TLDR
- Ukraine’s gambling regulator PlayCity launched an online tool for citizens to report illegal gambling ads directly through its website
- The platform accepts links, screenshots, and videos across media types including social networks, TV, radio, and outdoor ads
- The system auto-saves disappearing content like social media stories so regulators can review them after they expire
- Violators face fines up to ₴5,188,200 ($120,000), and PlayCity is working with Meta, Google, TikTok, YouTube, and others to block illegal ads
- PlayCity replaced Ukraine’s former gambling authority KRAIL in June 2025 and has since issued nearly ₴80 million ($1.8 million) in fines
Ukraine’s gambling regulator has taken another step toward cleaning up illegal advertising in the country’s gaming sector. PlayCity, the agency responsible for overseeing gambling activity, has launched a new digital platform that allows ordinary citizens to flag unlawful gambling ads.
The tool is now live on PlayCity’s official website. It replaces what was previously a paper-heavy complaint process with a short online form.
Users start by selecting the type of media where they spotted the ad. Options include social networks, websites, television, radio, outdoor advertising, and other channels.
From there, they can upload supporting evidence. This includes links, screenshots, or video clips of the offending content.
How the Reporting System Works
Once a complaint is submitted, the materials are stored automatically in PlayCity’s system. Complainants receive email updates as their case progresses through the review process.
One feature of the platform addresses content that disappears quickly. Social media stories, for example, often vanish within 24 hours.
If a user includes a link to a story, the system downloads it right away. This means PlayCity staff can still review the content even after it has expired online.
“We continue to digitalize processes in the field of gambling regulation and make interaction with PlayCity even more convenient,” the regulator said in a press release last week.
Each complaint is first reviewed by PlayCity to determine whether the ad violates Ukrainian law. When a violation is confirmed, the regulator can order social media platforms to take the content down.
Pages that repeatedly post illegal gambling ads risk being shut down entirely. In cases where PlayCity cannot identify the responsible party, law enforcement may be brought in to trace them.
The regulator is authorized to issue fines of up to ₴5,188,200, which is roughly $120,000, for illegal gambling advertising.
PlayCity’s Broader Crackdown on Illegal Ads
PlayCity has also been building direct relationships with major tech platforms. It is currently working with Meta, Google, TikTok, Twitch, Viber, and YouTube to limit the reach of unlicensed gambling content.
Last month, PlayCity announced a partnership with YouTube specifically aimed at blocking illegal gambling ads on the platform.
As part of that effort, one YouTube channel with more than 3,000 subscribers was taken down after posting gambling ads. A separate video promoting an illegal casino was removed from a channel with over 133,000 subscribers.
PlayCity itself is a relatively new agency. It was launched in June 2025 to replace the Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries, known as KRAIL.
KRAIL had been dissolved the year before due to delays in licensing and outdated procedures. The Ukrainian government decided a fresh start was needed.
In the eleven months since its launch, PlayCity has moved quickly. The agency has issued nearly ₴80 million, or about $1.8 million, in fines for illegal gambling activity.
It has also shifted Ukraine’s entire gambling licensing process online through Diia, the country’s digital government services platform.
