During the drafting process, it was pointed out that cancelling a gaming license should be an essential enforcement tool. Under AML/CFT, gambling and lottery operators are subject to primary financial supervision and must conduct customer due diligence (CDD) for suspicious transactions or transactions above UAH 55,000 (equivalent to EUR 1,720) involving cash payments, PEPs and transfers to/from a FATF-listed jurisdiction. Compliance with AML/CFT requirements is a reason for the trader to refuse or delay the payment of a prize or the return of a bet. Virtual sports betting, fantasy football, is illegal in Ukraine. Winnings are subject to an income tax of 18% and a military tax of 1.5%, which must be withheld by the gaming or lottery operator as a “tax agent”. All gaming equipment, with the exception of gaming tables, must be connected directly or via the operator`s online system (platform) for the conduct of games of chance to the state system of online monitoring. Update: After exactly 10 years, gambling in Ukraine was legalized again in 2020 in accordance with Law No. 768-IX of 2020 – On State Regulation of Activities for the Organization and Conduct of Gambling4, which is currently the main text of Ukrainian gambling legislation. Crimea is no longer part of Ukraine (although they claim otherwise), gambling laws applicable to Crimea can be found here. No, currently none of the online gambling licenses issued in Ukraine cover bingo.
Even though online bingo is not banned, it makes it de facto impossible. Previous enforcement practices predated the legalisation of gambling by the Gambling Act, which was passed on the 14th. August 2020, relevant. New laws have introduced the licensing system for online casinos, land-based gambling and betting sites, lotteries and testing labs that provide services to the industry. The gambling operator must be based in Ukraine, i.e. be incorporated and act in accordance with the laws of Ukraine. Gambling age Ukraine: The legal gambling age in Ukraine is 21+ (excluding the lottery, which is 18+) Land-based sites that try to stay off-grid have also been targeted by authorities. In June 2021, for example, a number of illegal gambling halls disguised as stores or kiosks were discovered and fined. Many protested the move because Ukraine had a thriving gambling sector that provided jobs for thousands of people and generated significant tax revenue despite widespread tax evasion and offshore bank accounts.
Despite opposition, the law was signed by President Viktor Yushchenko on 23 June 2009 (with effect from 2010). The detailed procedure for licensing gambling activities is governed by the Law on Gambling and the Conditions for Granting Gambling Licenses, approved by the Decision of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 1341 of December 21, 2020. Today, the new gambling law legitimizes the main types of gambling. In particular, casinos, online casinos, betting shops, including online, slot machine lounges and online poker, can now operate legally as long as they meet all requirements. The applicable tax rates are set out in the Tax Code of Ukraine5. Below are the tax rates on gambling in Ukraine. The online supply of any relevant product (including the use of a mobile application) requires an operator to obtain the appropriate license (online casino games, betting, online poker, lotteries). Since this legalization is relatively new and the licensing process takes years, there are currently (at the time of writing) no land-based casinos in the country. This is still the case today, and non-bank poker (often called sports poker in Ukraine) still does not require a gaming license. The Gambling Law in Ukraine prohibits the distribution of websites, mobile applications or other gambling devices for participation in gambling that provide access to servers or databases of persons who are not licensed operators under the law. On 6 January 2010, the Cabinet of Ministers excluded gambling from the list of economic activities eligible for licensing.
[7] This can be read in Resolution No. 14 of the Council of Ministers of 6 January. Football fans had gathered in an arcade in the Ukrainian city of Dnipropetrovsk to watch the 2009 Champions League semi-final between Barcelona and Chelsea. Taxes and tax regulations related to gambling and lotteries are governed exclusively by the Tax Code of Ukraine. A gambling operator must use its online system (platform) to conduct gambling, which: Even online gambling sites that really had nothing to do with it were thrown under the bus, ending Ukraine`s slow-growing internet gambling sector. This page is part of Simon`s Interactive Map of the Legal Satus of Online Gambling, an authoritative guide to the legal status of all forms of online gambling in the world`s 196 countries. 2.9 How do anti-money laundering, financial services regulations or payment restrictions limit or affect businesses that offer gambling? Does your jurisdiction allow the use of virtual currencies for gambling and are they regulated separately? The Gambling Act does not allow the use of virtual currencies for gambling. The Law “On Virtual Assets”, adopted on 8 September 2021, although rejected and sent back to Parliament, clearly states that virtual assets are not legal tender in Ukraine. Under the Gambling Act, gambling operators must notify the regulator of any changes to the information contained in the operator`s licence files within one month.
Only licensed online gambling sites can accept players from Ukraine. You can see a list of these licensed online betting sites on this site. The use of unlicensed gambling sites is illegal. You can read about the reason for the gambling ban in 2009, the Dnipro fire in 2009 in the Metro Jack Pot gambling establishment, in the history of gambling in Ukraine above. FAQ section Below are some of the frequently asked questions about gambling in Ukraine. Click the drop-down menu below to view the questions and answers. Maltese licenses are expensive but very prestigious. The licence fee is EUR 25 000, the processing of the application EUR 2,3 000 and the renewal of the licence EUR 1,5 000. There are four classes of Maltese licences: Class 1 – for table casino games, slots and lotteries, Class 2 – for betting, Class 3 – for betting exchanges, pools and poker rooms, and Class 4 – for online gambling. “More than ten foreign companies showed interest in the Ukrainian gambling market when the tax bill was passed in first reading,” he said.
“And I think if it passes, we`ll see more investors in Ukraine, and that`s natural because Ukraine is the biggest gambling market in Europe and we`ll see that later.” Operators paid hundreds of millions of euros in taxes and tens of millions of dollars in gaming license fees. All forms of bloodthirsty sports are considered cruelty to animals and are illegal in Ukraine. Betting on bloodthirsty sports is also illegal. If you are planning to start a business in Ukraine, it is a good idea to discuss it with specialists who understand the local licensing system and have experience with the application process. Slotegrator`s own legal experts are one such option. They can help you evaluate the pros and cons, understand if it fits your budget, and guide you through the process step by step during a free consultation. In any case, it`s a good idea to research and study your target market. Always look before you jump. Between 2010 and 2020, Ukrainian gamblers exclusively used illegally and unlicensed online gambling sites instead of local alternatives.
And to date, placing bets with illegally operated offshore betting sites is very widespread. And it is considered completely normal and acceptable by the population.