Short version – gambling is legal in Belarus.
A lot of fine print is set to follow, but that is the gist of it. Belarus offers legal gambling options as part of a bid to boost the tourist industry in the country. And to be honest, it has worked a charm so far. Belarusians don’t seem to have the same serious problem with gambling as Australians, so the influx of casinos has been more than welcome for locals and tourists alike. In fact, Belarus can now be considered one of the gambling havens of Eastern Europe.
The question is: are all forms of gambling allowed?
Well, no. Belarusian law recognizes four specific forms of gambling that are allowed:
- Slot machine play;
- Game tables;
- Sports betting;
- Box office sweepstakes
This means that casinos and bookmaker offices can operate freely, and many other establishments are allowed to host machines and counters in separate parlours. To run gambling activities, you need a license which is issued by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. Licenses can be issued to firms or to individual entrepreneurs, but getting one isn’t easy. The cost would vary depending on the gambling activity, but you should expect something in the region of $5,000.
You may have noticed the omission of online games from the gambling type overview. Well, the truth is that things are very unclear there – because nowhere in the laws themselves are online casinos mentioned. However, considering that the wording is focused on permitting certain forms of gambling, it is safe to assume that online gambling is, in fact, forbidden. For that reason, you will not find any online casino registered in Belarus. Of course, this does not stop Belarusians from playing at casinos. They simply use offshore sites; finding one isn’t that easy, because for a long time there were attempts to block such sites. Still, most Belarusians find a way if they want to, and there has been a lot of noise about legalising online gambling anyways.
Running a casino or any gambling activity in Belarus is also tied to paying certain taxes, which vary according to the establishment. Most entrepreneurs have been grumbling against the 4% income tax that affects any gambling win. It overcomplicates things a little bit and is yet to be removed.
If you are visiting the country, then you should know that you will find the most casinos in the capital Minsk – as well as some of the best pubs in the country. When they hear of Minsk, most people expect something dark and gritty, still carrying the old Soviet spirit, but the city is actually very scenic and quite popular with tourists – just take a look at those sights! The city boasts no less than 8 casinos and many smaller parlours for a quick spin.
In my next posts, I will be telling which the best casinos in Minsk are.
Да пабачэння, friends! Anthony