Ukraine's newly established gambling regulatory body PlayCity is undertaking a reshaping of the national lottery market and has proposed a licensing resolution draft. It is expected to raise over 10 million Ukrainian hryvnias (approximately $242 million) through lottery licenses to support military defense.
PlayCity announced via Telegram that the new licensing scheme aims to establish a system of competition and standardized payment processes, modernizing the lottery licensing process to replace the long-standing lack of regulation. The draft is currently in the public consultation phase, and the final content will be determined after feedback.
Once the resolution takes effect, PlayCity will be responsible for overseeing the licensing competition for the first state lottery operators and will complete the procedure within 60 days after the announcement. This plan is in collaboration with Ukraine's Ministry of Digital Transformation and is expected to raise significant funds for the country annually.
The regulatory body was established in June this year, replacing the Gambling and Lottery Regulation Commission (KRAIL), which was dissolved due to inefficiency. Since its establishment, PlayCity has actively pursued non-compliant entities, issuing fines totaling 3.2 million hryvnias to eight licensed casinos in early August for failing to submit mandatory reports.
This relaunch of the lottery market is also an important measure by the Ukrainian government to promote regulatory transparency and digitalization against the backdrop of national martial law. In the future, the digital sector will develop a national online monitoring system to track gambling activities, refine tax policies, and ensure transparent licensing and controlled market operations.
Through this series of reforms, Ukraine not only hopes to restore order to the lottery industry but also closely integrates fundraising capabilities with national security goals, achieving dual benefits in finance and defense.
