The transfer of gambling market regulation under the authority of the Ministry of Digital Transformation has driven a number of trends in the industry. One of the most significant is the digitalization of interaction processes between the regulator, gambling operators, and players. In addition, such innovations also help more effectively monitor gambling behavior and prevent the spread of gambling addiction, writes Anton Kuchukhidze, Chairman of the Ukrainian Gambling Council

The transfer of gambling market regulation under the authority of the Ministry of Digital Transformation has sparked a number of trends in the industry. One of the most significant is the digitalization of interaction processes between the regulator, gambling operators, and players. In addition, such innovations also help more effectively monitor gambling behavior and prevent the spread of gambling addiction. Read more

Anton Kuchukhidze is a Ukrainian gambling industry expert and the Chairman of the Ukrainian Gambling Council (UGC). He is actively involved in discussions surrounding gambling regulation, market transparency, responsible gaming, and the digital transformation of the sector in Ukraine. Kuchukhidze regularly contributes expert commentary on legislative reforms, taxation, anti-shadow market measures, and the development of a modern regulatory framework aligned with European stan

The Ministry of Digital Transformation and PlayCity have launched digital licensing for the gambling business through the “Diia” portal. Applications for land-based and online casinos,slot machine halls, poker, and B2B services can be submitted online using a qualified electronic signature (QES). The system automatically retrieves data on companies and beneficial owners from registries, the application status can be tracked in a personal account, and decisions are delivered w

The state agency PlayCity has launched a pilot mode of SOMS—an instrument set to fundamentally change the approach to gambling market oversight. Instead of delayed reporting, the state can now monitor every transaction in real time. The first two operators are already connected, and in the near future the system is expected to cover the entire licensed segment, writes Ukrainian Gambling Council Deputy Chairman Viktoriya Zakrevska in her column. Read more

The register of individuals who have voluntarily restricted their access to gambling already contains 15,000 entries. This statistic sends an important signal: the self-exclusion tool is beginning to function not as a formal option, but as a real mechanism for player protection and a way to prevent risky behavior in a timely manner, analyzes Viktoriya Zakrevska, Deputy Chairman of the Ukrainian Gambling Council, in her column. Read more

The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) has reported to the European Commission the critical scale of the problem: in 2025, the illegal segment accounted for 27%, or €18 billion in GGR, of the European online gambling market. Fake websites cloning legitimate brands, illegal apps without verification, and phishing schemes on social media steal players’ data, encourage addiction, and leave users without any protection, writes Viktoriya Zakrevska, Deputy Chairman of t

What lies ahead for the legal gambling industry in the near future, and how the relevant ministry envisions the sector’s prospects, is discussed in his column by Anton Kuchukhidze, Chairman of the Ukrainian Gambling Council. Read more

In Ukraine, the regulation of the gambling sector is undergoing an active transformation. The state is intensifying its fight against illegal operators, expanding licensing practices, and testing new digital control tools. Against this backdrop, the market is gradually moving toward a more transparent and balanced model, in which the focus is placed not only on sanctions but also on creating conditions for the development of the legal segment. Read more

The Western gambling market is well-established and demonstrates steady revenue growth. However, one of the key challenges facing such markets is that once a certain threshold is reached, growth rates slow significantly due to high regulatory and tax burdens. Another major barrier is the extremely high “entry threshold” for new companies. In these markets, they are forced to compete with powerful gambling corporations that possess far greater financial and other resources. As

Current Ukrainian legislation places significant limitations on gambling advertising, leaving licensed operators with limited visibility opportunities. By contrast, illegal operators continue to promote their services without adhering to regulatory constraints, creating competitive imbalance within the market. Read more

Currently, Ukrainian legislation imposes significant restrictions on gambling advertising. Licensed gambling operators are forced to operate within a rigid framework in which, unfortunately, prohibitions far outweigh opportunities. This places them at a disadvantage compared to illegal operators, who use any advertising methods — both online and offline — without regard for restrictions. However, examples of balanced regulation do exist. One such example is the way legislatio

Only three operators — M.S.L., UNL, and Patriot — advanced to the final stage of the selection process under the updated rules. While the shortlist may appear to maintain the existing market hierarchy, industry observers note that the real significance lies not in the names, but in the system underpinning their future operations. Read more

Currently, Ukrainian legislation imposes significant restrictions on gambling advertising. Licensed gambling operators are forced to operate within a rigid framework where, unfortunately, prohibitions far outweigh opportunities. This puts them at a disadvantage compared to illegal operators, who use any advertising methods — both online and offline — without regard for restrictions, reflects Anton Kuchukhidze, Chairman of the public organization Ukrainian Gambling Council, in

It is commonly believed that the Western market serves as a model of sustainable development for the gambling industry. Many European countries with legalized gambling demonstrate record growth in online GGR, an increase in the number of gambling companies, and a growing player base. This has been made possible through the systematic development of a regulatory environment that balances business opportunities with player protection, prevention of gambling addiction, and other

Gambling addiction is not a critical problem for the Ukrainian gambling market. The number of potential problem gamblers usually ranges from 0.5% to 1% of the total player base. Nevertheless, gambling addiction exists and must be addressed. There are several mechanisms to tackle this issue — from government regulation through systems similar to the UK’s GAMSTOP, to technical solutions developed and implemented by businesses that analyze and monitor risky gaming behavior. Addi

The scandal involving an anonymous trader on the Polymarket platform, who earned $436K betting on the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, exposed a systemic vulnerability in prediction markets. A new account, registered in December 2025, placed $32K just hours before the Delta Force raid on January 3, 2026 — the probability of “Maduro losing power by January 31” jumped from 6.5% to 11% ahead of Trump’s announcement. This is a classic insider trade: access to non-pu

Gambling addiction is not a critical problem for the Ukrainian gambling market. The number of potential problem gamblers usually ranges from 0.5% to 1% of the total player base, reflects Anton Kuchukhidze, Chairman of the Ukrainian Gambling Council, in his opinion column. Nevertheless, gambling addiction does exist and must be addressed. There are several mechanisms to tackle it — from government regulation through systems similar to GAMSTOP, to technical solutions developed

Over the past few years, lotteries have been the subject of intense discussion within the gambling sector. Unfortunately, these discussions have focused not on industry development or investment potential, but on the illegal activities of lottery operators, the imitation of gambling, and the non-payment of taxes and licensing fees. Finally, the newly established regulator, PlayCity, has taken notice of this situation and announced an open tender for obtaining lottery licenses

Traditionally, we are summing up the performance of Ukraine’s legal gambling market in 2025. Despite the fact that the market continues to operate amid tax and regulatory uncertainty, it still generates significant revenues for the state budget. Over the first 10 months of 2025, the budget has already received more than UAH 14.5 billion from gambling in taxes alone. Given current trends, this figure could reach UAH 16–17 billion by the end of the year. Read more