Ukraine has opened its long-awaited licensing window for private lottery operators, following decades of debate and controversy. For years, lottery operators have thrived in the grey zone, with limited regulation and oversight. The government’s latest measure will revolutionise the industry with PlayCity at the helm, marking a new era of regulated lottery operations in the nation.
PlayCity Announces Lottery Licensing Window and Application Procedure: Keynotes at a Glance
- Ukraine will allot lottery licences based on open competition. Operators will be required to maintain records through a digital betting system, enabling authorities to monitor sales and payouts in real time.
- Each ticket and terminal will bear a unique QR code, allowing players to verify the place of sale and the legality of the equipment. The licensing window is now open, and PlayCity will continue accepting new applications till December 29, 2025.
- Each operator will pay UAH 22.4 million (roughly €456,179). Lawmakers estimate this will generate UAH 67 million (roughly €1,364,465) in licence fees annually. The new regulations will also increase tax revenue and eliminate illicit gambling.
Licensing Window to Remain Open Until December 29, 2025
Ukraine’s gambling regulator, PlayCity, is now accepting lottery licence applications. The announcement was made on Monday, December 1, on PlayCity’s Telegram channel. Interested operators will have 20 working days to submit all necessary documents. The licensing window will remain open until December 29, 2025.
This marks the beginning of a regulated online gambling environment in Ukraine, a plan that has been in development for some time. In September, the regulator announced it would start accepting new licence applications and validating existing permits shortly. The process has finally begun, marking the end of controversy and legal irregularity.
PlayCity has outlined the criteria and process for submitting applications.
- Companies that meet the legal requirements can submit a full package of documents specified in paragraph 11 of Resolution No. 1508 by December 29.
- Applicants must describe compliance with the competition criteria in the state language.
- A manager or authorised person must sign all documents.
Applications can be submitted in person at the PlayCity headquarters (3-B. Grinchenko St., Kyiv) or via email to [email protected]. Electronic documents must comply with Article 12 of the Law of Ukraine on Public Procurement, which deals with the Electronic Procurement System.
Ukrainian Cabinet Approves New State Lottery Regulations
Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation, in a press release on November 19, announced new regulations for the lottery market, which had been operating in the “grey zone” for the past 12 years. The Cabinet of Ministers approved new rules, putting an end to a powerful lobby of operators that disguised online gambling as lotteries.
Deputy Minister of Ukraine’s Digital Transformation, Natalia Denikeieva, announced the historic decision. She emphasised that the new regulations will not only increase state revenue but also put an end to black-market gambling operations.
Denikeieva said:
Over the years, the state budget has already received billions of hryvnias. The adoption of licensing conditions corrects this — we return lotteries to the legal field. Each operator will pay UAH 22.4 million, which is more than UAH 67 million annually from licence fees alone. Additionally, transparent reporting and turnover control will reduce shadow turnover, which will significantly increase tax revenues.
PlayCity issued the terms of the new licensing system via a Telegram post on November 19. The gambling watchdog confirmed that lottery licences will be exclusively available to operators following an open competition. Operators will have to maintain records through an electronic betting system, allowing authorities to keep track of sales and payouts in real time.
Each ticket and terminal will have a unique QR code, allowing players to verify the place of sale and the legality of the equipment. This is the first step towards amending the Law of Ukraine on State Lotteries, which lawmakers claim “contains a large number of shortcomings.” The current version lacks provisions for conducting inspections, identifying violators, and taking preemptive or corrective measures.
To quickly restore order and simultaneously update the legislation, the decrees were adopted for a period of martial law plus one year, but not less than three years. This will allow sufficient time for the Ministry of Digital Affairs to amend the law on lotteries, eliminating the monopoly of black-market operators and initiating an open market.
Since the war with Russia started, black-market gambling operations have thrived in Ukraine. Experts pointed to Russian-backed casinos targeting unsuspecting Ukrainians and channelling funds to fund the Russian campaign. This led Ukrainian operators to collaborate and develop a new platform for identifying illegal gambling sites.
The Ukrainian Cabinet established PlayCity on March 21, 2025, replacing the Commission for the Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries (CRGL), which was marred in controversies regarding opaque business practices. The new regulator functions under the supervision of Mykhailo Fedorov, the Deputy Prime Minister for Innovation, Education, Science, and Technology Development. Its purpose is to make Ukraine’s gambling environment safe and transparent.