Ukraine launches real-time gambling monitoring system in transparency push

Ukraine has approved a new State Online Monitoring System to track all gambling transactions, the government said, in a move aimed at tightening oversight of the country’s casinos, bookmakers and online operators.

The Cabinet of Ministers approved the plan on August 31, with a public tender due soon to develop the platform. The system will cover both land-based and online operators, including casinos, arcades, betting shops and poker rooms, and will allow regulators to follow wagers, returns and winnings in real time.

The platform will support PlayCity, Ukraine’s gambling regulator established in April after its predecessor, KRAIL, was dissolved over corruption scandals involving money laundering and alleged Russian links. It will enable real-time tracking of bets, returns and winnings, and provide “live verification of operator data to ensure regulatory compliance.”

PlayCity is led by Hennadiy Novikov, a former deputy head of KRAIL, and overseen by Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who has been tasked with restoring trust in the sector through greater transparency and consumer protection.

The reforms come alongside proposals for a blanket ban on gambling advertising, the creation of a new register for B2B licences and expanded powers for PlayCity to block illegal websites.

The National Bank of Ukraine has raised concerns over the scale of online gambling, estimating citizens spend nearly UAH400 million ($9.67 million) daily. Operators face licence suspensions, frozen accounts and even blacklisting abroad if found in breach of rules.

Industry stakeholders have urged the government to set clear, enforceable, and transparent rules to replace disputed charges from the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) and address long-standing legal uncertainties.