Ukraine is further consolidating its monitoring capabilities over the country’s gambling system. Previously, the Ministry of Digital Transformation said that it would be introducing a monitoring system that would track gambling transactions and look for compliance among regulated operators.
Ukraine goes ahead with its live monitoring system
On Sunday, August 31, the system was officially deployed, and it will support the newly established gambling regulator, PlayCity, in ensuring that all licensed companies comply with the prerequisites.
The monitoring system will track bets, returns, and winnings, and verify data submitted by operators in real-time, thus eliminating any room for unauthorized gambling or breaches of the existing law. While these measures could prove efficient, they still do not address the main issue at hand – illegal gambling.
For the most part, Ukraine has chosen to go against offshore gambling, which President Volodymyr Zelenskyy fears could be funding the Russian Federation’s war against his country. The new measures, though, focus firmly on regulated licenses.
Providing they all abide by the law, the system should only theoretically target bad actors. Most of the measures debated currently focus on strengthening regulatory oversight over B2B suppliers and operators, though PlayCity has also been given a mandate to go after and shutter illegal gambling websites.
Websites linked to Russia are still proliferating among illegal operators
A proposed measure is to similarly enact a complete ban on gambling advertisements, which could have an adverse impact, nevertheless, driving more people into the offshore sector. In the meantime, the National Bank of Ukraine estimates that as much as €8m might be spent on gambling daily by country citizens at various gambling platforms.
PlayCity has also vowed to work closely with other organizations, including the State Bureau of Investigation, which has taken a particular interest in dismantling gambling websites that it might deem to be tied to Russia and to be funding its war against Ukraine.
