President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed Law No. 4116-IX on amendments to certain legislative acts of Ukraine to combat gambling addiction (ludomania) and improve state regulation of activities related to the organization and conduct of gambling and lotteries. According to the website of the Verkhovna Rada, the draft law was sent for signature by the President of Ukraine on December 9, 2024, and returned with his signature on January 3, 2025.
According to the law, by April 1, 2025, a new authorized body will be created instead of KRAIL and a ministry will be designated to formulate policy in the field of gambling and lotteries.
The law also introduces a mechanism for restricting access to illegal gambling websites/mobile applications, and prohibits gambling advertising (with the following exceptions: on TV and radio at night, in media for people over 21, on platforms and search engines with a target audience over 21).
In addition, it is prohibited to offer or reimburse expenses for participation in gambling, make phone calls, send messages to an indefinite number of people, and offer free bonuses instead of placing bets and accepting bets on credit or with subsequent payment.
The advertisement itself prohibits the participation of military personnel, volunteers, popular figures, as well as the use of war-related topics.
The law also prohibits persons who are owners or officials of gambling companies that have tax or license arrears, sponsorship, except for sports sponsorship, from obtaining a license.
According to the adopted law, payments for gambling will be made exclusively in cash through current bank accounts, and the use of other payment services is prohibited.
It is emphasized that the law makes lotteries subject to most of the restrictions on the gambling business: requirements for the reputation of officials, tax debt, relations with the aggressor country, and exclusively bank payments.
As for licenses for state lotteries, foreign entities with relevant experience are allowed to obtain them.
The law also clarifies the rules on the mandatory use of cash registers by gambling businesses, the rules on the impossibility of obtaining a license by persons associated with the aggressor country, namely, the use of their brands is prohibited, limits on expenses and game time, as well as mandatory breaks are set.
The law also introduces “control purchases” during video-recorded inspections.
As reported, on December 4, 2024, the Verkhovna Rada supported the draft law No. 9256d on strengthening control over the gambling market and liquidating the Commission for Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries (CRGL) in the second reading and by 239 votes in total.
According to Mykhailo Fedorov, Deputy Prime Minister for Innovation, Education, Science and Technology and Minister of Digital Transformation, the essence of the law is to reorganize the CRGL and remove the human factor from the license issuance process. Further, to digitalize licenses so that they are issued automatically according to clear criteria and to start implementing an online monitoring system.
Prior to that, on March 29, 2024, Pavlo Petrychenko, a soldier of the 59th Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, registered a petition asking the president to pay attention to the harm that online casinos and ludomania (gambling addiction) cause to the Ukrainian army and society. By the evening of the same day, the petition had gained over 26 thousand votes. The President of Ukraine instructed the heads of the Security Service of Ukraine, the State Special Communications Service, the Ministry of Digital Transformation, and the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council to collect analytics on the operation of online casinos and propose their decision next week.
According to Danylo Hetmantsev, chairman of the parliamentary committee on finance, tax and customs policy, this situation is related to the inactivity of the CRGL, which was created three years ago. He believes that the regulator did not develop responsible gambling rules separately for both organizers and players and organized “selective control in the best corruption traditions” rather than total control over the organizers’ compliance with the requirements to restrict access to gambling for persons listed in the Register of Self-Restrictions.
In 2024, Ukraine reached the pre-war level of exports of $24.5 billion, accounting for 59% of total exports, the second historical record after 2021, when the country supplied $27.7 billion worth of agricultural products to foreign markets, Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Vitaliy Koval said on Telegram.
The Minister clarified that in total, Ukraine exported 78.3 million tons of agricultural products in 2024. At the same time, sunflower oil accounted for the largest share (21%), with almost 6 million tons exported for $5.1 billion. Corn was in second place, accounting for 21% of agricultural exports with 29.6 million tons worth $5 billion, and wheat was in third place, with 15%, 20.6 million tons worth $3.7 billion.
Among the leaders, Koval named rapeseed – 7% (3.8 million tons for $1.8 billion), soybeans – 5% (3.4 million tons for $1.3 billion), cake and residues obtained during the extraction of vegetable fats and vegetable oils – 4% (4.7 million tons for $1 billion).
The share of meat and edible poultry products reached 4%. These products amounted to 447 thousand tons worth $958 million. Barley (3.3 million tons worth $557 million) and sugar (746 thousand tons worth $418 million) accounted for 2% each, the Minister of Agrarian Policy summarized.
OJSC “Meridian” named after Korolyov” (Kyiv), a part of the state concern ‘Ukroboronprom’, paid dividends to shareholders for 2023 totaling UAH 10.985 million at the rate of UAH 10.9038 per share of UAH 0.5 par value.
According to the information published in the disclosure system of the National Securities and Stock Market Commission (NSSMC), this decision was made by an extraordinary meeting of shareholders on December 5.
At the same time, the dividend payment period is from November 27 to December 31, 2024. Dividends are paid through the depository system and directly to shareholders.
According to the NSSMC for the third quarter of 2024, the state, represented by Ukroboronprom, owns 50.0001% of shares in OJSC Meridian named after Korolyov, and another 40.0753% is owned by Meridian Union LLC, one of the beneficiaries of which, according to Clarity Project, is Vadym Hryb, co-owner of the Tekt investment company.
According to the agenda of the meeting, several options for the distribution of the net profit of UAH 12.205 million received in 2023 were put forward for approval by the shareholders, including 90% of the profit with a payment of UAH 10.9038 per share for dividends, and 10% to replenish the reserve capital.
The agenda also included the issue of the distribution of net profit received in 2024, according to the draft decision, it was planned to set the share of net profit to be allocated to dividends at 35%, and 65% to be used to replenish reserve capital.
“Founded in 1953, Meridian Korolyov is a diversified enterprise specializing in the development and serial production of electronic devices for various purposes, including radio measuring instruments: frequency meters, spectrum analyzers, and generators.
The company also performs galvanizing, laser cutting of metals, and plastic molding.
According to Clarity Project, the company increased its net revenue by 24% in 2023 to UAH 177.43 million compared to 2022, while net profit decreased by 27% to UAH 12.2 million.
In 2024, Ukrainian sugar producers set a historical record for sugar exports, exporting 746.3 thousand tons of the product to foreign markets for $419 million, the National Association of Sugar Producers of Ukraine (Ukrtsukor) reported.
“This is the highest figure for sugar exports within a calendar year according to statistics dating back to 1997, when the National Association of Sugar Producers of Ukraine was established,” the industry association said.
Ukrtsukr added that 40% of exports in 2024 were directed to the European Union, 60% were supplies to the world market, where the main buyers of Ukrainian sugar were MENA (Middle East and North Africa) and North Macedonia.
Harvest volumes of grains and pulses, mln tons
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Due to a decline in exports and a lull in the global milk market during the winter holidays, raw milk prices in Ukraine are stabilizing, and from the beginning of January, purchase prices are expected to decline, according to the Association of Milk Producers (AMP).
The AMP noted that the average purchase price of extra-grade milk, as of December 25, amounted to 19.60 UAH/kg (excluding VAT), which is 0.2 UAH more than a month ago. The prices for premium milk remained unchanged at 18.64 UAH/kg (excluding VAT) and first-class milk at 17.65 UAH/kg (excluding VAT). The weighted average price of the three milk grades amounted to 18.63 UAH/kg (excluding VAT), which is 0.7 UAH more than the previous month.
The industry association noted that in the second half of December 2024, purchase prices stabilized due to a decrease in demand for raw milk in Ukraine and surpluses in the market. This is due to a decrease in dairy exports during the Christmas holidays.
In addition, lower butter prices in the US, New Zealand, and Europe are restraining the exports of Ukrainian companies and holding back the growth of raw milk prices in the country.
“In 2024, butter prices were the main driver of raw milk prices growth. Further decline in butter prices is likely, as stocks of the product accumulate in warehouses. The decision of Poland to bring to the market a thousand tons of butter from its own strategic reserves to help stabilize prices for the product had a certain impact on the decline in butter prices,” the AMA explained.
The industry association suggested that the increase in the supply of raw milk in Ukraine is likely to be associated with a decrease in sales of dairy products due to lower purchasing power. Ukrainians with lower incomes are refusing to buy dairy products due to rising prices. Accordingly, demand for spreads as a cheaper alternative to butter is growing.
Experts expect a decrease in purchase prices from the beginning of January 2025 due to a possible increase in surplus raw milk on the domestic market.
As reported, in November 2024, the slowdown in dairy exports was caused by a shortage of raw milk, rising production costs due to falling global dairy prices, and a seasonal decline in the market ahead of the holidays.
