In July 2020, the Verkhovna Rada lifted a long-term moratorium on the provision of entertainment for money. The government has legalised casino games, streamlined the certification process in Ukraine, and created flexible mechanisms to control the activities of operators.
CASEXE helps entrepreneurs with the acquisition of permits. From us, you can get detailed legal advice and consultations on the financial aspects of the business and payment of taxes.
Contact our managers and find out more about how to launch a legal iGaming platform.
Law No. 2285-d on the state control over the provision of gambling services dated July 14, 2020, allows all kinds of entertainment:
A local licence can be issued for any type of game for money but for each format, a separate document is required. The production of equipment and software implies the acquisition of a B2B permit, and other activities (bets, slots, poker) require a B2C certificate.
Owners of offline establishments (gambling halls, casinos, and bookmakers’ offices) must obtain additional permissions. Besides, it is necessary to have a special document for each unit of equipment (slots, sportsbook solutions, card tables, and roulette wheels) or offline betting shop.
Lottery draws and sports poker tournaments do not require a permit since they are not regulated by Law No. 2285-d.
The legitimisation of the industry is caused by the desire of the government to bring the business out of the shadows and increase the size of contributions to the budget. At the end of 2022, the public treasury received UAH 1.056 billion in royalties and another UAH 56 million in taxes and fees.
The main tasks of the Commission for the Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries are:
The authority reports to the Ministry of Digital Transformation.
The procedure consists of the following steps:
Filing of a primary application | Applications are accepted only from legal entities — residents. Owners of the business cannot be associated with aggressor countries and be included in the sanctions lists. To buy a local licence, operators need to confirm the availability of authorised capital of UAH 30 million, as well as the sources of its formation |
Preparation and sending of documents | Their list depends on the type of activity (a casino or a betting business) for which entrepreneurs wish to receive a permit. Among the necessary papers, there are:
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Completion of the audit | Experts will assess the security of the gambling system, content certification, and the availability of mechanisms for checking the age of players |
Confirmation of a bank guarantee | To launch a licensed online casino in Ukraine, entrepreneurs need to have reserve bank accounts of at least UAH 34 million. The money is used to cover unforeseen expenses of operators: payment of jackpots, fines, and penalties |
Obtaining a permit | It is valid for 5 years with the right of prolongation |
To open an offline location where games for money are offered, business owners must obtain additional permission.
The document will confirm that the premises meet the regulator’s standards, namely:
There are some facilitations for the owners of gambling halls:
The local licence provides for obtaining additional permits for offering slots, tables with a roulette wheel, card tables, etc.
The documents are issued only for certified equipment not older than 2019 and should include details of any modifications and repairs that were made to it.
Basic rules for opening a digital casino with a Ukrainian licence:
The price depends on the type of activity of the operators.
It is also influenced by the amount of the minimum wage for the reporting period. If the government revises this basic social indicator, then the cost of a permit will also change.
Type of a licence | Line of business | The cost of the license in minimum wages |
В2С certificate | The opening of offline casinos in the city of Kyiv | 60,000 |
Land-based location management outside the capital | 30,000 | |
Provision of slot machines | 7,500 | |
The launch of virtual casinos | 6,500 | |
Running the betting business on the Web and in offline offices | 30,000 | |
The organisation of digital poker tournaments | 5,000 | |
В2B permit | Provision of such services as the production of equipment, software development, hosting services, and consulting | 300 |
The Ukrainian licence implies the payment of the following taxes:
From April 2022 to January 2023, entrepreneurs worked on a simplified fiscal system adopted by the Verkhovna Rada in connection with the invasion in Ukraine. They were allowed to pay only 2% of the monthly turnover.
In January 2023, the government suspended the grace period for gambling companies, and taxation returned to the traditional scheme.
The Verkhovna Rada has registered bill No. 2713-d on the reduction of the fiscal burden on business. At the moment, the document has passed the first reading and is expected to be adopted closer to the summer of 2023.
CASEXE experts have vast experience in the certification of casino projects in the country.
We will help you with the preparation and sending of documents, drafting a business plan, and completing an independent audit.
The CASEXE studio also offers such legal and profitable solutions as:
For all questions, please contact our managers.
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