The Ukraine Revokes Gambling Licenses of Three Operators Controlled by Russia
Published December 20, 2022 by Admin
The Ukrainian Commission for the Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries (KRAIL) has announced it revoked Russian national control of the gambling licenses of 3 online gaming operators it has determined.
The Ukrainian Commission for the Regulation of Gambling, Online Gambling and Lotteries (known as KRAIL) revoked the licenses of three online gaming operators at its regular meeting. The decision is based on information provided by the Security Services of Ukraine and the National Police in Kyiv, which showed that the operators had submitted inaccurate information in their documents.
According to the Ukrainian gambling laws, gambling operators should prove that they do not act in the interests of foreign countries and that they have carried out armed aggression against Ukraine or have created conditions for a military conflict. This requirement was introduced as part of the country's 2020 law to legalize various forms of gambling and refers explicitly to the Russian annexation of Crimea. The cancellation of the licenses indicates that the Ukrainian leadership has determined that the individuals behind the gambling operations are connected to or are residents of Russia.
Ukraine Gambling Market Contains Russia-Linked Owners
The Ukrainian gaming commission, KRAIL, has cancelled the licenses of the following three online casino operators: Joker LLC, Play Fan Investment LLC, and Alphagime LLC. The regulator also revoked a second license held by Play Fan, which allowed the operator to offer sports betting to Ukraine residents. KRAIL emphasized that any ties between operators and Russian Individuals would be grounds for license termination and stated that the "isolation of Russia from the gambling sphere" is a crucial priority for the Commission in light of Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine.
The 1Xbet case
In November, the Ukrainian commission, KRAIL, also announced the closure of a fifth gambling website associated with the 1xBet operator, which was ordered to terminate broadcasting after KRAIL discovered that the website offered casino games under the 1xBet brand. 1xBet has been illegal in Ukraine since September, when KRAIL cancelled the license of the site's parent company, TBK LLC, due to its ties to Russia.
