Ukraine’s gambling industry reflects the traits of a young market — full of promise yet hindered by uneven institutional effectiveness. Government agencies frequently postpone decisions, creating uncertainty: licensing processes, regulations, sanctions, and fines often appear more like ad‑hoc responses than coherent policy. For investors, this unpredictability signals risk, as rules may shift abruptly without clear rationale or transitional measures. Read more

Against this backdrop, the figure of ₴14.5 billion in revenues from legal operators in 2025 looks like a success — but a success “on thin ice.” Without high-quality regulation, strong institutions, and normal cooperation between the state and the white market, these revenues remain fragile and unstable. A Young Market and “Uneven” Institutions The Ukrainian gambling market is a typical young market with high expectations and uneven institutional performance. State agencies de

The experience of most European countries and the United States convincingly shows that excessive strictness in gambling regulation rarely delivers the expected results. Fighting the shadow market solely by tightening legislation not only fails to reduce it but often does the opposite — it strengthens it. The reason is simple: when the legal market becomes over-regulated, expensive, or inaccessible to players, a portion of the audience inevitably moves to the "grey" or "black

The experience of most European countries and the United States clearly shows that excessive strictness in gambling regulation rarely produces the expected outcome. Combating the shadow market solely by tightening legislation not only fails to reduce it but often does the opposite — it strengthens it. The reason is simple: when the legal market becomes overly regulated, expensive, or inaccessible to the player, part of the audience inevitably shifts into the “grey” or “black”

Legalization is always only the first step in building any system in a country. Conventionally, it is a permit that authorizes the start of a certain process. However, what should be done after this "permit" is obtained? What are the next steps? These are the most difficult questions. The answer to them requires systematic work aimed at making this "permission" work and ensuring that all parties involved benefit from it. That is why the development of a regulatory system capa

France and Liechtenstein demonstrate two different but effective approaches to regulating the lottery sector — both based on transparent licensing, structured GGR, and no tax pressure on players. In France, lotteries operate under the supervision of the ANJ regulator, and the state operator FDJ has a 25-year concession. Read more

France and Liechtenstein demonstrate two different but effective approaches to regulating the lottery sector — both based on transparent licensing, structured GGR, and no tax pressure on players. In France, lotteries operate under the supervision of the ANJ regulator, and the state operator FDJ has a 25-year concession. The main burden in the system is focused on GGR: about 69% of gross revenue goes to the state, including social contributions. Added to this is an annual paym

Kuchukhidze provided examples of successful international practices. In the United States, lotteries pay between 20% and 30% of GGR, which generates substantial revenue for healthcare, education, social assistance, and economic development. In Europe, lotteries have long been regulated on the same level as gambling: in Lithuania alone, lottery operators generated €14.7 million in tax revenues in the first half of 2025. In Germany, the total fiscal benefit from lotteries reach

The outlook for Ukraine’s gambling sector remains uncertain, even after recent legislative changes. Key challenges persist, including tax obligations for lotteries and the ongoing problem of illegal gambling imitations. This lack of clarity surrounding lotteries undermines their ability to contribute effectively to the state budget—leaving losses felt across the board. Read more

The Ukrainian gambling market and financial services sector are preparing for a major shift in their approach to combating shadow schemes. Deputy Chairman for Communication at the Ukrainian Gambling Council, Viktoriya Zakrevska, wrote about this in a new blog post, focusing on the launch of the “drop registry” — a tool designed to operate not reactively but preventively, before any violations occur. More details

In developed countries, lotteries are one of the most important sources of revenue for state budgets in the gambling sector. Abroad, this sector is actively regulated, and the state receives significant amounts from taxes and fees, which are used for the development of medicine, sports, culture, and other areas. At the same time, the situation in Ukraine remains unclear, despite some changes, that have recently in Ukrainian legislation . The most pressing issues are the pa

The Ukrainian gambling market and related financial services are gradually moving from reactive to preventive control mechanisms. One of the most important innovations in the near future will be the creation of a "drop registry" — a system designed to detect and block funding channels for illegal businesses before an offense occurs. The idea is simple: instead of searching for culprits after violations, the state creates a mechanism that prevents financial abuses from occurri

The main goal of any business is to make a profit. To understand how much a business earns, it is necessary to have a clear understanding of its own cost mechanism. The tax burden is one of the key items of expenditure, so the more transparent the taxation system is and the more clearly defined the tax rates are, the easier it is for businesses to develop, plan, and invest. Unfortunately, at present, tax terms for gambling are not defined in Ukraine. Moreover, even the basic

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the gambling industry — from predicting player behavior to automating marketing, compliance, and even fraud prevention. However, this technology is not a “magic button.” As recent analytical data from MIT Sloan Management Review shows, only 5% of companies in the entertainment sector record real revenue growth after implementing AI-based pilot projects. The rest either see no financial return or are forced to halt developm

Zakrevska emphasized that transparency is not a privilege but a duty, and the state must urgently adopt licensing conditions for lotteries so that they become part of a unified legal framework. “Honest business does not fear transparency. If we are talking about reform, it is time to make it complete,” the expert concluded. Read more

It has been several years since gambling was legalized in Ukraine, yet public pressure on this sector remains strong.Casinos, betting companies, and online gaming platforms operate openly, report their activities, and pay taxes. Meanwhile, lotteries — one of the oldest segments of the market — continue to exist almost outside the law. Licensing conditions for them have still not been approved, which means no taxes are paid, no oversight is in place, and profits remain in the

За словами Кучухідзе, штучний інтелект сьогодні стає одним із головних рушіїв трансформації грального бізнесу. Його можливості охоплюють широкий спектр напрямів — від персоналізації ігрового досвіду користувачів до автоматичного аналізу ризиків, боротьби з шахрайством і створення маркетингового контенту. Проте впровадження таких технологій вимагає часу, ресурсів і зваженого підходу. Детальніше

In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has firmly established itself among the trends that are driving change in the gambling industry. It opens up many new opportunities for businesses, from personalized gaming experiences for players to automated risk management systems. However, like any other technology, AI needs time to adapt to business needs. Even more time and effort are needed for this technology to start generating profits. The use of artificial intelligence

The European Union is once again demonstrating its ability to set the tone in the field of gambling regulation. The decision of the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) to create a single standard for harm markers, supported by the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA), marks a new stage in player protection policy. The initiative, which has been in the works for several years, has now received political and professional approval: on September 25, the majorit

Zakrevska reminded that in September, the state agency PlayCity signed a contract with the company “Computer Information Technologies,” which won the open tender to create the system. The first phase is planned to launch this December, with full functionality expected by October 2026. Read more

The State Online Monitoring System (SOMS) is one of the most anticipated tools for reforming the gambling market. In September, the State Agency PlayCity announced the signing of an agreement with Computer Information Technologies LLC, the company that won the open tender to create the system. The first phase is scheduled to launch in December, and full functionality should be operational by October 2026. This is not just a technological project. It is the key to trust betwee

The European community has taken another step towards forming a unified approach to protecting players and reducing the harm caused by gambling . The decision of the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) to support the initiative to introduce national standardization of gambling harm markers was an important event not only for the gambling industry, but also for the entire player protection system. This is a new and important step that can give real meaning to the pr

The issue of introducing the State Online Monitoring System (SOMS) in the gambling sector has been on the agenda since the very beginning...

Gambling addiction, or ludomania, is one of the key challenges of the modern gambling market, both in the EU and in Ukraine. Although it...