Online casino licence in Ukraine: what it really gives a player and how to check it
Updated: September 2026 · about 8 minutes to read · 21+ · informational material
In short: in Ukraine a legal online casino is a Ukrainian company with a licence from the state agency PlayCity. Everything else, no matter how pretty the Curaçao or Malta seals in the site footer may look, is illegal for a Ukrainian player. And this is not a formality: whose licence it is determines whether there will be anyone to turn to when a win gets «stuck», and whether Ukrainian law will apply to you.
Who issues licences now
-
Ukraine
Online casinos were legalised in Ukraine back in 2020 by law No. 768-IX. The first regulator was KRAIL, but in the spring of 2025 the commission was liquidated and its powers passed to the state agency PlayCity under the Ministry of Digital Transformation. Licences that KRAIL managed to issue remain valid until the end of their term, so you may see both types of decisions in the register — that is normal.
Only a Ukrainian legal entity can obtain a licence. For a player this is the key point: in a disputed situation you are dealing with a company that is registered here, pays taxes here and answers to the Ukrainian regulator and courts.
What a licence gives you, and what it does not
Let us be honest. A licence will not make you win and it does not remove the house edge — the maths of the games is the same everywhere. What it does give is several very specific things:
- An address for your claim. A legal entity, a regulator and a court, all within Ukrainian jurisdiction.
- Real-time supervision. The state online monitoring system started working in 2026: the state sees the bets, deposits and payouts of legal operators.
- Mandatory responsible gaming. Before your first bet you set time and spending limits, and a self-restriction application blocks access.
- Transparent taxes. The operator withholds 23% of winnings itself; no tax return is required.
- Certified games. The software is tested rather than taken from who knows where.
An offshore site guarantees none of this. When they do not pay out there, the conversation usually ends with an exchange of chat messages.
Ukrainian licence versus offshore ones: a comparison
| Licence | Status in Ukraine | Player protection | What matters to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| PlayCity (formerly KRAIL) | Legal | Regulator, Ukrainian court, online monitoring, register of self-restrictions | The licence is issued for a specific domain; check that the address matches |
| Malta (MGA) | Does not grant the right to operate in Ukraine | The complaints mechanism works, but for markets where the operator is legal | Serious MGA operators usually do not accept Ukrainians without a local licence |
| Curaçao | Illegal for Ukraine | Formal; Ukrainian law does not apply | PlayCity names such a licence outright as a sign of an illegal site |
| Anjouan and similar | Illegal for Ukraine | Effectively absent | Such a document is easy to obtain, so it means almost nothing |
The conclusion is simple: the phrase «we have a licence» is worthless until you know whose licence it is. For a player from Ukraine only one matters — the one from PlayCity.
A five-minute check
- Look at the site footer. It should contain the name of the legal entity and the number and date of the decision to issue the licence. A «licensed and regulated» line without any numbers does not count.
- Go to the regulator’s website yourself. Type playcity.gov.ua manually instead of clicking a link from the casino — fake «verification pages» exist and look convincing.
- Find the operator in the register. The «Registers and lists» section, then online casinos. Search by company name or decision number.
- Cross-check three things: the company name is the same as on the site; the licence is valid; your domain is on the list. A licence is issued for a specific address, not for «the whole internet».
- Take a screenshot of the entry. The register is updated and a licence can be revoked — in a dispute this is your starting evidence.
Red flags
- The site refers to Curaçao, Anjouan or another foreign licence instead of a Ukrainian one.
- The domain is not in the .ua zone or is not covered by the licence.
- You can play without identification via Diia or BankID.
- Deposits are offered in crypto or by transfer to some individual’s card.
- The interface is in Russian and there is no proper Ukrainian version.
- The regulator’s logo is just an image without a link, or the link leads to a page of the casino itself.
A new rule for military personnel
In June 2026 the Cabinet of Ministers approved a procedure under which, for the duration of martial law, military personnel are restricted in their access to gambling. During identification the operator’s system checks the person against the register of restrictions, which in turn checks the register of military personnel. If there is a match, access is blocked, and the operator does not see the exact reason. The mechanism is being rolled out in stages, but the direction is clear: the legal market is becoming «transparent» to the state, while the illegal one is simply dangerous.
If they do not pay: what to do
The order of the steps matters: miss one and you will get a refusal on formal grounds.
First, write an official letter or ticket to support and demand that they name the specific clause of the rules they rely on. Chat replies saying «the operator is checking» are not an argument. In parallel, gather evidence: screenshots of the promotion terms as they were at the moment of activation, the transaction history, transaction numbers, the full correspondence.
If the operator is licensed, the next step is a complaint to PlayCity through the regulator’s official channels. Since the company is Ukrainian, the court route also remains open to you. With an offshore site things are sadder: the Ukrainian regulator is not responsible for it and a court effectively cannot reach it. The only thing worth doing is reporting the illegal resource to PlayCity so that it gets blocked.
What to check besides the licence
A licence is a mandatory condition, but not the only one. Review the payouts section (limits, timeframes, payment details), the presence of games from well-known studios, the bonus terms and how support works. A simple test: ask a specific question in the chat before registering and see whether a live person answers to the point and in Ukrainian. And be sure to check where limits and self-restriction are configured: with a legal operator this is visible straight away.
Responsible gaming
A verified licence reduces the risk of being left without a payout, but it does not change the maths: over the long run the house is ahead. Play only with money whose loss will not affect your plans, set limits honestly, do not try to chase losses and do not play on credit. If you feel you are losing control, submit a self-restriction application and consult a specialist. Participation in gambling may cause gambling addiction. Follow the rules (principles) of responsible gaming. 21+.
Frequently asked questions
Who issues online casino licences in Ukraine?
The state agency PlayCity, which replaced KRAIL. Licences issued earlier by KRAIL remain valid until the end of their term.
Is it legal to play in a casino with a Curaçao licence?
No. For Ukraine only a PlayCity licence is legal. Offshore sites operate outside Ukrainian law, and there is practically no way to protect your money there.
How do I check a casino’s licence?
Open playcity.gov.ua yourself, find the operator in the register and cross-check the company name, the validity of the licence and the site domain.
From what age can you play?
From 21. A legal operator checks your age automatically during identification via Diia or BankID.
Where do I complain if a legal casino does not pay?
First a written claim to the operator, then a complaint to PlayCity. Since the licensee is a Ukrainian company, you can also go to court.
Does a licence guarantee that games are fair?
It guarantees supervision, certified software and an address for your claim. The house edge built into the game rules is not cancelled by a licence.
