advertisement
Sat, Feb 11 2012
Party leader calls on Bulgaria to ban gambling
Ivan Kostov
Photo: Анелия Николова
Photo: Цветелина Николаева
Ivan Kostov, leader of the right-wing Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria (DSB) called for a ban on gambling in Bulgaria, Bulgarian news agency Focus said on October 20 2009.
"Currently taxation on gambling in Bulgaria fails to contribute significant funds to the Budget while the damage gambling causes is huge," said Kostov, a former prime minister and former finance minister.
"People who lobbied to keep gambling free of excise duties lied that this would bring higher revenue to the Budget and that the state would get money in return. I support the idea of a complete ban on gambling in Bulgaria, because it doesn't bring revenue, causes damage and probably the only people who benefit from it are the gambling bosses," Kostov said.
On October 15 2009, the Government approved a plan to introduce identical tax rates for all games of chance. Thus, the state lottery and private fixed-odds sports betting bookmaker Eurofootball will pay 12 per cent instead of 10 per cent of their betting turnover.
According to Eurofootball, the increase will mean 30 million leva losses for the sector in 2010.
"A large section of gambling operators in Bulgaria are facing bankruptcy, while at the same time Bulgaria could increase revenue collection from online gambling games to 160 million leva annually if it introduces a swift and efficient regulatory framework," Eurofootball said in a statement on October 18 2009.
"Currently taxation on gambling in Bulgaria fails to contribute significant funds to the Budget while the damage gambling causes is huge," said Kostov, a former prime minister and former finance minister.
"People who lobbied to keep gambling free of excise duties lied that this would bring higher revenue to the Budget and that the state would get money in return. I support the idea of a complete ban on gambling in Bulgaria, because it doesn't bring revenue, causes damage and probably the only people who benefit from it are the gambling bosses," Kostov said.
On October 15 2009, the Government approved a plan to introduce identical tax rates for all games of chance. Thus, the state lottery and private fixed-odds sports betting bookmaker Eurofootball will pay 12 per cent instead of 10 per cent of their betting turnover.
According to Eurofootball, the increase will mean 30 million leva losses for the sector in 2010.
"A large section of gambling operators in Bulgaria are facing bankruptcy, while at the same time Bulgaria could increase revenue collection from online gambling games to 160 million leva annually if it introduces a swift and efficient regulatory framework," Eurofootball said in a statement on October 18 2009.
-
Print
-
Send via email
- Translate to
-
Share:
Comments
To post comments, please, Login or Register.
Please read the The Sofia Echo forum comments policy.
Bulgaria’s anti-crisis talks produce deal on gambling tax
A 10 per cent tax on all forms of gambling is projected to yield 80 million leva in revenue annually.
Games of chance
Proposed amendments to the Gambling Act would result in lower taxes for bookmakers, casinos
Bulgaria's Parliament adopts a 15 per cent unified tax rate on gambling
The quarterly tax on gambling machines and roulette tables will also be increased as of January 1 2010 to 500 leva and 22 000 leva, respectively.
Bulgaria ups property tax
The Bulgarian government gave the green light to a proposal to raise the maximum property tax rate from 0.2 per cent to 0.25 per cent of the property appraisal.
Economic crisis tips the odds against Bulgaria's gambling business
Crisis shrivels gaming industry turnover by 50 per cent, conference in Sofia told.
Illegal gamblers targeted
Raid targets illegal gambling operations throughout the country. Some prominent individuals rumoured to be involved in bust.
More in this category
Average monthly salary in Bulgaria rose in Q4 2011, statistics institute says
In the fourth quarter of 2011, the average monthly salary increased to 727 leva, 4.9 per cent higher than in Q3, the National Statistics Institute says.
Global food prices rebound, FAO says
For the first time in six months, global food prices rose overall in January 2012, the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation said.
Bulgaria mulls tighter regulation of bank fees - updated
The package will be discussed with the Association of Bulgarian Banks before the amendments are submitted to Parliament.
Bulgarian ICT Watch event in March
Debate at the half-day event will cover what has been achieved so far and what further can be done by the Bulgarian Government to support development of the market.
Movers and shakers
Selectivity, not popularity, is the driving force behind Sofia's most exclusive members' only club.
Appointments
British Council
Lyubov Kostova was appointed country manager of British Council Bulgaria effective January 1, replacing Tony Buckby, who left in October 2011 to take a similar position at British Council Greece. Kostova has been with British Council Bulgaria for 11 years, as public communications manager and, since 2008, as the head of project and partnerships department. Prior to joining the British Council, Kostova was head of international activities at the National Academy for Theatre and Cinema Arts (NATFIZ). She has a degree in Indian studies from Kliment Ohridski Sofia University.
CEZ
Stefan Apostolov is the new chief executive of CEZ Razpredelenie Bulgaria, the power transmission subsidiary of Czech energy company CEZ in the country. He replaces interim chief executive Ales Damm, who remains the chairperson of the CEZ Razpredelenie management board. Apostolov has 30 years of experience in the energy sector, joining CEZ in 2007 as director of customer service and was later appointed as head of business development. Apostolov has a master's degree in electric systems from the Belorussian National Technical University in Minsc, management diplomas from Open University London and New Bulgarian University, as well as a master's degree in business administration from Plovdiv University.
BASF Bulgaria
Valentina Dikanska is the new general manager of chemical industry giant BASF subsidiary in Bulgaria, taking over from Herbert Fisch, BASF vice president for Southeastern Europe. Dikanska, who started her career as an expert in the Finance Ministry, joined BASF Bulgaria as director of finance and administration in 2002. She becomes the first Bulgarian to hold the top management position in the company in its 40-year history on the Bulgarian market. Dikanska holds a master's degree in economics from the University for National and World Economy in Sofia.
Rompetrol Bulgaria
Alexander Albin has been appointed chief executive of fuel distributor Rompetrol Bulgaria, replacing Nichita Sorin, who left to become chief executive of Rompetrol Gaz in Romania. Albin was previously chief executive of Rompetrol Georgia. He has more than 15 years of experience in the oil and gas industry; prior to joining Romania's oil group Rompetrol in 2008 as an adviser, he oversaw operations at Atyrau refinery in Kazakhstan, owned by Rompetrol's parent company KazMunaiGaz. He previously held top management positions at two other leading Kazakh oil and gas companies.
© 2000-2012, Sofia Echo Media Ltd.
Web Design by RIZN
Sofia Echo Media is part of the Economedia Group.
The news and information content on this website is provided by our editorial team and is copyrighted.
Any unauthorised reproduction or use of it is strictly forbidden. Reproduction of this website's content is permitted only
with prior written permission from the Editor-in-Chief, should be propertly acredited and provide an active link back to our site.
Comments posted by the website's visitors are independent of the editorial materials and do not represent the views of sofiaecho.com.
Sofia Echo Media cannot be held responsible for the statements contained in visitor comments.
The percentаge change in the shares' prices are based on the price of the last transaction of the current session compared to the
price of the last transaction of the previous session. Bulgarian Stock Exchange data is not real-time, but updated every 15 minutes,
and should not be used as a basis for decisions about buying or selling stock options.
- Economedia Group portfolio:
- In Bulgarian:
-
Business:
Капитал,
Кариери,
Пазари,
Ho Re Mag,
Регал,
Градът.bg,
Одит,
Foton.bg,
Online shop
- News: Дневник, Европа, Foreign Policy - България
- IT: IDG.BG, Computerworld, PC World, CIO, Networkworld
- Entertainment: Бакхус
-
In English:
The Sofia Echo
We have 4 casinos in Sweden owned by the state and casinos operated very professionally. Dom spend much money on helping those who end up in games depend only. and the fine-strict house rules they can advertise online casinos. State in Bulgaria seem to be lacking entirely control over how they are managed.
Casinos can of course start by not offering prostitutes to their visitors.
I applaud the sentiment, but it is a terrible idea.
Banning gambling has never stopped it in any nation that has done this - it simply drives it 'underground' and into the willing and waiting arms of the criminal element.
Good news. State and society benefit more if Balgaria and tourists spend their money locally in shops, coffee shops, handicrafts, etc., and thereby keep people in work, one that a game boss takes the money and the money abroad or buy expensive luxury goods imports which are not increasing employment in Bulgaria.
When I visited a casino in Sunny Beach casino values asked if I wanted to buy a prostitute for 110 Lv / h ... Shady casinos.
This is great news for Bulgaria, in all ways possible. Casinos occupy some great spots in Sofia - they are so ugly and so are the people that run them.