Slots at casino
Duma deputies made yesterday two bills regulating the activities of bookmakers and totes. The first project signed by the heads of Duma committees Vladimir Pligin, Yevgeny Fedorov, and Vladislav Reznik.
The authors propose to tighten the requirements for the net asset value and the minimum authorized capital market participants gambling, require them to have a separate bank account with minimum balance for the payment of winnings to disclose their ownership of voting shares and, finally, the introduction of a mandatory annual audit. Bookmakers, unlike the casinos and arcades, not come under the direct action came into force on 1 July a federal law "On state regulation of activities for the organization and conduct of gambling." However, the new amendments, according to bookmakers standing ruin their business.
In turn, the second law of Deputies of United Russia and Just Russia aims to give the tote on the racetrack lease on life.
Yevgeny Fyodorov said "Gazeta" that the bill regulates only those totes and bookmakers, who do not work within the public sector: "We have proposed to tighten the requirements, because the profitability of betting shops are not much inferior to trafficking closed down casinos and online slot machines for real money gaming halls. Probably Many customers yesterday and the owners of the gambling halls flow into bookmakers and start playing the sweepstakes. In this regard, we have decided to increase the transparency of the market. "
"Such action would destroy the bookmakers'
According to the document, the net asset value bookmakers or betting should be increased from the current 100 million to 600 million rubles. Any securities or material assets in fixed capital are no longer allowed, only money.
"The bookmakers are not its buildings or structures - told" Gazeta "the president of the National Association of Bookmakers Russia Oleg Zhuravskii. - For us and the existing requirements of 100 million rubles of net assets were a problem. Companies that are receiving the license, comply with these requirements. And This amount is sufficient to cover insurance risks. "
Even tougher speaks director general of F.O.N. Constantine Linev: "The main wealth of bookmakers - their intelligence. The peculiar line, good quotes that they provide can help to attract customers. The first and only thought that came to my mind: someone wants to go to the market is not professional, but simply a lot of money. Such measures merely destroy the bookmakers.
According to the draft minimum balance in the fund payment of winnings bookmaker must maintain a minimum of 300 million rubles in a separate bank account.
"If we have a minimum balance, then with what money we pay out winnings? - Says Zhuravskii. - We accept bets and pays winnings every day, every hour and every minute. 300 million - not every bank has that kind of money. In other words, these requirements overstated. We bookmakers, not bankers, not oil. "
The project also requires market participants gambling annually disclose the holders of voting shares, or about the owner of the share capital of at least 10%. In addition, the bookmakers and betting will be subject to annual audit.
In an interview with "Gazeta" Yevgeny Fyodorov said that the project will be reviewed in the autumn session (one week MPs go on vacation) and, if approved, will come into effect until the winter of 2009.
Racecourses under threat
The second bill relating to gambling for state and local racetracks.
The authors of the bill - the members of the Duma committee on security Michael Sergeant, Economic Policy and Entrepreneurship, Oleg Valenchuk, Information Policy, Information Technology and Communications Constantine Winds and the first deputy chairman of the Committee on Economic Policy and Entrepreneurship Vladimir brain.
"In Russia, at the racetrack, even in Soviet times, played on the sweepstakes, and nothing criminal in this case was not - said" Gazeta "the foreman. - In addition, it is international practice.
Throughout the world, bet on horse races is strongly supported by breeders. While in Russia, this industry is extremely unprofitable, but totes support our racecourses. "
He noted that his proposed amendment be allowed to take bets on the race course over Russia, not only within the four gambling zones - in Kaliningrad, Krasnodar, Altai and Primorsky regions.
"It is clear that to build there will be no horse-racing tracks, and we need support from an economic point of view of those racecourses that have existed in Russia - said Gazeta elders. - They are in Rostov and Moscow, and Kazan, and Pyatigorsk. All of them are entirely dependent on public funding and are not able to work effectively and ensure regular and quality testing of breeding horses at his base. "
He hopes that the Duma will have time to adopt these amendments as early as the spring session during the forthcoming two plenary sessions. Today this issue should consider the Council of the Duma. While in the Duma agenda plenarok this bill is not mentioned.
CEO of the National Union of equestrian Vita Kozlov told "Gazeta": "If you defer the issue, many racecourses just close. They are already on the brink. After all, 25 state racetracks operating in Russia, the proceeds of the tote is 70 - 80% of their budget" .
Kozlov recalled that the state racecourses perform tests of pedigree horses, but the income from it do not get. In the long term as Russia's horse-racing tracks could be combined into a single system tests of pedigree horses. As well as on their basis could be established and a unified network of betting.
That the bookmaker has now
The current law on state regulation of activities for the organization and conduct of gambling actually exposes only one financial requirement for bookmakers: the net asset value bookmaker shall be 100 million rubles.
Other requirements relate to conditions which must match the room bookmaker, the availability of cash registers, the legal status of the organizers of gambling and ensure the safety of clients. Detailed requirements are listed in the Government Decree № 451 of July 17, 2007.
Law and government regulations, adopted for his explanations do not impose disclosure requirements on shareholders of the company. The list of documents that bookmakers must be submitted to the Federal Tax Service (FNS) for control, limited to notarized copies of constituent documents and certificate of state registration of the organizers of gambling as a legal entity, the certificate of an organizer of gambling on the Tax Authority, certified provider of casino Game information about employees (surname, name, date of birth), and copies of documents confirming the ownership of casino games on the playground equipment.
In addition, they are not required to undergo an annual audit. Now for the bookmakers do not set specific rules and making monetary transactions: they must match the order of cash transactions as defined by the Central Bank and the requirements of legislation on combating the laundering of proceeds from crime and terrorist financing.
Judging by the fact that after June 30, FNS has issued only six licenses, comply with these requirements, even at the bookies this year turns out badly. Yet received a license OJSC SportBet Ltd., Rostov hippodrome, LLC Piatigorsky Racetrack, Inc. F. O., "Fortuna" and international bookmaking company "Oscar Yard."
We recall that bookmakers faced with the problem of obtaining new licenses before the entry into force of amendments to the Law on Gambling on 1 July this year.
In the FTS Gazeta explained that the licenses are not issued on two objective reasons: inconsistency applicants requirements licensing legislation or misleading information contained in documents provided to the NRF.