Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has approved a new bill that will introduce a series of changes into the country’s gambling market.
The legislation underwent its first reading back in April 2024, before being ratified by the Ukrainian parliament in December.
President Zelenskyy officially signed off on the bill on 3 January after receiving it from parliament on 9 December.
Included in the bill are proposals to introduce restrictions on gambling marketing in the country, limiting ads shown on TV to between 11pm and 6am.
Online ads will continue to be allowed, but they won’t be allowed to be targeted at people under the age of 21.
Another major change will see the country’s regulator, KRAIL, liquidated and be replaced by a new state-run agency.
The body will have the authority to block illegal websites and set limits on particular game types.
The new legislation allows for B2B licencing programmes for overseas companies, in addition to opening up Ukraine’s lottery market to foreign competition.
In December 2024, the KRAIL head Ivan Rudyi was detained by the country’s State Bureau of Investigation.
The decision was taken following allegations that Rudyi failed to revoke the licence of a Russian-owned operator, in addition to him being found in possession of a large quantity of cocaine.
An investigation found Rudyi failed to take action despite being warned by “numerous expert reports” that showed the operator in question was a threat to national security.
The post President Zelenskyy approves regulatory changes to Ukrainian gambling market first appeared on EGR Intel.
New legislation will include provisions for gambling ad restrictions and the creation of a new state regulator
The post President Zelenskyy approves regulatory changes to Ukrainian gambling market first appeared on EGR Intel.