For a long time, gambling in Ukraine was outside the legal boundaries due to banning of gambling introduced in 2009. However, until then, there was no clear legislative regulation of the gambling market, which significantly restrained its development and separated it from the world industry.
It is such existence of gambling, first in a regime of uncertainty, and then in the underground, that contributed to the distorted attitude in the society towards gambling as a type of income. However, the gambling business has long been a part of the entertainment industry in the whole civilized world.
Only after the adoption in 2020 of the Law of Ukraine "On State Regulation of Activities Regarding the Organization and Conduct of Gambling" the situation began to gradually change, in particular due to the provisions on advertising stipulated in the law on advertising and authority regarding its regulation provided to the national regulator, namely the Commission for Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries (CRGL).
Recently, CRGL appealed to the leaders of public opinion (bloggers, influencers, streamers and other popular users of social media) with a special clarification on how gambling advertising should be built according to the effective legislation and what features of the gambling market it should take into account. So, in particular, CRGL notes that the field of gambling is a specific type of activity with increased social risk, which many mistakenly perceive not as entertainment, but as a way of gaining income. In addition, excessive enthusiasm and immersion in gambling can cause the appearance of gambling addiction (ludomania).
According to the provisions of the effective legislation, the advertising of gambling games must be honest, transparent and such that does not encourage spending money and does not position the game as a way of gaining income. It should not mask the possible risks associated with gambling and cannot be directed at minors. In addition to that, advertising must not promote an unhealthy or unwise way of playing.
CRGL warns that persons that violated gambling advertising legislation may be subject to disciplinary, civil, administrative and criminal liability in accordance with the law.
I would like to remind you that almost two years ago, the Ukrainian Gambling Council, a specialized association that unites 80% of the legal gambling market of Ukraine, initiated the drafting and signing of the first act of self-regulation among legal gambling organizers in order to convey to society the position of companies regarding legal gambling in the industry, the participants of which adhere to the principles of responsible gaming, i.e. providing guarantees of safety and protection of the interests of service users. In October 2021, the majority of licensed gambling organizers signed the Memorandum on the Advertising of Gambling Games, in which the concepts of advertising and sponsorship were clearly distinguished, and the Memorandum itself became an internal document of self-regulation of the market that defines the rules of the game for all participants, a unified understanding and interpretation of norms.
So, I would like to emphasize once again that only legal gambling fulfils the requirements of the law on gambling advertising and contributes to bringing the domestic market closer to global standards of business practice.
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