Zelensky announced stricter regulation of online casino activities

Ukraine is preparing steps that will add the necessary control over the work of online casinos and help protect the interests of society.

Volodymyr Zelenskyi said this in an evening video message.

"Held a meeting with the Security Service of Ukraine, the Ministry of Digital, State Special Communications and the Secretary of the National Security Council regarding the situation with online casinos. The reports were meaningful. We are preparing appropriate steps that will add the necessary control over the industry and help protect the interests of society properly," the head of state emphasized.

On March 29 , in response to the petition, the president instructed to collect analytical data on the spread and impact of online gambling platforms on Ukrainian society, as well as to propose a solution.

The author of the petition, Pavlo Petrychenko, a soldier of the 59th brigade, proposes to ban:

• access to online casinos for military personnel;
• advertising of gambling games using the symbols of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and in general symbols of war or the army, as well as advertising or public references to how casinos give aid to the military;
• cooperation of charitable funds with participants of the gaming market;
• to accept property in the form of charitable assistance from the casino or individuals or legal entities related to it for military units;
• pawnshops accept drones, thermal imagers and other dual purpose goods.

The author also demands that Internet providers and mobile operators block the sites of illegal casinos. Pavlo Petrychenko argues for this by the fact that there are rare cases when military men addicted to games spend all their money on casinos and then take microloans, driving themselves into a debt pit. They also pawn drones and thermal imagers, which harms not only them, but also their fellow citizens.

• In 2023, Ukrainians spent almost 400 million hryvnias in online casinos every day, or more than 12 billion a month, as reported by "Economichna Pravda" with reference to the National Bank. This industry most often affects military personnel, who then suffer from gambling addiction.