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Gambling licences in Ukraine are issued by PlayCity, the successor to KRAIL. In 2026 an online casino pays UAH 56.2M for a 5-year licence, and until the state online monitoring system (DSOM) goes live the yearly part is tripled: UAH 33.7M a year. Only a Ukrainian legal entity can hold one, with at least UAH 30M of capital in cash, a UAH 62.3M payout guarantee, a .UA domain and servers in Ukraine. The decision takes 15 working days, and the application can be filed via Diia.
Who issues the licence and under which law
Since 2025 a new agency runs the market, and the rules come from Law 768-IX as amended by reform Law 4116-IX.
The basis is Ukrainian Law 768-IX on state regulation of gambling. Online, only internet casinos, betting and internet poker are allowed, each under a licence and on certified equipment connected to DSOM. The regulator is the State Agency PlayCity, operating since 30.05.2025; KRAIL licences remain valid until they expire.
| Date | What changed |
|---|---|
| 01.04.2025 | Reform Law 4116-IX took effect: a new regulator, payments only via Ukrainian banks, B2B only for residents, new advertising rules |
| 30.05.2025 | PlayCity started work and resumed licensing |
| 16.01.2026 | Maximum spend and time limits apply (Ministry of Digital Transformation order 207) |
| 10.04.2026 | DSOM launched in test mode |
| 01.05.2026 | Licence applications can be filed via the Diia portal |
| 13.05.2026 | PlayCity is now coordinated by the Cabinet via the Prime Minister; the ministry still sets policy |
| 20.08.2026 | 28 of 31 licensed operators are connected to DSOM |
| 26.08.2026 | The Cabinet approved a state gambling policy strategy to 2035 |
What the licence costs in 2026
The fee is set in minimum wages and paid every year in equal parts.
| 5-year licence | By law | For 5 years | Per year until DSOM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online casino | 6,500 MW | UAH 56,205,500 | UAH 33,723,300 (x3) |
| Betting | 30,000 MW | UAH 259,410,000 | UAH 155,646,000 (x3) |
| Online poker | 5,000 MW | UAH 43,235,000 | UAH 8,647,000 |
| Gambling services (B2B) | 300 MW | UAH 2,594,100 | UAH 518,820 |
MW: the minimum wage, UAH 8,647 on 01.01.2026. Our calculation under Articles 53-57 of Law 768-IX. Only online casinos and bookmakers pay the tripled amount; poker and B2B pay the normal part.
Why three times more: the law requires the yearly part to be paid in triple until the day DSOM is put into operation. As of October 2026 the system runs in test mode with no go-live decision, so the tripling applies. A cross-check: in April 2026 PlayCity issued an online casino licence worth over UAH 33M. Once DSOM goes live, the online casino yearly part drops to UAH 11.2M.
- The first year is paid within 10 working days of the decision notice; without payment the licence is not entered in the register.
- Each following year is paid at least 30 days before it starts. A delay of over 2 months is grounds to revoke the licence.
- Fees are not refunded if the licence ends. Filing the application is free.
Requirements for the company
A foreign operator can work only through a Ukrainian legal entity that meets every requirement.
- A Ukrainian resident legal entity whose main business is gambling. An individual cannot hold a licence.
- At least UAH 30M of share capital in cash, not from public funds, with source of funds documents.
- A winnings payout guarantee: a deposit or bank guarantee of 7,200 MW, UAH 62,258,400 in 2026.
- Owner checks: a spotless business reputation for the CEO, chief accountant and owners, disclosed ultimate beneficial owners, no sanctions and no founders from jurisdictions that ignore FATF recommendations.
- A .UA domain only, owned or used by the operator and listed in the register. One licence = one brand.
- Servers in Ukraine: the online system's hardware is hosted and processes data only in Ukraine.
- Certification of the online system by a certification body on the regulator's list, and connection to DSOM within 10 days of the licence date.
- Staff aged 21 or over. Banks, financial institutions and non-profits cannot be operators.
Rules for players and money
The costliest breaches are here: payment violations bring a fine and revocation on the first offence.
- Players aged 21+ and KYC before play: full name, age and a check against the Register of restricted persons. Online via a qualified e-signature, MobileID or BankID; a selfie with ID or a video call may be requested.
- Self-exclusion from 6 months to 3 years, irrevocable, and a request to one operator applies to all. The operator pays out a listed player within 5 days and closes access. Over 16,000 people were listed on 28.04.2026.
- Limits are set by the player before play, within the maximums: online up to 15%, 25% and 40% of stated average monthly income per day, week and month, play time up to 6, 21 and 100 hours, and a 15-minute break after 2 hours.
- Loss-based bonuses are banned: the law prohibits rewards that directly or indirectly depend on losses. This matters for cashback.
- One account and one payment account per player: no third-party accounts or top-ups.
- Settlement only in money and only through current accounts at Ukrainian banks. Payment institutions, e-money institutions, postal operators and commercial agents are banned, and the operator's bank cannot bring in other providers. Crypto and P2P card transfers are out.
- Credit funds: under NBU resolution 72, payment providers do not process credit-funded payments to online operators.
- A site in Ukrainian: licence details, rules, payout times, support, responsible gambling materials, a 21+ warning, RTP and a real-time clock on every page.
How to get the licence: steps and timing
About a month from application to decision if the file is complete.
In person in Kyiv, by post or electronically, including via Diia signed with the company's qualified e-signature. Filed by the CEO or an authorised person, free of charge.
An incomplete file or wrong form puts the application on hold. No record in the state register means it is not reviewed.
Grant or refuse, with notice within 5 working days. A refusal can be appealed administratively or in court.
After payment the licence is entered in the public register of operators.
Cabinet access with a qualified e-signature, data exchange via API. Failing to connect within 10 days is grounds for revocation.
Documents for an online casino
- An application in the licensing conditions form and a document list in 2 copies.
- Incorporation documents, an extract for any foreign founder no older than 90 days, and the signatory's authority.
- An independent auditor's report on the share capital and source of funds documents.
- Clean criminal record certificates for the CEO, chief accountant, significant owners and UBOs, plus the ownership structure.
- Rights to the .UA domain, hosting provider and registrar details, and brand rights.
- Foreign documents are legalised or apostilled and translated into Ukrainian.
Grounds for refusal: false information, non-compliance with the law, an unspent conviction of managers or owners for economic or computer crimes, an untraceable capital source, or AML violations.
Operator and player taxes
The operator pays two taxes at once and withholds 23% from player winnings.
| Tax | Rate as of October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Gaming income tax | 18% of income minus player payouts, essentially of GGR |
| Profit tax | 18% on top: the gaming tax does not reduce taxable profit, so it is double taxation |
| On player winnings | 18% income tax plus a 5% levy, withheld by the operator as tax agent |
In March 2026 the ministry put a draft up for discussion: a single 18% rate without double taxation, and player tax only on the positive difference between payouts and deposits. As of October 2026 it is still a draft and the current rates stand. More on taxes across countries in gaming tax.
Fines and revocation
Fines are set in minimum wages, and payment breaches cost the licence on the first offence.
| Breach | MW | In 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Payment rules: non-bank providers, P2P, third-party money | 1,000 | UAH 8,647,000 plus revocation |
| Player protection: 21+, the restriction register, loss-based bonuses, limits, one account | 500 | UAH 4,323,500 |
| Non-compliant advertising (each party) | 600 | UAH 5,188,200 |
| Reports missing or false | 150 | UAH 1,297,050 |
| No access to the online system during an inspection | 100 | UAH 864,700 |
| Late reports, software from an unlicensed supplier | 50 | UAH 432,350 |
The regulator does impose them: in its first year PlayCity fined operators over UAH 988M, UAH 946M in April 2026 alone. On 22.04.2026 one of the largest online casinos lost its licence over P2P payments (the decision was suspended by a court from 24.04.2026). Operating without a licence is a criminal offence under Article 203-2 of the Criminal Code.
How many licences are active
| Metric | Value | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Online casino licences | 21 | 01.01.2026 |
| Betting licences | 5 | 01.01.2026 |
| Online poker | 2 | 01.01.2026 |
| B2B licences | 34 | 01.01.2026 |
| Operators connected to DSOM | 28 of 31 | 20.08.2026 |
| Illegal sites blocked | over 4,100 in a year | 01.06.2026 |
Sources: the PlayCity 2025 report (31.03.2026) and PlayCity news of 01.06.2026 and 20.08.2026.
Studies by Kantar, Gradus and Factum cited in the government strategy put the illegal segment at 39-53%. For players, payments, providers and the market calendar see the Ukraine GEO page, and for launch budgets the article on how to start an online casino.
How to verify a licence and the B2B rules
The regulator keeps free public registers of online casino, betting and poker operators, plus lists of B2B licences and certification bodies, under Open Data on the PlayCity site. The register shows each site address, so a domain from an ad is easy to check. The register files are not updated daily, so look at the last modified date.
Signs of an illegal site according to PlayCity: a licence from another jurisdiction (Curacao, Anjouan), a site in a foreign language, deposits in crypto or to a personal card, a non-.ua domain, and no identification before betting.
B2B. There is no separate provider licence; there is a gambling services licence: 300 MW for 5 years, UAH 2,594,100 in 2026, with no capital or guarantee requirement. Since 01.04.2025 only Ukrainian entities holding it may supply software used directly in gambling. An operator using an unlicensed supplier faces a 50 MW fine.
Frequently asked questions
How much is an online casino licence in Ukraine?
In 2026 it is 6,500 minimum wages, UAH 56,205,500 for 5 years. Until DSOM goes live the yearly part is paid in triple: UAH 33,723,300 a year. On top you need UAH 30M of capital and a UAH 62.3M payout guarantee.
Who issues gambling licences in Ukraine?
The State Agency PlayCity. It replaced KRAIL in 2025, and KRAIL licences remain valid until they expire.
Can a foreign company get a licence?
Not directly: only a Ukrainian resident entity can hold one. Foreign founders are possible if they pass reputation, sanctions and source of funds checks and are not from jurisdictions that ignore FATF recommendations.
How long does it take?
A 5-working-day completeness check, a 15-working-day decision, 10 working days to pay the first year and 10 days to connect to DSOM. About a month with a complete file, though preparing capital, the guarantee, servers and certification takes longer.
Can you accept crypto or card-to-card transfers?
No. Settlement is only in money through current accounts at Ukrainian banks, and non-bank providers are banned. A breach costs UAH 8,647,000 and the licence on the first offence.
Does a game provider need its own licence?
Yes, a gambling services (B2B) licence: UAH 2,594,100 for 5 years in 2026. Only a Ukrainian entity holding it can work with Ukrainian operators.
How do you check whether a casino has a Ukrainian licence?
Open the registers under Open Data on the PlayCity site and look up the casino domain: a licensed operator's site is on .ua and listed in the register.
The bottom line: the Ukrainian licence is expensive but transparent. Before launch budget UAH 33.7M a year in fees, UAH 30M of capital and a UAH 62.3M guarantee, servers in Ukraine and a bank-only cashier. Timing and fines are known in advance, and the biggest risks sit in payments and player protection.
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