Ukraine launches new gambling regulator PlayCity

Ukraine has launched a new state agency, PlayCity, to oversee the country’s gambling and lottery markets, the Ministry of Digital Transformation announced Monday.

“The State Agency PlayCity is now operational. Its goal is to make the gambling and lottery market transparent and accountable,"  the ministry said in a statement. "PlayCity was established to replace the ineffective Commission for the Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries."

PlayCity’s main objectives include digitising the gambling license process, creating a national online monitoring system for legal casinos, shutting down illegal gambling operations, and restarting the lottery market under full regulation.

The ministry noted that the lottery business currently operates without licensing, resulting in lost license fees and zero government oversight.

PlayCity will also relaunch the national registry for problem gamblers, integrating it with the Diia app to allow users to self-exclude from gambling platforms. Another key goal is to eliminate gambling operations with ties to Russia.

"Every year, the national budget loses up to UAH 10 billion (US$240 million) in taxes due to the shadow gambling and lottery market,” the ministry said. “Bringing this sector out of the shadows will generate a significant boost in tax revenues, which can then be directed toward strengthening the country's defense.”

The agency is led by Hennadiy Novikov, a lawyer and former deputy head of the secretariat at the previous gambling commission.

In 2024, Novikov led efforts that shut down over 4,500 illegal gambling websites and imposed nearly UAH 18 million (US$430,000) in fines. PlayCity was established by the Cabinet of Ministers on March 21, and Novikov was officially appointed on April 8.