Ukraine’s PlayCity to begin issuing gambling licences
Current licensees will have two months to submit documents to PlayCity to show compliance with new requirements.
Ukraine.- The Ukrainian news agency Interfax has reported that the country’s new gambling regulator PlayCity is to begin to issue new gambling licences and to confirm existing ones. The move comes after the Cabinet of Ministers adopted a resolution on licensing conditions for the gambling sector, allowing the process to begin.
PlayCity was cited as stating on Telegram that the licensing process will generate almost UAH 50m (€1.03m) in additional revenues to the state budget from licence fees in the near future. It said that additional budget revenues will be used to strengthen defence capabilities, in particular, to purchase drones for the Defense Forces.
The new regulator, which became operational in June, said that to obtain a Ukrainian gambling licence, companies must demonstrate good business reputation, an absence of ties with Russia and implementation of all necessary mechanisms for responsible gaming. It said these requirements apply to both new and existing licensees.
Current licensees have two months to submit documents to PlayCity to show compliance with the requirements. If the requirements are not met, sanctions may apply in the form of fines or termination of the licence.
Ukraine’s new gambling regulator
The Cabinet of Ministers established PlayCity in March. The head of the new state agency is Hennadiy Novikov, a lawyer with public administration experience. He previously served as deputy head of the previous regulator, the Gambling Regulation Commission (KRAIL), and supported Ministry of Digital Transformation’s dismantling of the former regulator.
In his previous role, Novikov initiated the process of blocking illegal online casinos and facilitated inspections of gambling operators for legal compliance, the ministry said.
In July, PlayCity confirmed plans to introduce a new national monitoring system for gaming in Ukraine. The system will track and record all gambling transactions nationwide, and both land-based and online operators will have to integrate with the system, including gaming arcades, sportsbooks and online poker platforms. The system will enable real-time monitoring of bets, payouts, and winnings
The regulator will use the system to verify operator data live, publish market statistics and ensure compliance. A public tender for the system’s development is expected soon.
The Ukrainian government is also preparing new legislation for a nationwide ban on gambling advertising, the creation of a B2B licence registry, and expanded powers for PlayCity to block unauthorised gambling websites. Meanwhile, PlayCity is expected to implement time limits and mandatory breaks, requiring operators to interrupt customer play with scheduled pauses to prevent players from engaging in continuous gaming beyond a specified daily threshold.
