PlayCity launches illegal website monitoring system, implementing reform plan
The Ukrainian state regulator, PlayCity, has launched an illegal website monitoring system. This launch aligns with the agency’s announced action plan to reform the country’s gambling industry. PlayCity’s goal is to bring the gambling market into the legal sphere. The new tool facilitates the rapid and effective detection and blocking of illegal casinos.
The first system for tracking illegal websites
This project is the first publicly available system for tracking illegal websites in Ukraine. A player can use it to check whether a casino is operating legally. The system offers the following functions:
- Entering a website domain into the search.
- Notify PlayCity about illegal casinos if detected.
- File a complaint against an internet provider that does not block access to prohibited sites.
- Download a database of illegal casino sites so that providers can block access to them more quickly and the public can obtain more information about their activities.
The system identifies copies of online casinos and related domains so that illegal operators cannot circumvent restrictions.
Government agencies unite against the illegal market
When announcing the creation of the new regulator, the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine called for joint efforts to implement a plan to combat the shadow market. Judging by the events of this year, the call was heard.
The latest example is a conference on combating illegal gambling, held by the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine (ESB) in early August. In addition to the regulator, the heads of the ESB and the Ministry of Digital Transformation attended the conference. The participants discussed the necessary legislative initiatives, exchanged operational information, and coordinated actions in this area.
Sergey Perkhun from the BEB noted that combating illegal gambling is one of the agency’s top priorities. He also expressed confidence that cooperation will enhance the effectiveness of all structures. Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation for European Integration Alexander Bornyakov emphasised that the body is working to create a level playing field for all participants in the Ukrainian gambling market.
Natalia Denikeeva, Deputy Minister for Digital Economy, added that changes to the Tax Code, as well as laws on advertising and state regulation of gambling activities, will contribute to achieving these goals.
The meeting resulted in an agreement to continue joint work. Information exchange, identification of crimes in the gambling sector, and the development of legislative proposals to improve regulation are now priorities.
Facts and figures
According to PlayCity CEO Hennadiy Novikov, there are currently about 4,000 Internet providers operating in Ukraine that are required by law to block illegal gambling sites. Providers that do not comply with this requirement are subject to penalties. In addition, the regulator fined seven licensed operators for failing to submit their reports on time.
Alexander Tkachuk, head of the Main Detective Division of the BEB, reported on 80 criminal proceedings related to the illegal organisation of gambling. Since the beginning of the year, the body has charged 53 individuals and sent 16 cases to court.
Thanks to measures to bring the market out of the shadows, the state budget received more than UAH 9 billion (€185.4 million) from licensed operators in the first half of the year.
Anti-corruption expert group
July also saw an unprecedented event in the area of responsible gaming: through an open poll, Ukrainians selected public activists to join the PlayCity Anti-Corruption Expert Group. That was the first time that such a body has been formed through a public survey.
A total of 57,176 people participated in the poll on the Diya app. Public organisations involved in preventing and combating corruption, gambling addiction, and illegal gambling nominated 21 candidates.
‘Until now, Ukraine has not legally defined the criteria for selecting candidates for such advisory and consultative bodies; therefore, we have relied on the established practice of similar elections. That ensured the validity, impartiality, and compliance of the procedures with established transparency standards,’ the Ministry said.
The group’s key tasks include developing proposals for changes in the regulation of the gambling market and participating in audits of operators’ activities. Currently, Ukraine’s state budget loses up to UAH 10 billion (€210 million) annually due to the shadow market for gambling and lotteries.
Bringing the gambling business out of the shadows is PlayCity’s primary task. ‘That will not only provide additional revenue for the budget, which will strengthen defence, but will also send a signal to international business that Ukraine has transparent rules of the game,’ the agency concludes.
This article was first published in Russian on 22 August 2025.
