PlayCity Orders Blocking of 198 Illegal Gambling Domains

PlayCity Orders Blocking of 198 Illegal Gambling Domains

Ukraine’s gambling regulator has taken a further step to assert control over the country’s online gambling market, ordering internet service providers to block access to 198 websites identified as operating without a valid licence. The measure follows a monitoring process conducted by the State Agency of Ukraine for Gambling and Lotteries, known as PlayCity. It reflects an increasingly firm enforcement approach in the digital space.

The decision is formalised in Resolution No. 167-R, which was adopted after PlayCity reviewed online platforms offering gambling-related services to Ukrainian users. According to the regulator, the websites named in the resolution were found to be organising gambling activity, conducting betting, or enabling access to such services without holding authorisation under Ukrainian law. None of the platforms were listed in the country’s official licensing registers.

The scope of the order is broad. The list includes online casinos, betting websites, and platforms that support cryptocurrency-based gambling. Among the domains explicitly named is Polymarket, a prediction market platform that has faced regulatory questions in multiple jurisdictions due to the nature of its services and its licensing status. Ukrainian authorities have taken the view that such platforms fall within the definition of gambling when they involve wagering on outcomes with monetary value.

Under the resolution, PlayCity has instructed electronic communications providers to restrict access to all domains on the published list. Telecom operators in Ukraine are legally required to comply with such orders once issued by the regulator and communicated through the appropriate channels. The blocking requirement applies regardless of where the websites are based, provided they are accessible to users within Ukraine.

The resolution also outlines a structured process for implementing and overseeing the restrictions. PlayCity’s digital oversight department has been tasked with notifying the national telecommunications regulator within three days of the decision. At the same time, the full list of blocked websites must be transferred to law enforcement authorities and made publicly available on PlayCity’s official website. This publication is intended to provide clarity to operators, service providers, and users on which platforms are deemed non-compliant.

Beyond issuing the initial order, PlayCity is expected to monitor the effectiveness of the blocking measures. This includes assessing whether internet service providers have implemented the restrictions correctly and whether access remains available through alternative technical routes. The regulator has indicated that oversight will continue beyond the initial enforcement phase, reflecting an awareness of how quickly online operators can adapt.

The resolution also makes clear that failure to comply with the blocking order may lead to further action. If internet service providers do not restrict access as required, PlayCity may issue formal notifications to the telecommunications watchdog and initiate additional supervisory measures. While specific penalties are not detailed in the document, the language signals that compliance is not optional and that enforcement tools are available.

Ukraine’s decision fits into a broader effort to regulate online gambling following the legalisation of the sector. Since opening the market to licensed operators, authorities have faced the ongoing challenge of addressing unlicensed platforms that continue to target Ukrainian users. Many of these websites operate from outside the country, which limits the effectiveness of traditional enforcement tools and places greater emphasis on technical measures such as domain blocking.

Blocking access to unlicensed websites has become a central element of Ukraine’s regulatory strategy. While such measures do not eliminate demand for gambling services, regulators view them as a way to reduce visibility and limit access to platforms that operate without oversight. From a regulatory perspective, unlicensed operators raise concerns not only around tax compliance but also around player protection and the absence of safeguards required under Ukrainian law.

The inclusion of prediction markets and crypto-oriented platforms underscores how gambling regulation continues to evolve. These services often argue that they fall outside conventional gambling categories, but regulators in Ukraine appear to be applying a functional approach, focusing on whether an activity involves staking value on uncertain outcomes rather than how the platform describes itself.

Resolution No. 167-R does not indicate whether the affected operators were offered an opportunity to regularise their status before the blocking order was issued. Instead, the emphasis is on immediate access restrictions and coordination between regulatory and enforcement bodies. This suggests that PlayCity’s priority is to limit ongoing unlicensed activity while maintaining the integrity of the licensing system.

The decision also underscores the importance of cooperation between state institutions. By involving the telecommunications regulator and law enforcement agencies, PlayCity aims to ensure that the blocking process is implemented consistently and that any associated legal issues are addressed through existing mechanisms. Publishing the list of blocked domains further supports transparency and accountability.