the Russian company 1xBet from operating in Ukraine, which had gathered 26 444 signatures the day before.
In his answer, the president explained in detail which bodies carry out state regulation in the field of organizing and conducting gambling. These are: the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament), the Cabinet of Ministers, the Commission for the Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries and other state authorities within the limits of the powers defined by the Constitution and laws of Ukraine.
It is the Cabinet of Ministers that approves license conditions for the organization and conduct of gambling. These conditions may contain restrictions on the control of the applicant who intends to obtain the relevant license. The government also coordinates the work of the Commission for the Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries, which, in case of violations, takes measures in accordance with the law and cooperates with law enforcement officers.
Therefore, Volodymyr Zelensky instructed the Prime Minister, Denys Shmygal, to work out this issue together with law enforcement agencies.
The Cabinet of Ministers must inform the author of the electronic petition about the relevant results.
- The initiator of the petition, Vasyl Lebedev, made the petition public on July 8. He demanded that the Commission for the Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries conduct an inspection of the work of this gambling operator in Ukraine, record violations in its actions and ban the operation of 1xBet.