The Ukrainian government is set to sign off on a proposal to ban soldiers from gambling online, amid claims many armed forces personnel have become addicted to web-based betting.
The proposal has the backing of the Cabinet of Ministers, Gennady Novikov, head of the Ukrainian gambling regulator PlayCity, said in a Facebook post.
“Gambling addiction is a real danger,” Novikov said. And when it comes to military personnel, that risk can impact not only the well-being of individuals, but also security in a broader sense.”
Ukrainian gambling sector chiefs unsuccessfully lobbied against the proposal earlier this year. In March, the Association of Ukrainian Gaming Operators said the ban would be “a boon to illegal operators.”
“Lobbyists for the illegal market would start popping the champagne corks,” the association’s chief Alexander Kogut said. “Such a ban would not stop people in the military from gambling.”
ID Checks Will Help Enforce Ban, Says Gambling Regulator
PlayCity said it will use a new system to “verify access to gambling platforms.”
“It will work automatically, and users will find it almost imperceptible,” Novikov said.
The new system will see legal online casino operators check their own identification checks against the in-development Register of Military Personnel, PlayCity explained. The registry is the brainchild of the Ministry of Defense. The latter unveiled details of its new database just over a year ago.
Permit-holding online casino operators will also have to check login details against the Register of Persons with Restricted Access to Gambling.
“If the reason for the restriction is confirmed in one of the two registers, access to the [gambling platform] will be blocked,” Novikov added.
PlayCity said it will work with the Ministry of Defense on technical solutions, adding that the parties would use the Trembita platform to share data.
The Estonia-developed Trembita system functions as the Ukrainian government’s digital data-sharing platform. Some 200 government registries already make use of the platform.
Politicians have been calling for a ban on gambling in the armed forces for several years.
In 2024, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky commissioned an investigation into allegations of widespread gambling in the armed forces.
One officer said some fellow soldiers view online casinos as “the only way to cope with stress.”
But others refuted the claim, with one soldier telling Le Monde, “Online gambling is not a problem specific to our army. It is a societal problem.”
Ukrainian Gambling Ban for Soldiers: Defence Ministry’s Plan
The defence ministry announced it was working on a “blocking” solution in March this year.
The ministry said its solution would “protect military personnel from the risks and consequences of gambling addiction.”
However, the ministry said its blocking solution would not be permanent and would remain in place until Kyiv lifts martial law.
The ministry said gambling-addicted soldiers often spend much of their pay on online casinos, “accumulating huge debts on high-interest loans.”
It added that some gambling addicts have resorted to “stealing military property or pawning valuable equipment.”
PlayCity, meanwhile, said it remains committed to taking down the illegal online betting sector.
“This is part of our systematic efforts to create a transparent, controlled, and safer gambling industry,” said Novikov.
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