Ukrainian regulator fines influencer over illegal gambling promotion
PlayCity says the blogger promoted gambling on Telegram, YouTube, Kick and TikTok.
Ukraine.- The Ukrainian state gambling regulator PlayCity has announced that it has imposed a record fine of UAH 5.2m (close to €101,000) on an influencer for illegal gambling promotion. The regulator says blogger Waldemar De Salo illegally promoted gambling through social media channels, including Telegram, YouTube, Kick and TikTok.
The sanction follows a review that uncovered gambling advertising disguised within regular content and without mandatory warnings about the risks of gambling addiction or licence details, PlayCity said on its Telegram account. The regulator also raised concerns that the content could have been accessed by audiences aged under 21.
“Several violations of the law were documented,” the agency stated. It said De Salo’s identity was established through cooperation with the Security Service of Ukraine’s office in the Khmelnytskyi region.
The penalty comes against the backdrop of a wider plan to clamp down on unlicensed gambling and advertising and to improve awareness and support for gamblers. The Cabinet of Ministers recently approved the State Policy Strategy for the Organisation and Conduct of Gambling through 2035, which sets out a range of measures intended to reduce the negative consequences of gambling and prevent addiction.
There will be nationwide awareness campaigns on the risks of gambling, including classes on the dangers of gambling addiction in schools. The strategy also outlines a focus on detecting early warning signs of gambling addiction and on highlighting factors that may contribute to its development. Meanwhile, the government has announced a tender for the development of a system to prevent military personnel from gambling in Ukraine.
Nevertheless, the findings of the first Ukraine National Gambling Impact Survey suggest that despite concerns about the growth of gambling, participation remains low. Some 84 per cent of respondents said they were not gamblers, one in three said they do not know anyone who gambles. Only 5 per cent of respondents had gambled in the past year, and 2 per cent in the last month. Another survey has shown the majority of gamblers choose licensed online casinos in Ukraine.
