Gaming business threatening to become illegal
Early in 2008, following Saint Petersburg, slot machines may leave Leningrad region as well. Their ban is being prepared by regional deputies. The authorities think that only casinos will go on working in Leningrad region till 2009. Last week a similar legislation was passed by the government of Saint Petersburg. It has not been introduced to the city parliament yet.
According to the head of the regional administration press service Valentin Sidorkin, “the regional government is planning to adopt the legislation and will introduce it in the terms fixed by the deputies”.
Gambling operators are opposed to the authorities` decision. In their opinion, it is just impossible to convert slot halls into something else in half a year.
Valeriy Poskochinov, the deputy general director of “Yakor” CJSC, says: “We have borrowed money, redecorated our venues and extended them in compliance with the legal requirements, purchased expensive slot machines. If slot machines are banned, we will have to lease the venues”.
The situation is applied to the majority of slot machine owners. Boris Belotserkovski, the head of Gaming Business Development Association, claims that “on destroying the legal business the deputies will get the illegal one”.
IA "Klerk.Ru”