ADDRESSING NEGATIVE CONNOTATIONS OF GAMBLING IN UKRAINE: POLITICAL AND SOCIAL DIMENSIONS

Abstract

The article is devoted to the anaysis of the problems of the formation of the legal gambling market in Ukraine after a long period of ban on work in the legal field. The article finds that the main difficulty for the implementation of this process is the interest of politicians and officials in the continuation of the operation of the illegal market. For more than eleven years, the situation on the gambling market of Ukraine was complicated by the position of the ruling and opposition structures. In this context, the special position of President Zelenskyi, who initiated the abolition of the legal ban on gambling, contributed to the task of the gambling market gradually acquiring civilized forms. The article focuses on the fact that the removal of obstacles to the legalization of the gambling market related to the connections of politicians with illegal operators requires long-term and coordinated work of the president, parliament, government, market operators and independent experts as the interaction of all interested parties is recognized as a key factor in the process of successful legalization and development of the gambling market in Ukraine. At the same time, the political situation creates other challenges, in particular, the need to implement effective regulatory legislation to ensure transparency, protect players’ interests, and control gambling business operators. The article reveals that the legalization of the gambling market can contribute to the fight against corruption, which is often associated with illegal operators. The development of the legal gambling market also has the potential to have a positive impact on the economy of Ukraine. Attracting foreign investors, creating jobs and increasing tax revenues are recognized as factors that can contribute to the growth of the gambling industry as one of the pillars of the country’s economy. The article states that for the effective development of the gambling market, regular monitoring studies and analysis of the state policy are necessary to identify the most urgent matters that require immediate action.