Ukraine creates new gambling regulator ‘PlayCity’

Ukraine has established a new state agency, PlayCity, tasked with overseeing state policy in the gambling and lottery sectors.

The Cabinet of Ministers approved the corresponding resolution, assigning coordination of PlayCity's activities to the Deputy Prime Minister for Innovation, Education, Science, and Technology and Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov, Babel.ua reported.

In 2025, PlayCity will be funded through the budget previously allocated to the now-dissolved Commission for the Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries (CRGL).

The decision to dissolve the CRGL was made by parliament in December 2024. Gambling regulation responsibilities were also transferred to the Ministry of Digital Economy at the time.

As part of the reform, the government plans to automate the licensing process to minimize human involvement and reduce corruption risks.

Ukraine first legalized gambling in July 2020, when the Verkhovna Rada passed legislation permitting casinos, bookmakers (including online operations), slot machine halls, and online poker. The law also defined casino gambling to include roulette, card games, dice, and slot machines. In September 2020, the CRGL was established as the national regulator to license and oversee the gambling sector.

By 2023, Ukrainians were reportedly spending nearly 400 million hryvnias per day — over 12 billion per month — in online casinos, according to Economic Truth, citing data from the National Bank. The military community was particularly affected, with many service members struggling with gambling addiction.

Public concern escalated after these revelations, sparking widespread debate about the impact of gambling, especially on military personnel. An electronic petition calling for restrictions on online casinos during martial law quickly gained the required number of votes for parliamentary consideration.

In response, President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree imposing restrictions on online casino operations on April 20, 2024. The following month, the Cabinet of Ministers enacted a complete ban on gambling advertisements.