Detectives of the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine exposed and stopped the activities of a large illegal casino in Khmelnytskyi.

The pre-trial investigation established that a group of persons organized illegal activities for the provision of services in the field of gambling business. Such activity was carried out without obtaining a license.

The casino worked covertly including in violation of the curfew, exclusively for verified customers. It was possible to take part in gambling only by "recommendation".

According to the results of the searches, the detectives of the ESBU seized: 8 gaming tables for playing poker with cases for playing chips, 2 tables with mechanical roulette, 10 gaming machines.

Playing cards, chips, documentation confirming illegal activity in the field of organizing and conducting gambling, other goods and material values that were used in illegal activity and confirming the illegal activity of the establishment were also seized.

The pre-trial investigation in criminal proceedings, based on the signs of a criminal offense provided for in Art. 203 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal activities of organizing or conducting gambling games, lotteries) are carried out by detectives of the main detective unit of the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine under the procedural guidance of prosecutors of the Prosecutor General's Office.

We will remind you that since the beginning of the year, detectives of the ESBU territorial management in the city of Kyiv and the Kyiv region have already closed 58 gambling establishments.

For reference. In July 2020, the Verkhovna Rada adopted the relevant Law "On State Regulation of Activities Regarding the Organization and Conduct of Gambling Games" for the purpose of legislative regulation of gambling business activities in Ukraine. With this decision, the parliamentarians allowed the activity of offline and online casinos, poker on the Internet, bookmaking activities and slot machines. The law allows placing halls with slot machines only in hotels that have three to five stars and casinos in four to five stars. The permitted age of a gambler is 21 years or older.