OREANDA-NEWS. May 12, 2009. On implementation of ordinance №494-р of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine of May 7, 2009 and commission of the First Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Olexandr Turchynov №2506/0/1-09 of May 8, 2009 the Ministry of Internal Affairs has taken a series of measures directed to check-up of subjects of economy with regards to carrying out their activity in gambling business, compliance with requirements of current legislation and conditions of licensing, termination of activity of gambling establishments to ensure check-ups by controlling and supervisory bodies and also complete termination of activity of the mentioned establishments located in residential buildings.

On the operative data, 10413 gambling establishments have been defined to be operating around the country. In the result of the taken measures, as of May 11 of 2009 10319 establishments (99%) have been shut down, performing their activity by the time of check-ups, including 2664 placed inside residential houses.

At the same time, a number of gambling establishments continue their activity notwithstanding the Governmental ordinance and commission of the First Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine. In particular, such objects of economy include Maksbet company.

By now legality of their activity is being checked including relevancy of use of residential space under the gambling establishments, following license conditions of activity, patenting procedure, providing services to consumers and order of settlement payments, rules of fire safety, sanitary norms and rules, determination of legal character of gambling equipment and other issues. Other controlling bodies are attracted to holding these check-ups.

Besides, the MIA informed through 2008-2009 to implement resolutions of the Government gambling establishments have been checked three times. Over 9 thousand of subjects of economy have been liable to the checks. 3.9 thousand facts of illegal activity have been revealed, including 1.8 thousands – providing services without appropriate licenses and 2.2 thousand – without a patent. 13.5 items of gambling equipment (slot-machines and tables) functioning without licensing documentation have been revealed. On the results of the checks over 2.9 administrative protocols have been drawn up. According to the revealed violations the MIA has sent to the Finance Ministry, regional and local state administrations information for annulment of licenses to perform gambling activity.

Ordinance №494-р of the Government of May 7 contained a direct commission to the Finance Ministry and local authorities to suspend action of licenses of gambling establishments to hold their complex check-up and hold up activity of the gambling establishments placed inside residential houses (gambling establishments are obliged to receive several licenses to perform activity – from Finance Ministry and local executive authorities).