Ukraine’s regulator established an online complaint form for the public last month to report illegal gambling ads.
PlayCity, Ukraine’s gambling regulator, has established direct communication channels with major digital platforms, including the emerging social platform Kick in order to curb illegal gambling advertising.
Kick is a live-streaming platform, founded in 2022 as a competitor to Twitch.
The measure, announced on Monday, aimed to accelerate the removal of content promoting unlicensed gambling as operators and streamers increasingly leverage social media to reach Ukrainian audiences.
Under the expanded enforcement framework, PlayCity would work directly with platform teams at TikTok, YouTube, Meta (Instagram/Facebook), Twitch, Viber, Google and Kick.
It would enable the regulator to promptly report suspected breaches, request content verification, and seek restrictions on accounts, channels, or posts that violate Ukraine’s advertising regulations related to gambling.
Enforcement outcomes
PlayCity reported notable early results from this proactive approach. In the past month alone, 37 social media accounts have been blocked across platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Twitch, and Kick. These channels collectively had an audience exceeding 895,000 followers. Two Kick channels were also removed in the last week as a result of the regulator’s flagged complaints.
Since launching an accessible online complaint form, PlayCity has received 425 reports of illegal advertising, including 19 during June.
Over the entire duration of its campaign, the regulator has restricted access to 785 profiles exhibiting non-compliant gambling advertisements on social and streaming platforms.
Upon submission, complaints are initially screened by PlayCity’s staff to determine whether the reported material violates Ukraine’s regulations on gambling advertising.
Two-stage enforcement process
PlayCity employed a structured enforcement process consisting of two stages. The first will be a referral for takedown. Content suspected of breaching laws is submitted to the respective platforms for removal or restriction.
The second is an investigation and sanctions. Concurrently, PlayCity will identify the responsible parties behind the ads. Should offenders be determined, the agency can apply financial penalties. Violations incur a fine close to UAH5.2 million ($155,678).
If identification is not possible using public registries, PlayCity states it is committed to involving law enforcement authorities to pursue further action.
In PlayCity’s recent inaugural year report, the regulator revealed fines in excess of UAH988 million had been imposed on gambling organisers due to legal violations, alongside roughly UAH80 million in penalties for breaches of advertising regulations.
Importantly, not all complaints yield fines. Content that does not legally meet definitions of illegal gambling advertising is exempted from penalties, and complainants receive notification if their case is dismissed.
Ukraine’s advertising laws restrict such promotions, particularly to prevent targeting minors and mandate clear disclosure of licensed operators.
