Ukraine blocks more illegal sites as self-exclusion register surges 139%

The data, revealed during a Commission for the Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries (KRAIL) meeting on 10 July, showed registrations were up 4,585 from the end of 2023, to 7,874 self-excluded players on 1 July.

Men accounted for 87% of the new sign-ups, while 41 new people were added to the register by the regulator via applications registered by their relatives.  

Ukraine blocks more illegal sites

Highlighting the damage caused by unregulated gambling, Ukraine’s gambling commission demanded that 11 unlicensed online casino sites were blocked by the software providers hosting their sites, within three days of the order.

The order instructs electronic communication service providers to block websites using their Domain Name System (DNS) servers.

The sites flagged by the commission 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.

These brands were flagged as operating illegally without a licence which, according to the commission, was a “gross violation of the current legislation in the field of gambling”.

“Owners of these sites must close access to them within three working days,” it stated.

Website hosting providers Cloudflare Inc and Melbikomas UAB were specifically flagged as operators of the Cosmobet and Astekbet sites.

In June, KRAIL blocked up to 371 websites offering illegal gambling in Ukraine.

Between April and May, more than 1,000 orders were issued to limit access to domain names and subdomains on DNS servers after work between KRAIL and Ukraine’s Security Service.

Commission operating as normal?

KRAIL appears to be operating as normal, despite Ukraine’s parliament voting in April to dissolve the commission as it sought to draw attention “to the harm that the gambling business causes to the Ukrainian army and Ukrainian society”.