Licensed operators intervene to secure blocks on 133 online casino sites in Ukraine
The Association of Ukrainian Gambling Operators took part in a joint action to order IP blocks against unregulated sites.
Ukraine.- Licensed operators have collaborated with several regulatory bodies for the first time to block a new list of unlicensed online gambling sites in Ukraine. The Association of Ukrainian Gambling Operators (AUGO) contributed to the action, collaborating with the Security Service, the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection (Derzhspetszviazok), the National Commission for the State Regulation of Electronic Communications, Radiofrequency Spectrum and the Provision of Postal Services (NCEC).
According to a press release issued by AUGO, Derzhspetszviazok signed Directive No. 435/3236 to order IP blocking against 133 sites. Under current legislation, the NCEC is authorized to enforce such blocks upon receiving substantiated requests from PlayCity or the Security Service.
AUGO estimates that the move will have disrupted an underground market responsible for generating between UAH 3bn and 5bn (€61-102m) in illegal turnover per quarter.
In addition to website and IP blocking via software and technical means, the enforcement effort included measures targeting the infrastructure itself. These included shutting down unauthorised payment processing systems and freezing related peer-to-peer financial transactions.
“We’ve made the opening move in this chess match, and the illegal side is already losing ground… We’re not grandmasters yet, but we believe this will be a decisive game they’ll eventually be forced to abandon,” AUGO president Oleksandr Kohut stated in a statement.
Kohut said there was often a connection between illegal online casinos and Russian interests, leading to a detrimental impact on Ukraine’s state budget, lawful gambling businesses and the welfare of citizens. He noted that many sites often re-emerged after being blocked.
AUGO is a self-regulating entity whose members include some of Ukraine’s largest licensed gambling providers. It says its mission centres on fostering transparency, creating clear operational standards, and eliminating illegal market participants.
Its formation was announced three months ago after multiple Ukrainian gambling operators decided to join forces to create a collaborative industry alliance to tackle unregulated online gambling in the country. The group is financing the development of software to monitor the sector and identify unlicensed gambling platforms. It was reported that various gaming operators with internal IT capabilities and a combined tech staff of 900 were taking part.
This was the first coordinated effort between the Security Service, Derzhspetszviazok and NCEC in collaboration with AUGO. The association contributed technical, analytical, and informational resources in support of the effort to dismantle the illegal gambling operations online.
Kohut reaffirmed AUGO’s intent to continue working with Ukrainian authorities, including the Ministry of Digital Transformation and the newly established gaming regulator PlayCity, to identify and shut down illegal platforms. The association also intends to coordinate with regulators to notify media outlets when new blocking directives are issued to telecom operators.
According to estimates published by AUGO in May, between 30 and 50 per cent of Ukraine’s gambling market operates in the shadows. The Ministry of Digital Transformation has projected annual fiscal losses as high as UAH 10bn (€204m). The group says that licensed operators contributed over UAH 17bn (€348m) in tax revenue in 2024 and UAH 6.4 billion in the first four months of 2025.
As of February 2025, oversight of Ukraine’s gambling sector has been coordinated by the Ministry of Digital Transformation. PlayCity became operational in April, succeeding the Commission for the Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries (KRAIL). KRAIL had issued 7,217 licenses and revoked 4,123 in the period since gambling was relegalised in July 2020.
