The Association of Ukrainian Gambling Business Operators (AUOGB) has officially launched in Ukraine, presenting itself as an independent self-regulatory body that brings together the country’s leading licensed gambling operators.
AUOGB’s core mission is to promote a legal and transparent gambling market, actively work to block illegal Russian online casinos in Ukraine, and collaborate with the new state regulator, PlayCity, to establish fresh industry standards.
The association revealed that its members currently represent around 70% of the entire market’s revenue, collectively paying over UAH 10 billion in taxes annually.
Oleksandr Kogut, AUOGB President, mentioned:
The sector requires a full reset and modernized practices. Our goal is to serve as the unified voice for legal operators, both domestically and internationally.
The association aims to overhaul the gambling ecosystem by introducing clear, transparent rules, while taking a strong stance against illegal gambling operations, particularly those operated from Russia. Kogut stressed that these illicit online casinos not only evade taxes, but also compromise user data and funnel profits back to Russia.
An internal AUOGB task force estimates that over 50 illegal online casinos are still active in Ukraine, leading to annual tax losses exceeding UAH 5 billion. Many of these platforms falsely present themselves as Ukrainian, while being controlled from Russian territory without proper licenses.
To combat this, AUOGB has begun working closely with Ukrainian law enforcement and regulators. It also plans to commission an independent public study, in partnership with PlayCity, to analyze the gambling market’s key metrics and assess the scope of the illegal sector.
All AUIB members will be required to follow the organization’s Customer Protection Standards, which will include the European Committee for Standardization’s (CEN) guidelines for “Responsible Remote Gambling.” These standards feature 134 specific measures to safeguard vulnerable users, prevent underage gambling, ensure data protection, promote ethical marketing, and detect fraud.
PlayCity head Gennady Novikov welcomed the creation of AUOGB, emphasizing the need for open dialogue between business and government. He highlighted PlayCity’s current priorities: digitalizing regulatory processes, strengthening oversight, and removing “toxic” operators from the market.
The association is built on principles of corporate governance and remains open to other stakeholders -legal operators, software developers, financial institutions, payment providers, and civil society organizations-that are committed to European-level standards. Two additional companies have already applied to join.
As of February 4, 2025, Ukraine’s gambling policy has been under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Digital Transformation. A new regulatory agency, PlayCity, was formally established on March 21, replacing the previous authority, KRAIL, which ceased operations on April 1.
Under KRAIL’s tenure, 7,217 licenses were issued, while 4,123 were canceled. According to Opendatabot, the gambling sector generated UAH 55.5 billion in revenue in 2024, with UAH 17 billion paid in taxes.
AUOGB President Oleksandr Kogut brings over 15 years of experience in regulatory affairs, government relations, and communications. His past roles include Regulatory Director at Kyivstar and senior positions at JTI, Deloitte, and Ernst & Young.
