Legal status of state gambling authorities in European countries: prospects for Ukraine

This article analyzes the diversity of approaches to the organization of activities of state regulators in the field of gambling and lotteries in European countries, their common features and differences, advantages, and shortcomings. Given the uniqueness of approaches to the organization of state regulation in the field of gam-bling and lotteries, the similarity of some conditions and principles, as well as the prospects of use in Ukraine, special attention is paid to the relevant experience of Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, and others. It has been established that the European experience of organizing the activi-ties of the state regulator in the field of gambling and lotteries reveals significant differences in approaches to state regulation in the field of gambling business regarding legal bases, subordination, accountability, the order of formation and composition of the state regulator, the scope of its powers, etc. Despite such differences, state regulation in the field of gambling business is usually entrusted to a separate collegial state body endowed with broad regulatory, licensing, control, and other powers. Conclusions are made about the expediency of applying relevant European experience in the context of improving the legal regulation of the Commission for Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries in Ukraine.