Compliance Updates
Ukraine’s Evolving Gambling Landscape: Insights from the Panel of European Gaming Congress in Warsaw
The panel discussion last week, at the European Gaming Congress made me feel inspired to contemplate on critical facets of Ukraine’s burgeoning gambling industry, positioning the nation as an appealing prospect for Western European investors. Although unique challenges, including historical financial corruption and external pressures, exist, Ukraine’s European identity makes it an attractive hub for investment. As the country grapples with ongoing conflict, it must simultaneously address customary market concerns such as safeguarding against Russian interference and protecting the personal data of its citizens.
A striking parallel emerged between Ukraine’s gambling landscape and the realm of cryptocurrencies, where combating money laundering and terrorist financing poses significant challenges. The National Bank, equipped with the capacity to monitor financial flows, plays a pivotal role, in conjunction with law enforcement agencies. A comprehensive strategy to combat mis-selling and gray schemes is being executed by the National Bank of Ukraine, alongside the Commission and the Ministry of Finance, resulting in the revocation of licenses, particularly among operators with Russian ties. Comparable license revocations have occurred in several European nations that have issued cryptocurrency licenses.
However, amid the ongoing struggle against these challenges, errors have emerged, exemplified by the imposition of sanctions on prominent Ukrainian industry leaders like Parimatch and Pokermatch. These sanctions have not only significantly impacted the legal gambling sector but have also cast a shadow of caution over Western investors. Notably, the President’s directive to the Cabinet of Ministers, prompted by a citizen petition with 25,000 signatures, seeks to investigate the circumstances leading to the inclusion of Parimatch in the sanctions list of the National Security and Defense Council.
In the wake of the Parimatch case, it’s worth noting that the Cosmolot brand has also recently faced heightened scrutiny, with law enforcement agencies conducting searches and investigations, further emphasizing the need for a robust law enforcement process. Ukrainian Gambling Council, representing 80% of licensed gambling operators, committed to serving its members by actively working on player protection, advertising regulation, and acting as a valuable business ombudsman for the industry, contributing to a more secure and transparent gambling landscape in Ukraine.
As technical impediments are surmounted, the regulatory body demonstrates its efficiency. Critical issues, such as streamlining market access through license issuance, promoting responsible gambling, stricter advertisement rules, and reinvigorating investments, are coming to the fore.
Once the security concerns are addressed, Ukraine is poised to unleash pent-up demand in its gambling sector. This situation will spur investors to contemplate their entry into the market, whether through direct investment, partnerships, or mergers and acquisitions, underlining the evolving landscape of opportunities in Ukraine’s vibrant gambling industry.
Article by Viktoriya Zakrevskaya, Founding Member and Deputy Chairwoman for Communications, Ukrainian Gambling Council
Viktoriya was a speaker at the European Gaming Congress by Hipther, that took place on 31 October at the InterContinental Warsaw. She discussed the emerging Ukrainian iGaming market at the Panel “The Greek Odyssey, La Dolce Vita, La Fiesta Española, The Ukrainian Spirit, and The Portuguese Fado”.
Entain has officially urged the UK’s Independent Football Regulator (IFR) to ban Premier League clubs from accepting sponsorship from gambling operators that lack a UK license. The call was made in response to the IFR’s Second Licensing Consultation (CP 2/26), in which the IFR is seeking views on a new club licensing regime for the top five tiers of English men’s football.
The IFR’s draft already prohibits English football clubs from accepting income “connected to serious criminal conduct”. Entain is asking the regulator to confirm, in a single line of guidance, that the rule covers the unlicensed gambling operators currently sponsoring six Premier League clubs – operators that commit a criminal offence under section 33 of the Gambling Act 2005 every time they accept a bet from a British consumer.
Stella David, Chief Executive of Entain plc, said: “Premier League clubs are being sponsored by criminal gambling firms. The Independent Football Regulator can stop this tomorrow by simply acknowledging that unlicensed gambling companies targeting UK customers through English football are breaking the law – plain and simple. The regulator does not need any new powers, new legislation, or even a new rule to make this happen. In fact, it has already drafted one. We are asking the regulator to define and apply it before the next season begins. The IFR was created to fix English football’s governance failures. This is one of them.”
The scale of the unlicensed market is significant and growing. Research by Frontier Economics, commissioned by the Betting and Gaming Council, found that 1.5 million Britons stake £4.3 billion a year on unlicensed sites, which already account for 9% of the total UK gambling market, according to analysis by Yield Sec. One in five 18-to-24-year-olds has used illegal channels. An estimated 420,000 British schoolchildren are gambling on the black market, routed there through social media, VPNs and crypto wallets. The Gambling Commission has found that 67% of GamStop users (people who have actively excluded themselves from licensed gambling) report being targeted by black market advertising. Unlicensed operators conduct no affordability checks, offer no self-exclusion tools and answer to no regulator.
Football is one of the black market’s most effective acquisition channels. Research by WARC, commissioned by the Betting and Gaming Council, projects that unlicensed gambling sponsorship will account for more than half of all UK sports sponsorship spend by October 2027, with unregulated firms set to triple their spend on 2019/2020 levels. Yield Sec analysis found that 92% of online betting content in certain social media categories directs users to unlicensed sites. A 2024 audit by Deal Me Out found that 84% of relevant content creators reviewed promoted unlicensed operators.
Entain’s submission to the IFR sets out four specific recommendations:
• Confirm in guidance that income from gambling operators conducting unlicensed activity in the UK constitutes funds “connected to serious criminal conduct” for the IFR’s draft Annex B, Part IV.
• Add a board attestation to the Annual Declaration requiring directors to verify the licence status of any gambling operator with which the club holds a significant commercial arrangement. Annual Declarations are signed by directors and carry legal consequences for false attestation. A vague governance principle cannot create the same accountability.
• Strengthen the Football Club Corporate Governance Code to require boards to treat reputational risk from commercial partnerships as a standing governance responsibility, and to demonstrate proportionate oversight of partners in sectors associated with consumer harm.
• Publish general guidance applicable to all licensed clubs, setting out the due diligence and notification obligations that apply to gambling commercial partners. Entain argues that a club-by-club Discretionary Licence Condition approach is inadequate for what is plainly a market-wide problem: systemic risks require systemic responses.
The IFR’s consultation comes ahead of a forthcoming consultation by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on banning unlicensed gambling operators from sponsoring British sports teams.
Entain has also written to Richard Masters, Chief Executive of the Premier League, urging an immediate voluntary ban on sponsorship and advertising by unlicensed operators ahead of the 2026/27 season.
The post Entain Urges IFR to Ban Illegal Gambling Sponsorship appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
PlaySmart, a B2C online gaming operator, has been granted an Isle of Man gambling licence by the Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission (GSC).
The company said the approval supports its strategic expansion into the B2C market. Local iGaming consultancy firm SolutionsHub supported PlaySmart through the licensing process.
PlaySmart is part of the PlayGaming Group, described as a technology-led gaming platform provider. The group said the licence enables PlaySmart to offer services directly to players under the Isle of Man’s regulatory framework.
Nikola Trajkov, CEO at PlaySmart, said: “Securing an Isle of Man licence represents a major step forward for PlaySmart. As we expand into the B2C space, it was important for us to align with a jurisdiction known for its regulatory integrity and long-term stability.
The Isle of Man provides the certainty and strength that support sustainable growth. This licence allows us to move forward confidently as we continue building a scalable, player-focused business.”
James O’Kelly, Head of Corporate Development at SolutionsHub, added: “It has been a pleasure to support PlaySmart through the Isle of Man licensing process. The team demonstrated a clear commitment to high standards and operational readiness, and we look forward to seeing them grow their B2C offering from the Isle of Man.”
Lyle Wraxall, Chief Executive at Digital Isle of Man, added: “We are pleased to welcome PlaySmart to the Isle of Man’s iGaming sector. The Island continues to attract forward-thinking businesses that value strong regulation, long-term stability and a collaborative ecosystem. PlaySmart’s move into B2C reflects the confidence that technology-led operators place in the Island’s regulatory framework as a foundation for sustainable growth.”
The post PlaySmart secures Isle of Man gambling licence for B2C push appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
AGCO
AGCO Takes Enforcement Action Against Two Companies for Allowing Their Games on Unregulated Gaming Websites
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has served Relax Gaming Limited and Arrise Solutions Limited with Orders of Monetary Penalties of $40,000 each. The penalties follow an AGCO investigation that found games created by these companies were available on unregulated gambling websites accessible to Ontario players. Operators of gaming websites that are accessible within Ontario must be registered with the AGCO.
Ontario’s regulated iGaming market is built on clear, enforceable standards that require operators to include strong consumer protections, such as game integrity and responsible gaming safeguards. Unregulated gaming sites do not guarantee player protections or information security and increase the potential risk of harm to players and criminal activity, such as money-laundering and match-fixing. That is why the AGCO actively works to combat unlawful gaming in Ontario.
Relax Gaming and Arrise Solutions are both registered by the AGCO to create and supply slot and casino-style games for play on Ontario’s regulated gaming sites. The AGCO prohibits companies operating in the regulated iGaming market from offering their products to unregulated gaming websites available to Ontario players. Supplying games to such sites helps to sustain unregulated gaming operations.
The AGCO aims to disrupt unregulated gaming and its supply chains to safeguard Ontarians and maintain gaming integrity in the province. The agency monitors the market for regulated entities supplying the unregulated sector.
Following notification from AGCO investigators, both companies cooperated fully with the investigation and took prompt action to restrict access to their games by Ontario players on unregulated sites.
“Ontario’s regulated iGaming market is built on clear rules designed to protect players and hold companies accountable. Unregulated gaming sites operate outside that framework, meaning players have no assurance of fair games, timely withdrawals, or access to meaningful dispute resolution. When regulated games appear on unregulated sites, it risks enabling a market that exposes players to real harm,” said Dr. Karin Schnarr, Chief Executive Officer and Registrar of AGCO.
The post AGCO Takes Enforcement Action Against Two Companies for Allowing Their Games on Unregulated Gaming Websites appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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