- The brand is linked to blogger Andrii Burim (Mellstroy) and claims to operate under a Curaçao licence, but the licence details are not published on the site.
- There is no Ukrainian licence from PlayCity: the site is not in the state register of operators, so this is an offshore operator.
- Online casinos have been legal in Ukraine since 2020 — so there is something to compare with, unlike in countries with a full ban.
- A separate hryvnia wallet is usually unavailable: the deposit is converted into the account currency.
- The minimum player age in Ukraine is 21.
- Gambling is entertainment with a negative mathematical expectation, not a way to earn money.
What Mellstroy Casino is
This is an online casino with a structure that is familiar for the market: a catalogue of slots from several dozen providers, a live dealer section, fast “crash” games and a bonus showcase. The interface is translated and the navigation is built for mobile traffic — most users come in from a phone.
Who is behind the project
The site positions itself as a joint project of streamer Mellstroy and a large bookmaking holding. Open sources name a company registered in an offshore jurisdiction as the legal owner. For a player this means a simple thing: a recognisable name in the title does not replace checking who exactly takes the money and where to turn in case of a dispute.
Licence and security
The operator claims a Curaçao licence but does not back it up on the site: as of October 2026 the mellstroy.com footer shows no regulator, no licence number and no operating company — only “© 2026 Mellstroy Casino. 18+”, and the site rules do not contain these details either. Under these conditions the licence cannot be verified. Checking it is not difficult: the number is usually clickable in the footer and leads to the regulator’s page, which shows the status and the name of the holding company. If the link leads “nowhere” or the company name does not match the one in the terms of use, that is a reason not to rush into a deposit.
It is also worth looking at the technical side: an HTTPS connection, a section with bonus rules, a clear privacy policy and a mention of random number generator certification. But make a different check the main one: open the PlayCity state register and see which operators work legally in Ukraine.
Legality of online casinos in Ukraine
Two things matter here and should be kept apart: the regulation of operators and the rules for players.
What the law says
Ukraine legalised online casinos with a law adopted in 2020. After KRAIL was wound up in spring 2025, the market is regulated by the state agency PlayCity within the Ministry of Digital Transformation, and several dozen companies are in the register. An operator is considered legal if it holds a licence and a register entry, is a Ukrainian legal entity, works on a .ua domain, identifies the player via Diia or BankID before the first bet, settles exclusively in hryvnia through a bank account connected to the state online monitoring system, sets mandatory spending and time limits for the player and withholds tax on winnings as a tax agent. The minimum age is 21. Since 2025 free bonuses have additionally been banned, and gambling advertising is substantially restricted. Mellstroy Casino does not meet any of these points, so it belongs to the illegal segment.
Domain blocking and “mirrors”
Domains of illegal operators in Ukraine are blocked by a decision of the regulator — within a single month the list has included dozens of domains together with hundreds of mirrors. Hence the popularity of searches for working addresses. And here you should be careful: most “mirrors” found in search and messengers are phishing copies that collect logins and card details. The only safe source of the current address is the operator’s own support service or its official channel.
Registration and verification
How registration works
- Open the official website and click the registration button.
- Enter an email address or phone number and create a password.
- Choose the account currency — at most casinos this parameter cannot be changed later, and hryvnia most likely will not be on the list.
- Confirm your age and accept the terms.
- If you have one, enter a promo code before the first deposit, otherwise the bonus will not be credited.
Verification (KYC)
An identity check is not the operator being fussy but a requirement of anti-money-laundering procedures. Usually they ask for a passport spread or ID card, proof of address and sometimes a selfie with the document. Compare this with the legal market: there identification goes through Diia or BankID in minutes and is mandatory before the first bet, while here it is a manual check before payout and at the operator’s discretion. A sensible tactic is to complete verification right after registration, not at the moment when the money has already been won and you want to withdraw it today.
The details in your profile must match your documents. Someone else’s card or a wallet in a different name is the most common reason for a payout refusal.
Game catalogue
Slots
The core of the section is video slots from popular studios, from classic “fruit” machines to Megaways mechanics and bonus buy. Most machines have a demo mode: it brings no winnings, but it lets you understand volatility and the frequency of bonus rounds without spending money. The set of providers here is practically the same as at licensed Ukrainian operators.
Live casino
Tables with live dealers — roulette, blackjack, baccarat, poker variations and game show formats. There is no demo here for technical reasons, and table limits are higher than in slots, so this section burns through a bankroll noticeably faster. A specifically Ukrainian factor is power outages: a disconnection in the middle of a hand is handled under the operator’s rules, and there is nowhere to appeal.
Crash games and fast formats
Aviator-style mechanics, mines, plinko. A round lasts seconds, and it is exactly this pace that makes such games the easiest to overplay. If you play them, set yourself a number of rounds in advance rather than an amount.
Bonuses: how to read the terms
The welcome package is usually spread across the first deposits and topped up with free spins. The specific figures change from promotion to promotion: the operator publishes the current size of the welcome bonus in the promotion rules. Check them on the promotions page — advertising banners on third-party sites go out of date the fastest. A Ukrainian detail: free bonuses have been banned by law here since April 2025, so a no-deposit offer in itself is a marker of operating outside Ukrainian law.
What to look at in the rules besides the size:
- The wager — how many times the bonus must be rolled over before withdrawal.
- The wagering period — often a few days rather than a month.
- The maximum bet while a bonus is active — exceeding it voids the wagering requirement.
- Game contribution — slots usually count 100%, table and live games partially or not at all.
- The cap on withdrawing winnings from a bonus.
The practical conclusion: a bonus with a high wager is almost always less favourable than playing with your own money at lower limits. If you do not plan to meet the wagering requirement by the rules, it is better to decline the bonus at the deposit stage.
Deposits and withdrawals for players from Ukraine
Deposit methods
International sites accept bank cards, e-wallets and cryptocurrency. But in Ukraine the main difficulty is this: banks do not process gambling transactions to illegal sites, and payments using credit funds are blocked separately. So a card rarely works, and people switch to crypto or transfers to individuals’ cards — and that is a typical target for bank financial monitoring, with the consequence being restrictions on your own account along with a request for documents. Add to this the absence of hryvnia in the cashier: the amount is converted into the account currency, and part of the deposit is lost on conversion in both directions. If you play regularly, calculate these costs in advance.
Timeframes and limits
| Parameter | What to check in the cashier |
|---|
| Minimum deposit | check in the cashier |
| Minimum withdrawal | check in the cashier |
| Request processing time | check in the cashier |
| Operator fee | check in the cashier |
| Daily withdrawal limit | check in the cashier |
The general rule: payout speed is made up of the operator processing the request and the speed of the payment system. Crypto transfers usually arrive faster than bank ones, and the first payout is always longer than the following ones, because documents are checked in parallel. And separately about tax: 23% on winnings (18% personal income tax plus 5% military levy) is withheld automatically by a licensed Ukrainian operator as a tax agent, while here you will have to declare and pay it yourself.
Mobile version
The site is adapted for smartphones: the catalogue loads as you scroll, and the cashier and support are available from the side menu. A separate Android app may be distributed as an APK file outside the store — such files are worth installing only from the official domain, because fakes posing as casino apps have long become a separate type of fraud, and they appear especially actively when a domain is blocked. For iOS, adding the site to the home screen as a web app is offered more often.
Support
The main channel is a 24/7 online chat, with email additionally available for disputed situations and documents. A simple test before depositing: write a question in the chat about withdrawal limits and see whether a live operator answers with specifics or a bot sends a link to the general rules. And remember the boundary: the operator’s support is the last instance here, there is nowhere higher to turn.
Pros and cons
- Pros: a large game catalogue, a clear interface and support, a convenient mobile version, cryptocurrency acceptance, regular tournaments and cashback.
- Cons: no Ukrainian licence, and therefore no register, no regulator and no complaint mechanism; no hryvnia account and losses on conversion; card payments from Ukrainian banks mostly do not go through, and P2P puts your own account at risk; you declare tax on winnings yourself; high bonus wagering requirements; the risk of domain blocking and an abundance of fake “mirrors”.
Responsible gambling
A casino earns from its mathematical edge — that is built into the rules of every game, so winning in the long run is impossible by definition. A few rules that really work:
- Play only with spare money whose loss will not change your month.
- Set deposit and time limits in your account settings before you start playing.
- Never chase losses — that is the fastest way to increase them.
- Do not take out loans and do not play with credit funds: Ukrainian banks block such transactions anyway.
- If you are losing control, use self-exclusion and seek help from a specialist.
Keep in mind the limits of self-restriction: on an offshore site it works only within that site, while the state register of persons with restricted access, which closes access to all licensed sites with a single decision, does not cover such resources.
This material is for information purposes only and is not a call to take part in gambling. 21+.
Frequently asked questions
Are online casinos legal in Ukraine?
Yes, they have been licensed since 2020, and the market is regulated by the state agency PlayCity. But only an operator with a licence, a Ukrainian legal entity and a .ua domain is legal. Mellstroy works under an offshore licence, meaning it is not part of the legal segment, and taking part in it is the player’s own responsibility.
Can you play in hryvnia?
International sites usually do not have a separate hryvnia account: the deposit is converted into the account currency. Hryvnia in the cashier is a sign of a licensed Ukrainian operator — for it this is a legal requirement.
How long does a withdrawal take?
The request is first processed by the operator, then the money moves according to the payment system’s rules. Cryptocurrency is usually faster than cards, and the first payout takes longer than the rest because of verification.
Is verification required?
Yes. It is a standard procedure: a document, proof of address, sometimes a selfie. Complete it in advance so you do not have to wait at the moment of withdrawal.
What to do if the site does not open?
The most likely reason is domain blocking. Ask for the current address only from the operator’s support: third-party “mirrors” from search and messengers often turn out to be phishing copies.
Are winnings taxed?
Yes, at a combined rate of 23%. The difference is in who does it: a licensed Ukrainian operator withholds the tax automatically as a tax agent, while when playing at an offshore site you have to declare and pay it yourself. For details it is more correct to consult a tax specialist rather than rely on forums.
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