Ukraine Blocks Military Access to Gambling

How the Verification System Will Work

The mechanism is based on automatic verification through state electronic registers. When attempting to register or log in to a licensed online casino, the system will simultaneously check the user against two databases: the Register of Individuals with Limited Access to Gambling and the Register of Military Personnel, which is formed by the Ministry of Defense. If the check confirms a person's military status, access to play will be automatically blocked.

An important point concerns confidentiality: gambling operators will only receive a signal about the existence of a restriction, but will not know its cause. Information on whether the prohibition is related to military service or other grounds will remain private.

Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation Natalia Denikeeva emphasized that the resolution forms an additional layer of protection for military personnel within the framework of a systemic responsible gaming policy, without unnecessary bureaucracy and without disclosing the user's military status.

Data exchange between departments will be carried out through the electronic interaction system "Trembita". The technical integration of the registers is provided by PlayCity in cooperation with the Ministry of Defense.

Combating Illegal Casinos: Scale and Tools

Restrictions for military personnel are just one direction in the systemic work to regulate the gambling market. In parallel, the state is consistently increasing pressure on the illegal gambling business.

During its first year of operation, PlayCity identified over 4,100 illegal gaming resources. Each of them went through a blocking decision procedure, which is implemented jointly with the National Commission for State Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries (НКЭК) and internet providers based on Law No. 768. Thanks to the improved interaction with the regulator, the response speed has significantly increased: today, the decision to restrict access to an illegal site becomes mandatory for providers within one day.

Nevertheless, the current procedure for blocking illegal casinos still requires refinement. To accelerate the process, PlayCity has created an interagency working group with the participation of the National Security and Defense Council's Secretariat, the National Bank of Ukraine (НБУ), the Ministry of Digital Transformation (Минцифры), the National Commission for State Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries (НКЭК), the State Service for Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine (ГСССЗИ), and the National Communications Administration (НЦУ). The goal is to transition to a model where providers can block illegal sites and applications within minutes. Simultaneously, legislative changes are being prepared that will expand the regulator's powers in combating the shadow gambling business.

Advertising Control: Fines and Blockages

A separate area is combating illegal online gambling advertising. Over 700 social media pages have already been blocked, and 16 fines totaling approximately 80 million hryvnias have been imposed. PlayCity interacts with major digital platforms – Google, Meta, TikTok, YouTube, Viber, and Twitch – for prompt removal of illegal content. Work is underway to identify bloggers and influencers who promoted unlicensed casinos.