Ukraine has intensified its gambling enforcement strategy after regulator PlayCity launched a new digital platform allowing citizens to report illegal gambling advertisements across social media, websites, streaming services, television and outdoor advertising. The initiative strengthens the country’s transition toward a fully digital gambling oversight model amid growing pressure against offshore operators.
The platform, announced in May 2026, operates under Ukraine’s gambling framework established by the Law of Ukraine No. 768-IX (2020), which legalized licensed online gambling, sportsbooks and online poker while maintaining strict compliance obligations. The enforcement tool is managed by PlayCity under the supervision of the Ministry of Digital Transformation, replacing the former regulator KRAIL after structural reforms approved in 2025.
Oleksandr Borniakov – minister of Digital Transformation
The system allows users to upload screenshots, links and video evidence directly into the regulator’s database. The platform can automatically preserve disappearing social media content, including stories and temporary posts, enabling investigators to review ads even after deletion. According to PlayCity Director Hennadiy Novikov, the objective is to accelerate identification of illegal operators and reduce the visibility of unlicensed gambling brands targeting Ukrainian consumers.
Hennadiy Novikov
The regulator is coordinating directly with platforms including Meta, Google, TikTok, Twitch, Viber and YouTube. Ukraine has already secured the removal of illegal gambling promotional channels with more than 133,000 subscribers and intensified pressure on offshore advertising networks.
Ukrainian authorities estimate the shadow gambling, and lottery market costs the country up to ₴10 billion annually in lost taxes. More than 4,500 illegal gambling sites were blocked during 2024, while regulators imposed approximately ₴80 million in penalties during the first months of PlayCity operations. Fines for illegal gambling advertising can reach ₴5.18 million (around US$120,000).
The rollout signals Ukraine’s broader strategy with digital licensing, centralized monitoring, stricter responsible gambling enforcement and stronger suppression of offshore operators through technology-driven regulation.
