Ukraine’s Security Service, NCEC, and AUGO jointly blocked 133 illegal online casinos operating within the country’s digital space.
According to a recent press release by AUGU, Derzhspetszviazok issued Directive No. 435/3236 on July 1. The directive orders the blocking of IP addresses and websites involved in illegal gambling. On July 3, authorities sent the directive to internet providers and industry associations. They must implement it within three working days, by July 8.
The association estimated that the joint operation disrupted a shadow business generating UAH 3 to 5 billion in illicit turnover each quarter.
The operation went beyond simply blocking sites with technical and software tools. It also involved broader organizational and technical efforts targeting the infrastructure that allows these illegal platforms to operate. Remarkably, authorities stopped unauthorized financial processing and froze the associated P2P transactions.
As quoted in the press release, President of AUGO, Aleksandr Kohut said that in chess terms, white has made the first move, and black is already losing pieces on the board… No, they’re not grandmasters yet. But this is shaping up to be a decisive chess match, and authorities believe the illegal players will eventually have no choice but to exit the game.
He emphasized that illegal casinos, most of which now have ties to Russia, inflict direct harm on the Ukrainian state, legal businesses and its citizens. These sites, which are frequently cloned after being blocked. It also poses a high risk of fraud. There is a serious threat of personal and financial data leaking from players.
