Gambling and sports betting websites are banned from advertising in Ukraine

The new changes introduce a complete ban on gambling games and bookmakers advertising in Ukraine, and they will be valid until the adoption of the law combatting gambling addiction, which is currently being considered by the Ukrainian parliament.

The Cabinet of Ministers adopted amendments to the "Some issues of countering the negative consequences caused by gambling games operation on the Internet" resolution that restricts where gambling games and bookmakers may advertise in the country.

Paragraph 1 of Cabinet of Minister's resolution No. 566 (from May 17, 2024) was ammended by adding the words "all forms" in subsection 1 following the words "restriction order", and adds "namely prohibitions' following "by way of restriction", the resolution said.

The May 17 version provided for a ban on gambling advertising, including the symbols of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and other symbols used to conduct gambling through electronic communications.

The problem of gambling addiction among military personnel became widely publicized in March 2024 after Ukrainian soldier Pavlo Petrychenko (died in April 2024) spearheaded a petition on March 29 calling for strict regulations on online casinos.

Many soldiers turn to gambling as a coping mechanism for stress, often leading to addiction, Petrychenko said. The petition garnered the necessary 25,000 votes within hours.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged authorities to gather comprehensive statistics on the issue.

Zelenskyy enacted the decision of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) concerning restrictions on online gambling, issuing the decree on the Presidential Office website on April 20.