Currently, the key task for Ukraine is to win the war against Russia. The main resources and efforts are directed to this end. At the same time, there is an understanding of the need to prepare the groundwork for the post-war reconstruction of the country. We will need foreign investment for this in addition to domestic efforts. EXPO-2030 Odesa exhibition is one of the largest events intended to attract the necessary funds and demonstrate the country's economic potential.
On 2 March, the Ukrainian Gambling Council and EXPO-2030 Odesa concluded the Memorandum of Partnership and Cooperation. The main purpose of the Memorandum is to organize the cooperation in the preparation, agreement and implementation of joint public events, exchange of information and coordination of efforts to develop a unified policy in preparation of Ukraine, the city of Odesa and Odesa region for the selection of candidates for holding EXPO-2030.
EXPO-2030 is an international technology exhibition that is periodically held in different countries of the world. Countries are selected on a competitive basis, and the city of Odesa is one of the favourites to host EXPO-2030. This exhibition is actually an international platform to demonstrate industrial and technological achievements and attract investments in various sectors of the economy. During the exhibition, countries present various achievements of their economic sectors, and potential investors look for attractive areas for investment.
For example, during the last EXPO in Dubai in 2020, more than 25 million people visited the exhibition, and the amount of attracted investments is estimated to exceed USD 4 billion. Expectations from EXPO-2030 Odesa are no less ambitious. If the exhibition is held in Ukraine, at least 130 countries will participate in it, and the number of visitors will be approximately 30 million. The amount of attracted investments is expected to reach USD 2.5 billion.
Given the scale of this event, it was important for us to join supporting this event at the level of the UGC. After all, the presence of the legal gambling market in Ukraine is a competitive advantage that should be highlighted and presented at EXPO-2030. Gambling will attract more investments to the country and increase the tourist flow. Odesa is one of the best places to fully demonstrate the potential of Ukrainian gambling sector to foreign investors.
Even now, in conditions of war, there are global investors interested in investing in legal gambling in Ukraine. Therefore, we expect that there will be even more people ready to invest after our victory. And we should not forget that gambling also stimulates the development of related industries. Where there are investments in casinos or slot machines, there will always be investments in the hotel and restaurant business, for example. That means creating thousands of jobs.
Of course, in order to fully realize the potential of legal gambling in Ukraine in the post-war period, we still need to do our "homework", namely to combat illegal gambling businesses and introduce appropriate gambling taxation and monitoring legislation. I would like to believe that these tasks will be fully completed much earlier than the time to receive guests of the EXPO-2030 exhibition in Odesa.
Anton Kuchukhidze, the Chairman of the Ukrainian Gambling Council, specially for Ukrainian News
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