Oleksiy Honcharuk, the Prime Minister of Ukraine, believes regulated gambling can add UAH3bn ($121.9m) to the country’s budget.

Honcharuk was giving a presentation of Ukraine’s draft state budget when he described the potential behind legalised gambling.

The Prime Minister said he hopes the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) will support a bill that would legalise gambling in the country.

He wants to see a civilised gambling system created which will then be taxed and potentially bring in substantial revenue to the state’s budget.

Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, has also expressed interested in regulating gambling and instructed Parliament to implement legislation by 1 December.

On 18 October, Verkhovna Rada registered a draft law on state regulation of activities in the field of organising and operating gambling.