In the first six months, betting companies paid over 30 million KM into the budgets of FBiH, municipalities, and cities

Private gambling operators have been targeted by some political parties and politicians in BiH over the past year and a half. They are accused of not paying their obligations to the state, municipalities, and cities. Operators deny these claims. They present reports showing that in the first six months of this year, all 12 betting operators paid over 30 million marks into the budgets and funds of the Federation of BiH, municipalities, and cities.

According to data from the FBiH Tax Administration, which was unofficially shown to Patria, based on fees for payments, flat-rate fees for RNG games, tax on winnings, and advance payments of tax on winnings, betting operators operating in the FBiH paid 20.53 million KM into budgets and funds in the first six months.

Premier betting company paid the most, 10.30 million marks or 50.16 percent, which is more than all other operators combined. Bet Live and Petica plus betting companies paid 3.83 million marks or 18.69 percent, and Sport Plus and Sport Plus Win betting companies paid 1.7 million marks or 8.31 percent. Lutrija BiH paid 325 thousand marks, or 1.58 percent.

"Despite numerous deceptions that certain politicians are spreading to the public, the fact is that gambling operators are filling the budgets and funds of the Federation of BiH, municipalities, and cities. Considering these parameters, it is evident that private operators account for 98.42 percent of payments, and Lutrija BiH for 1.58 percent," state the private gambling operators.

Operators explain that these 20.53 million marks for fees on payments, taxes on winnings, flat-rate fees for RNG games, and advance payments of tax on winnings are not the only amounts that gambling operators paid in the first six months of this year.

"This should include 8.5 million marks in payments to the Pension Insurance Fund, Health Insurance, and income tax for approximately 5,500 employees, which is the total number of employees across all 12 gambling operators operating in the Federation, as well as about one million marks in rent tax for 2,550 business premises. Therefore, if we sum these amounts, we arrive at 30.03 million marks paid by operators into the budgets and funds of the Federation of BiH, municipalities, and cities in the first six months of this year. This means that over 60 million marks will be paid by the end of the year," emphasize the gambling operators.

Gambling operators remind that at the same time, state-owned and private companies owe the state 2.2 billion KM, and among the largest debtors are state-owned companies, such as Željeznice FBiH with a debt of 205 million KM.