Ukraine Cracks Down on Illegal Gambling Sites

The Ukrainian gambling commission blocked 11 more unlicensed casino websites last week, coinciding with a significant 139% increase in entries to the national self-exclusion register during the first half of 2024.

Ukraine Turnover Tax

According to data disclosed during a Commission for the Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries (KRAIL) meeting on 10 July, the number of self-excluded players rose by 4,585 since the end of 2023, reaching a total of 7,874 by 1 July. Men represented 87% of the new registrations, and 41 individuals were added to the register through applications submitted by their relatives.

Blocking Illegal Sites

To combat the negative impact of unregulated gambling, Ukraine’s gambling commission ordered the blocking of 11 unlicensed online casino sites by their hosting software providers within three days. This directive requires electronic communication service providers to block these websites via their Domain Name System (DNS) servers.

The sites flagged for illegal operations included 888starz.bet, cosmobet.one, astekbet.com, vulkan-777.biz, f1casino.club, bettwo.fun, stake.ceo, roobet.com, casino-joker-20.com, clubsvulkanbets.store, and chipstars.bet. The commission stated that these sites were operating without a license, which constitutes a “gross violation of current legislation in the field of gambling.”

Specific Hosting Providers Targeted

Cloudflare Inc and Melbikomas UAB were specifically identified as hosting providers for the cosmobet and astekbet sites. In June, KRAIL blocked up to 371 websites offering illegal gambling in Ukraine. Between April and May, over 1,000 orders were issued to restrict access to domain names and subdomains on DNS servers, following collaborative efforts between KRAIL and Ukraine’s Security Service.