Online Casinos in Belarus: The Law and Ways of Legislation

Legalization of online casinos in Belarus is taking place at a rapid pace. Since the first of April 2019, came into force the State Ordinance “On improvement of legal regulation of gambling business” (the decree was signed by the President in August 2018).

This law transfers Internet platforms to the sector of legal enterprises and allows operators to provide gambling services on a legal basis. The new rules apply to all aspects of online activities, from the classic virtual casino and ending with betting sites as well as organizers of sweepstakes.

Taxation System of Gambling Business in Belarus

Legalization of online casinos in Belarus is one of the last stages of the gambling industry formation in the country. Previously, the gambling business was represented by land-based betting shops, national lotteries and casinos. They have operated in large urban centres.

Only four types of gambling industry objects in the country are defined to be taxed:

Basic characteristics of the gambling taxation system in Belarus
The gambling business object	The total tax rate
Table	7 140,95 Belarusian roubles
Land-based slot machine	241,53 Belarusian roubles
Sweepstake cash register	2 250 Belarusian roubles
Betting shop cash register	1 500 Belarusian roubles

The operator will have to pay at least 12 250 Belarusian roubles when obtaining a license to open a ground facility. Also, within the territory of the country, there is a tax of 4% of the positive difference between the paid amounts and the non-wagered bets.

Conditions for Opening Online Sites in Belarus

The entry into force of the new legislation has made online casino one of the most demanded and promising areas of investment. Today, to open your own Internet business, it is enough to issue a legal status in the country and buy a specialized license.

In addition, operators will have to comply with the following conditions:

1. The presence of a security deposit in a bank or credit and financial institution registered in Belarus. The amount of the guarantee fund for the virtual casino is 2295000 Belarusian roubles for the online betting shop or web-sweepstake — 510000 roubles.
2. The availability of detailed refund procedure for users in the case of blocking gaming accounts. Information on the conditions for receiving bonus payments must also be provided.
3. Providing remote access to representatives of tax authorities, plus the connection of the establishment to a special cash system.
4. Mandatory identification procedure.

Vladimir Mukvich, Deputy Minister of Taxes, offers the following ways to verify users: showing documents and the visitor’s face via a web camera or using an electronic digital signature. The purpose of such a thorough inspection is to protect persons under the age of majority from gambling. It is worth noting that the age limit of the players was raised from 18 to 21 years.

Package of Documents for Opening a Gambling Business

To open an Internet portal on the territory of Belarus, the interested person must be a resident of this country.

The entrepreneur will be obliged to provide the special commission with the following set of documents:

• certificate of clean criminal record;
• document confirming that the entrepreneur was not held administratively liable;
• application for obtaining permits;
• confirmation paper of the state fee payment;
• a copy of the employment history booklet indicating the head or deputy of the company position (minimal work experience — 3 years);
• documentation confirming the online platform registration;
• resolution on compliance of the Internet resource with the established requirements;
• confirmation of the identity of the founders and deputy managers;
• documentation confirming that the operator is able to provide protection of information in accordance with the requirements of the gambling regulator of the Republic of Belarus.

Summary

The development of online business in the territory of Belarus is of paramount importance for the economic structure of the country and the subsequent development of the Internet sector. Legalization of the virtual industry has become a successful step towards the expansion of the country’s zone of influence and the sphere of additional investment.

The successful development of the gambling market is associated with prohibitions of organization of the games in neighbouring countries, the comparative ease of obtaining a license and a low level of competition. The online sector of Belarus is a new perspective, a large target audience and loyal attitude of regulatory authorities.

For detailed information about the current situation, advice and legal support of gambling projects, you can always contact Win-Win Casino. We are ready to take on all the organizational work and offer the best set of products for successful and fastest enter to new markets.