The Ukrainian government has introduced its first comprehensive strategy aimed at tackling gambling addiction, officially recognized as exacerbated by the ongoing war. This initiative, approved by the cabinet of ministers on August 26, 2026, comes with a three-year operational plan stretching from 2027 to 2029 and is outlined in Order No. 855‑r. The strategy calls for 40 public agencies to collaborate in reducing the social and economic consequences of gambling by 2035.
Acknowledging gambling addiction as a significant public health issue and a threat to national security, Kyiv's new approach consolidates efforts across health, social services, education, defense, and the gambling regulator PlayCity, alongside the Ministry of Digital Transformation. The initiative adopts a unified framework for both implementation and oversight.
The strategy sets out five primary goals, focusing on promoting healthy lifestyles, timely treatment, and social support for individuals struggling with gambling disorders. It aims to encourage responsible gambling practices while combating illegal operations and developing a data-driven evaluation system.
Concrete measures outlined in the operational plan for 2027 to 2029 include launching a national public awareness campaign, integrating gambling risk education into school curriculums, and ensuring healthcare providers routinely screen for gambling problems. The plan promises to enhance access to psychological treatment and rehabilitation services, especially for military personnel and veterans. Systematic blocking of illegal gambling sites and advertisements will become part of the strategy, accompanied by annual progress reports managed by the Ministry of Digital Transformation starting in 2028.
Contextualizing these efforts, the strategy points to the prolonged war as a factor intensifying susceptibility to harmful behaviors, particularly within the armed forces, veterans, young people, and socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals. Recently, the gambling regulator implemented an automated system to prevent military personnel from accessing online gambling sites.
Evidence suggests that while Ukraine's regulated gambling market, as of January 1, includes 34 licensed operators for various forms of gambling, illegal gambling remains pervasive. Between June and December 2025, PlayCity identified 2,844 unlicensed gambling websites—about 113 such sites per licensed operator—and 76 unlicensed venues. Independent studies estimate that between 39% and 53% of gambling activities transpire within the informal sector.
Survey findings show that 86% of respondents prefer licensed online casinos, with 78% expressing no desire to turn to unlicensed platforms. Among users of illegal gambling sites, motivations include easy registration (33%), anonymity (17%), and fewer restrictions (16%). Clinical diagnoses of pathological gambling in Ukraine remain relatively low, with data revealing only 308 formal diagnoses and fewer than 100 receiving treatment under the national medical guarantees program each year.
