On the strategy for preventing gambling addiction until 2035

Although gambling addiction is not a large-scale problem for the Ukrainian gambling market - accounting for only 0.5–1% of players - it cannot be ignored. Following the launch of the new market regulator, PlayCity, a strategy for preventing gambling addiction until 2035 was introduced. It aims to unify the efforts of the state and the private sector in combating gambling addiction and increase their effectiveness.

The first year of operation of the state agency PlayCity has clearly demonstrated the new regulator’s commitment to moving toward practical and effective mechanisms. One of the key areas in this regard has been the recent adoption of the State Policy Strategy for Preventing Gambling Addiction until 2035. This document marks a fundamental change in the state’s approach to the issue: instead of responding to individual cases, it introduces systematic, long-term, and risk-based efforts. The strategy provides for the digitalization of supervisory processes, the implementation of responsible gambling principles, and alignment with the best European regulatory practices.

Among the specific tools are a register of individuals who have restricted access to gambling, gambling addiction screening tests, and a self-exclusion mechanism. Since the beginning of the year, the Register of Individuals with Restricted Access to Gambling has been expanded by 3,000 names, while the regulator receives approximately 1,000 new self-exclusion requests every month.

It is clear that the strategy cannot be implemented on its own. It is important to understand that the systematization of gambling regulation does not mean the private sector’s dependence on state decisions; rather, it is a key condition for strengthening the position of legal gambling operators. Illegal operators have no obligations to either players or the state: they do not maintain self-exclusion registers, do not implement responsible gambling tools, and do not pay taxes that could support many areas of public interest, including programs aimed at preventing the spread of gambling addiction. Consolidating and coordinating the efforts of the state and the legal gambling industry can deliver a serious blow to illegal operators.

An undeniable advantage is that PlayCity has chosen the path of systematic gambling regulation, where the prevention of gambling addiction is not a secondary task but a strategic priority. The success of this approach depends on two sides: the state, which builds effective protection mechanisms, and the legal business sector, which supports these mechanisms and takes a responsible approach to its role in their implementation. When both sides act in coordination, everyone benefits - the state, businesses, and, above all, the players themselves.