Online games of chance coming to Macedonia

In late March or early April, online games of chance will be organized in Macedonia. For that purpose, a foreign company has been already chosen to invest in the project. The games will be organized by a domestic entity - the newly-founded State Video Lottery.

The company 'Austria Casino' was chosen at an international public call to attract a foreign capital for the realization of this business endeavor, government spokesman Aleksandar Gjorgiev told a news conference on Thursday adding the company should invest six million euros in the project.

The State Video Lottery will be established by two partners - 'Austria Casino' and Macedonia's State Lottery retaining 51 percent of the ownership.

"Macedonia through the State Lottery will not have any financial cost with respect to implementing the project, instead it will transfer the right to the organization of games of chance. The private partner will be obliged to invest six million euros intended for all the activities enabling the institution to become functional," the spokesman said.

After the establishment of the State Video Lottery, measures will be taken in a period of two years to ban the functioning of foreign websites offering games of chance.

"Realizing the project, a number of objectives will be met. Online games will be better regulated, but what is essential is that huge amounts of money will not be flown out of Macedonia anymore. Also, financing will be provided for sports, environment, health-care and the socially vulnerable category of citizens," Gjorgiev noted.

Millions of euros have been flown out of Macedonia through online games of chance, analyzes have shown.