UKRAINE REGULATION
report substantial fines for unlawful gambling advertising, including sanctions imposed on bloggers, websites and media channels. 14 Overall, this has had a positive impact, particularly because of the public visibility of enforcement cases. However, the strict prohibitions introduced by law are not formulated with sufficient clarity in all areas, especially in relation to sports sponsorship. This creates uncertainty both for sports organizations, which face financing constraints during wartime, and for betting operators that may wish to support sport within lawful limits. This issue was expected to be addressed through co- regulation under the Law of Ukraine “On Media”, including the development of practical codes that would clarify matters not fully resolved by general advertising legislation. At present, however, the absence of such co-regulatory guidance leaves the sector exposed to legal uncertainty. This is a serious practical problem: unclear rules rarely produce better compliance; they more often produce either excessive caution or selective enforcement. Minimization of risks associated with gambling Despite the legalization of gambling several years ago, Ukraine has yet to develop a comprehensive national strategy for minimizing gambling-related harms. This has created a situation in which social-risk prevention, public- health responses and evidence-based player support remain underdeveloped. The issue has become more urgent because of the social consequences of military aggression and the increased vulnerability of certain groups, including military personnel and veterans.
Amendments announced to gambling legislation may represent real progress The Ministry of Digital Transformation has put forward draft legislative amendments for public consultation that may significantly contribute to the evolution of gambling regulation. According to PlayCity, the consultation covers proposed amendments to the Gambling Law and the Tax Code. 12 These changes may finally address several controversial taxation provisions that have generated disputes between gambling operators and the Ukrainian tax authorities. The proposed changes may also strengthen player protection and responsible gambling measures, including by requiring operators to implement player behaviour monitoring tools and conduct timely interventions aimed at preventing gambling-related harm. In this respect, Ukraine should draw more actively on the experience of the international gambling community, where behavioural monitoring, affordability indicators, safer-gambling triggers and independent audit standards have already been developed in practice. The critical risk is that legislative amendments may remain declarative unless they are supported by technical regulation, enforceable standards and institutional capacity. Behaviour monitoring, intervention duties and player protection requirements cannot operate effectively if the regulator does not have reliable access to verified data and if operators’ technical systems are not independently assessed.
Changes and developments in gambling advertising
Since April, 2025, the rules governing gambling advertising have been significantly tightened following the entry into force of amendments adopted by Law No. 4116-IX. 13 The new regulator has actively exercised its powers to impose sanctions for violations of gambling advertising rules. Official materials 12 PlayCity, “The Ministry of Digital Transformation initiates changes to gambling legislation: public consultation has begun”. https://playcity.gov. ua/news/mintsyfra-initsiiuie-zminy-do-zakonodavstva-u-sferi-azartnykh-ihor-rozpochaly-hromadske-obhovorennia 13 Law of Ukraine No. 4116-IX on amendments to combat gambling addiction and improve regulation of gambling and lotteries, 4 December 2024. https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/go/4116-20 14 Ministry of Digital Transformation, “UAH 67.2 million in fines for illegal casino advertising”, 12 December 2025. https://thedigital.gov.ua/ news/business/uah672-mln-shtrafiv-za-nezakonnu-reklamu-kazyno-nahaduyemo-pravyla Proposals have been discussed for a complete ban on military personnel participating in gambling. According to many experts and market participants, such a measure would be extremely difficult to implement from a technical perspective
IMGL MAGAZINE | JUNE 2026
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