Clive Tilley: «Ukrainian gambling business will face a great future»

Оn October 13th-14th, Hilton Hotel Kiev hosted a gambling conference aimed on the discussion of the prospects of legalizing and licensing both land-based and online gambling in Ukraine - Game ON Ukraine.

Many recognizable experts in the land-based and online gambling niche were to be met today at Kyiv. Among them were the organizer of the event & the editor in chief of Ace Publishing Ltd. Glyn Thomas and Steve Donoughue, gambling consultant and UK government adviser, President of Storm International Michael Boettcher, Clive Tilley, managing partner of the ORI Enterteinment Group and Igor Kucherenko, President of the ORI Enterteinment Group, CEO Federbet Bagel Francesco, the legal director of DLA Piper Ukraine Ilya Sverdlov, Adviser to the Minister of Economic Development and Trade of Tourism Alex Evchenko and others.

In 2009 the Parliament of Ukraine adopted the law on the limitation on the implementation of gambling business in Ukraine. This has led to the closure of hundreds casinos and thousands of slot machine halls, as well as a ban of online games. Numerous gambling establishments were employing up to 200,000 people and another 150,000 in related businesses - from catering to the security, from the provision of equipment to the development of gaming software. At present, the Ukrainian government is looking for ways to attract more money into the budget in order to carry out vital reforms and financing of various prospective projects. The legalization of gambling is one of the most promising budget filling tools, also capable of increasing the number of workplaces and stimulating the development of both tourism and service sector.

We asked Clive Tilley, the managing partner of ORI Entertainment group, how does he assess a potential of the Ukrainian gambling business market?

- This is a very controversial (open) question, I think the Ukrainian market is very interesting.  You would ask why, because this is Ukraine! And it concerns not Kyiv only, this country has a great potential as I analyze the situation taking into consideration the international experience. I suppose Ukraine should and can develop both domestic and foreign market, enter the world arena.

-  What can you offer for the Ukrainian market? Tell about your personal experience.

- Ukraine is such Ukraine! You have the incomparable culture and you should count on it, as I had the collaboration experience with other countries: Russia, when the gambling business was legalized there, Mexico, South America, Venezuela, Columbia, Africa, so I can say for sure Ukraine is really exciting and unique. This country has a chance to start everything from scratch, take a right course, avoid many problems, develop taking into consideration the experience of other international markets. I have some expectations and consider the Ukrainian gambling business will face a great future!