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The XO casino, one of the premier luxury casinos in Belarus, has announced its temporary closure for renovation. However, some of the staff members expressed their suspicion over the credibility of the announcement. Some of them confidently assert that the casino will never open again.

Its website now shows a message about reconstruction, which invites all gamblers to visit the casino branch in Batumi, Georgia.

The employees of the gambling club said that they were informed only on Sunday that starting from Monday they do not work in the casino anymore. There had been no previous announcement about renovation.

XO casino was located at the centre of Minsk, hosting 11 tables to play American Roulette, Black Jack, Poker (6 kinds): 5 Card Poker, 6 Card Poker, Russian Poker, Casino Texas Hold’em Poker, Casino Omaha Poker in the Main Hall and in the VIP hall. The casino was popular among high rollers.

Source: Latest News on European Gaming Media Network

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Tax and Duties Ministry of Belarus has prepared a new draft legislation to amend the existing gambling law in the country. The draft has been submitted for public discussion and approval.

The document is mainly aimed at preventing the intentional or unintentional involvement of gambling operators in the activities of money laundering, terrorist financing and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

Taking into account legalisation of online casinos in Belarus starting from April 2019, the draft resolution expands and clarifies the list of criteria for identifying suspicious financial transactions. These include depositing a financial transaction by a participant for three months or more in a gaming account without actual participation in gambling, as well as incompatibility of financial transactions with the sources and amounts of his income or the economic situation in the country.

The draft document also spells out internal control rules for the casino operators.

Source: Latest News on European Gaming Media Network

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The government of Belarus has recently proposed a mandatory $1 Million security deposit for online gambling companies. The online gambling operators fear that this will adversely affect their business.

While this is not a new thing – Italy requires a guarantee of € 1.5 million and Czech Republic requires € 1.1 million – this obligation could be problematic in Belarus, feel industry insiders.

Yulia Leshkova, Deputy Director of the Pari-Match betting network, said:  “Not all bookmakers in Belarus can afford to create a similar security deposit. Tightening the requirements will lead to a narrowing of the market and will deprive it of healthy competition.”

The governments insist on a security deposit for the simple reason that the gambling operators must be able to, regardless of financial circumstances, to pay the winnings, taxes, fees and duties, penalties and other mandatory payments. The guarantee is required to ensure such mandatory payments.

However, the hefty sum required as guarantee in Belarus, according to representatives of the industry, will negatively affect the country’s bookmaking market.

Source: Latest News on European Gaming Media Network