Thousands take to the streets in protest of government plans to ban gambling.
Ukraine's ruling party and main opposition party ratified a law in parliament that will ban gambling for several months until a new law will set up a government-controlled area for gambling, on the shores of the Black Sea. The law will take effect as soon as it is signed by President Viktor Yushchenko.
The majority was easy to come by following a deadly incident last week in which nine people were killed in a fire in a gambling hall.
Morality arguments that are often attached to the global gambling debate were raised by Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, who said: gaming salons were "demoralizing Ukraine's youth."
The PM's spokesperson added an economic argument, saying that the state budget receives only a fraction of industry turnover.
Protesters
Perhaps the government really intends to protect families,
and taxes are secondary. But will a ban really do that?
More than 2,000 protesters think otherwise. They voiced their opposition when they gathered outside the offices of President.
The protesters represent gambling operators and their 200,000 employees who face losing their jobs, at least until the Ukrainian Las Vegas will be built on the Black Sea.
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