New rules for casinos: what will change in the Ukrainian gambling market
31 October 09:26
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has adopted a new resolution that sets stricter requirements for gambling organizers. Its main goal is to combat gambling addiction and protect citizens from uncontrolled participation in gambling. This was reported by the Ministry of Digital Transformation, according to
What is changing for the gambling business
The new rules oblige companies operating in the gambling market to actively monitor player behavior and respond to signs of addiction.
In particular, organizers now have to:
- monitor player behavior. If the system or staff detect signs of severe addiction, the game is terminated for this user – but he/she still receives the winnings;
- block the account at the player’s request. After that, replenishment of the account or participation in the game becomes impossible;
- not to allow players to play without limits. Players are obliged to set time and spending limits that will be monitored by the organizer;
- inform players on a regular basis. In personal accounts, the system will show how long the game lasts and how much money has already been spent, offering to stop or continue the game;
- provide consultations on gambling addiction and contacts of assistance services;
- post information about the risks of gambling add iction and the principles of responsible gambling in offline halls and on websites.
For the first time, the concept of gambling addiction is defined at the government level
The resolution also establishes the concept of pathological and problem gambling behavior at the regulatory level for the first time.
This allows us to clearly define the line between entertainment and addiction and respond in a timely manner to dangerous changes in player behavior.
What the Ministry of Digital Transformation says
“The new requirements are our response to a problem that has remained outside the systemic regulation for years. From now on, the organizer cannot just watch when a person loses control. They are obliged to react, terminate the player’s participation if there are signs of addiction, and provide contacts of services that will help solve the problem,” said Natalia Denikeeva, Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine.
Why it is necessary
The Ministry of Digital Transformation notes that the tightening of rules is part of the state policy in the field of responsible gambling.
The goal is to make the Ukrainian gambling market safer and reduce the number of cases when gambling causes financial and social problems.
As previously reported by
- advertising is allowed only on an exhaustive list of advertising platforms, including nightly television, websites and apps of gambling organizers, specialized publications for adult audiences, etc;
- content must be labeled as 21 ;
- only legal licensed brands may be advertised;
- it is forbidden to show minors, military, volunteers, doctors, bonuses, calls to play, promises of easy money, hidden advertising of brands and famous people, except for athletes;
- at least 15% of the message should contain a warning about gambling addiction.
Users are also encouraged to send screenshots and links to [email protected] if they notice suspicious casino ads.
What happened before
on July 25, PlayCity agency announced the imposition of penalties on Trukh Ukraine for allegedly systematic gambling advertising in violation of Ukrainian legislation.
According to the regulator, the violations identified include
- lack of registration in the Register of Media Entities;
- use of manipulative phrases that may be misleading, for example: “won 2100 UAH out of 100”, “subscriber took 17,000”;
- lack of warnings about the risks of gambling addiction;
- advertising without contracts with licensed organizers.
As a reminder, in February 2025, the government transferred the function of formulating state policy in the field of gambling and lotteries to the Ministry of Digital Transformation. The newly created PlayCity agency is responsible for its implementation, and its priorities include digitalization of the license issuance process, bringing the gambling market out of the shadows, and monitoring compliance with the rules.
Number of gambling addicts in Ukraine
In 2024, a little more than 11.5 thousand people with gambling addiction wereregistered in Ukraine, which is three times more than in 2023, when there were officially 3.7 thousand people addicted to gambling.
As of the beginning of March 2025, there were 12,807 Ukrainians in the register of problem gamblers, and by the end of April, the number reached 14,979. 99% of them are people who voluntarily applied for self-restriction or closure of access to gambling facilities and participation in gambling for a certain period. Such restrictions are valid for six months to three years.
The overwhelming majority of citizens – namely 99% – were included in the register upon application for self-restriction. Only 1% of gambling addicts were included by the decision of the KRGL, while no one was registered by a court decision.
Currently, Ukraine has no clear statistics on the real number of citizens with gambling addiction, and the figures from the relevant register do not reflect the full picture – in particular, people who play in online casinos.
In Ukraine, only temporary bans on visiting gambling establishments are provided for gambling addicts – for a period of 6 months to 3 years. Upon expiration, these restrictions are automatically terminated.
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Currently, Ukrainians can be included in the Register of problem gamblers in three cases
- by applying for self-restriction on their own,
- by the decision of the CRAIL on the basis of a request for restrictions from relatives,
- by a court decision.
- Thus, Ukraine does not have clear statistics on the actual number of citizens with gambling addiction, and the figures from the relevant register do not reflect the full picture.
As a reminder, starting from July 25, 2024, financial institutions are prohibited from issuing consumer loans to gambling addicts included in the Register.
It is worth noting that in 2023, the top 10 most successful gambling companies in Ukraine earned UAH 54.92 billion. This is 28 times more than a year earlier – UAH 1.94 billion.
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