Gambling Licenses Canceled for Companies Linked to Aggressor State
Ukraine’s state agency PlayCity has revoked the gambling licenses of two companies after uncovering their connections to the aggressor state. The brands Favbet casino, Favbet poker, and Billionaire have lost the right to operate in Ukraine’s gambling market. This decision follows legal requirements that prohibit businesses with ties to the country waging war against Ukraine.
“The grounds for revoking the licenses were the discovered links between the companies and the aggressor state. As a result, the brands Favbet casino, Favbet poker, and Billionaire are now banned from the Ukrainian gambling market,” PlayCity stated.
Strategy to Combat Gambling Addiction
In addition, Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation has developed a strategy to fight gambling addiction. Problem gambling has been officially recognized as a threat to national security. Alongside the license revocations, the Commission for the Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries fined the company All City Games (online casino SlotCity) more than 4.3 million hryvnias. Another firm, Limon LLC, received a fine of the same amount.
“The position is clear: there is no place in Ukraine for businesses linked to the aggressor state. This is a direct requirement of the law. The gambling market must operate legally, transparently, and without connections to the country waging war against Ukraine,” said Hennadii Novikov.
This move is part of a broader Ukrainian strategy to combat gambling addiction and purge the gambling market of influence from companies tied to aggressive states. Beyond license cancellations, the imposed fines signal stepped-up oversight by government authorities. All these measures aim to ensure legality and transparency in Ukraine’s gambling industry, a critical aspect of national security during wartime.
In light of recent developments, the regulatory landscape for online gambling in Ukraine is tightening. This follows not only the revocation of licenses from Favbet and Billionaire but also significant penalties imposed on other operators. For instance, SlotCity faced a hefty fine for regulatory violations, highlighting the government's commitment to ensuring compliance and integrity within the gambling sector.