Following the directive from the State Special Communications, on July 8, 2025, Ukraine closed down 133 illegal online casinos.

This was reported by the Association of Ukrainian Gambling Business Operators (AUAOB).

«Today, the Security Service of Ukraine, State Special Communications, NKEK, and the Association of Ukrainian Gambling Business Operators completed a large-scale joint operation to block 133 illegal online casinos operating in the Ukrainian internet space. The relevant directive from State Special Communications dated 01.07.2025 No. 435/3236 regarding the blocking of IP addresses/websites was sent to Ukrainian internet providers and relevant associations on July 3, 2025, and is mandatory for execution within three working days,» the statement reads.

According to estimates from AUAOB, the shadow business that has been stopped was generating between 3 to 5 billion UAH in illegal turnover quarterly.

The operations of illegal online casinos were blocked using technical and software tools. Additionally, illegal financial processing was halted, and corresponding P2P payments were frozen.

The association reports that currently up to 50% of the gambling market remains in the shadows, resulting in the state missing out on up to 10 billion UAH annually. In contrast, licensed gambling operators paid over 17 billion UAH in taxes last year, and from January to April 2025, they contributed 6.4 billion UAH.

As emphasized by AUAOB President Oleksandr Kogut, illegal casinos, most of which have roots in the Russian Federation, cause direct harm to the state, legitimate businesses, and, most importantly, to Ukrainian citizens. These sites, which are often cloned after being blocked, carry a very high risk of fraud and leakage of players' personal and financial data.

AUAOB reminded that as of February 14, 2025, the formation and implementation of state policy in the field of gambling in Ukraine is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Digital Transformation. On March 21, 2025, the Cabinet of Ministers decided to establish a new central executive authority - the state agency «PlayCity». Fighting illegal casinos is one of the priority tasks of the new gambling regulator.

As reported, within two weeks of its operation, the agency «PlayCity» identified and referred 824 illegal online casinos for blocking to the National Commission regulating electronic communications, radio frequency spectrum, and postal services.