Kaliningrad deputies removed concept of residential zone from gambling law
Kaliningrad regional Duma amended Law “On placing gaming business within Kaliningrad region”, as it as reported by Klops.Ru website on Thursday. The deputies made the requirements of the regional law compliant with those of the federal one: the minimal allowed number of slot machines was changed from 20 to 50, and the terms “gambling facility”, “winnings” and “residential zone” were removed.
According to Chief Architect of the region Tatiana Kondrakova, the term “residential zone” can not be applied to Kaliningrad region at all because there are no master plans of municipalities. And, corresponding to the federal legislation, gambling operations are banned in residential zones.
Solomon Ginsburg, a deputy of the regional Duma, believes that “any sensible man understands that the idea of creating a gaming zone in the region by July 1st, 2009, is going to be a failure”, therefore legislation amendments may mean, inter alia, that it will be allowed to build gambling facilities anywhere.
Felix Lapin, Minister of Economics of the region, remarks that the authorities have to stick to minimal federal requirements and remove slot machines, at least, from residential buildings.
“KNIA” IA