Ivan Rudyi to Open Ukrainian Gaming Week 2021 Trade Expo

Ukrainian Gaming Week has confirmed the participation of Ukrainian Gambling and Lotteries Commission Chief Ivan Rudyi at the industry expo held on February 24-25 and hosted by Smile-Expo.

Head of Gambling Commission to Speak at Ukrainian Gaming Week 2021

Ivan Rudyi will attend the first edition of Ukrainian Gaming Week 2021 held on February 24-25. Rudyi, who is head of the newly-formed Ukrainian Gambling and Lotteries Commission, will discuss the future of gaming in the country as well as the main challenges the sector faces today.

Rudyi will open the conference and speak to lawmakers, trade groups, gambling experts and companies interested in the success of the Ukrainian gambling ecosystem, setting the tone for the entire expo as well as giving stakeholders a good opportunity to start debating various issues related to the industry.

Hosted by Smile-Expo, the event will feature hundreds of attendees representing some of the largest companies in the sector and potential entrants in the re-regulated gambling market in Ukraine.

Thanks to a new relaxation in Ukraine’s gambling laws, more foreign operators now find it possible to look for a permit and even locate their servers outside the country, although details are still being discussed.

Rudyi’s insight will be invaluable as he represents the key gambling body regulating the market and he is intimately familiar with the current climate as well as potential changes further down the road.

A Regulator in the Making

Rudyi’s experience prior to stepping in as chief of the gambling regulator in October 2020 includes serving as secretary of the Advisory Council for war veterans and bereaved families of defendants of Ukraine.

During his stint as chief of the commission, Rudyi will ensure that the regulator carries out all of its responsibilities in full, including the development of licensing conditions, issuance and revocation of existing permits, creating the conditions that allow the government to monitor and track all gambling operations, accepting and reviewing complaints by consumers, and more.

Rudyi was selected as head of the gambling commission owing to his experience in international finance and he was shortlisted out of 378 applications, 42 of whom were invited to an interview.

The creation of an official gambling regulator is a direct result of the decision of the Verkhovna Rada to legalize gambling back in July under the aegis of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.