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Ukraine’s Evolving Gambling Landscape: Insights from the Panel of European Gaming Congress in Warsaw

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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”.

 

Betsson Group

Betsson Group Shortlisted at the Global Regulatory Awards 2025

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Betsson Group has been shortlisted for “Legal Team of the Year” at the upcoming Global Regulatory Awards 2025 (GRAs), while its General Counsel, Corinne Valletta, has been nominated for “Chief Compliance Officer of the Year.”

Organised by Vixio Regulatory Intelligence, the Global Regulatory Awards celebrate excellence across the compliance and responsible gambling sectors, recognising individuals and teams who continuously raise industry standards and champion best practices.

These accolades testify to Betsson’s commitment to raising standards in compliance to ensure a safe and stable business.

The post Betsson Group Shortlisted at the Global Regulatory Awards 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Andrew Rhodes

UK Gambling Commission Concludes Four-part Series on Illegal Online Gambling

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The UK Gambling Commission has published the fourth and final report in its series exploring the complex and evolving issue of illegal online gambling.

The series — launched earlier this year — set out to improve understanding of consumer engagement with illegal online gambling, the risks it poses and the actions being taken to disrupt it.

Over the past months, the Commission has published three reports examining:

Part 1: Consumer awareness, drivers and motivations

Part 2: Consumer engagement and trends

Part 3: Disruption of illegal online gambling

This report — “Estimating the size of the illegal online gambling market” — explores the challenges of quantifying an activity that is, by its nature, hidden.

Understanding the challenge

The report highlights that while measuring the scale of the illegal online gambling market is essential for effective enforcement and policy-making, doing so presents significant methodological challenges. Reliable data is limited, and assumptions are often required to fill gaps — meaning that confidence in any single estimate is inherently constrained.

The Commission draws parallels with other areas of illicit activity, such as the trade in illegal tobacco, where government departments face similar difficulties estimating financial impact.

Building on progress

Although no single estimate of market size has been published, the Commission’s work to date has built a stronger evidence base and clearer understanding of both consumer behaviour and illegal operator tactics.

The series has found that:

• consumer motivations to use illegal sites are varied — there is no single driver of engagement

• some consumers are unaware that they are gambling illegally, highlighting the need for greater public awareness

• not all activity in the illegal market represents a direct loss to the regulated sector, as some consumers are self-excluded or otherwise unable to gamble legally

• there is currently no evidence of sustained growth in engagement with illegal websites where data has been collected

• a range of disruption and enforcement tactics are being deployed, supported by cross-industry and international collaboration.

A shared responsibility

The Commission emphasises that tackling illegal gambling requires a coordinated response. Efforts to measure, monitor and disrupt the illegal market will depend on continued collaboration across government, industry, digital platforms and financial services.

Chief Executive, Andrew Rhodes said: “Illegal online gambling remains a serious threat to consumers and to the integrity of the regulated market.

“While measuring the full scale of the problem is complex, our understanding is growing — and so too is our ability to disrupt illegal operators.

“Our independent research has strengthened the evidence base, improved transparency, and underlined that progress depends on a collective effort across sectors.”

Next steps

Although this marks the end of the current series, the Commission will continue its programme of research, data collection and enforcement activity.

The post UK Gambling Commission Concludes Four-part Series on Illegal Online Gambling appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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ADM

Swintt games go live in Italy after receiving ADM certification

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Rapidly-expanding software provider enters its 13th regulated market following Italian regulator’s approval of Elysium Studios – Driven by Swintt titles

Having previously outlined its intentions to enter more regulated markets throughout 2025, sought-after software provider Swintt has announced that it has now officially been greenlit by Italy’s Agencia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli (ADM) to offer its slots in the country.

The new certification has initially been granted for Elysium Studios – Driven by Swintt titles, and though further approval is planned for both SwinttPremium and SwinttSelect releases in the not-too-distant future, the provider has already put pen to paper with two of Italy’s leading operators.

Launched in 2024 following Swintt’s acquisition of Elysium Studios, Elysium Studios – Driven by Swintt is a cutting-edge collection of releases that incorporates elements of social, mobile and casino gaming to deliver a more engaging experience that’s custom-made for the modern player.

Featuring inventive themes, innovative features and intuitive, mobile-first game mechanics, some of the biggest hits to come from the collaboration to date include the quirky, folk lore-inspired I Hate Fairytales and the swashbuckling skull and bones epic, Pirate Pledge Hold & Win.

Given both titles boast a cast of characters that includes everything from punk rock princesses to salty sea dogs and a huge selection of rewarding bonus rounds, the two games and many more from the Elysium Studios line-up are certain to prove a popular addition among Italian audiences.

With Swintt’s successful acquisition of ADM certification now paving the way for the provider to enter its 13th regulated market, the decision will significantly expand the company’s European footprint and enable it to form further partnerships with Italian operators in the months to come.

David Mann, Chief Executive Officer at Swintt, said: “At Swintt, our focus has always been on ensuring that our content gets put in front of players in as many regulated markets as possible – and acquiring ADM approval to offer our games in Italy is another significant step on this journey.

“As an established iGaming market with a huge emerging player base, we feel our Elysium Studios – Driven by Swintt line-up can make a big impact in the region and we look forward to being able to roll out our other core line-ups very soon.”

The post Swintt games go live in Italy after receiving ADM certification appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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