This is a picture, a cityscape of Kyiv (Kiev), during the day, the capital of Ukraine. Under this picture, on this page, you can find a list of all terrestrial Ukrainian casinos, inf about the legal status of gaming venues, slot halls, their taxation regime, licensing system, and you can find a list of Ukraine licensed online casinos, which accept players from the country.

Ukraine Casinos Guide

This is a guide to brick and mortar as well as online casinos in Ukraine (officially Україна, the second largest country in Europe, a poorer Eastern European country, in a border conflict with Russia over the Crimean peninsula, not a member of the EU, has a population of 41.2 million). Find out which are the best land-based casinos and licensed online casino sites in Ukraine, or learn more about the legal status of casino gambling in the country.

 

UPDATE 2022: Due to the Ukraine – Russia war all casinos are closed, and all gambling events are suspended until further notice. We hope for a swift resolution to the war, with as little loss in civilian and military lives as possible.

 

Contents:

 

Online casinos in Ukraine

Legal status of digital casinos in Ukraine: legal since 2020, operators require a licence

 

Online casinos are legal in Ukraine since 2020, according to the 2020 Law no. 768-IX – About State Regulation of Activities for the Organization and Execution of Gambling1.

Law 768-IX is the main piece of the casino gambling legislation, and it specifically legalizes both brick & mortar and online casinos in Ukraine (info about the land-based casinos can be found in the next section).

Online casinos were illegal in Ukraine between 2009 (fully effective from 2010) and 2020. The law banning online casino gambling was the Law On Prohibition of Gambling Business in Ukraine – No. 1334-VI2, which was passed on 2009 June 25.

According to the government, the official reason for the prohibition was to “ensure the morality and health of the population”.

The Gambling Prohibition Law made all forms of online gambling illegal, except the online activities of the  state-owned Ukrainian National Lottery.

/Comment: Apparently, the activities of the Ukrainian National Lottery don’t endanger the “morality and health of the population”…/

The online casino ban was actually an indirect result of the 2009 Metro Jack Pot slot hall fire in the eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipropetrovsk (10 were killed and 11 were seriously injured in the conflagration, details of the incident can be found in the next section, which focuses on the land-based casino sector in Ukraine).

This was an unfortunate incident at a brick & mortar gambling establishment, not related to online casinos in any way. Regardless, as a result of this incident, the government banned all Ukrainian online casinos in 2011.

In the first version of the Gambling Prohibition Law there was a loophole, which allowed casino companies to remain in operation. They could simply move their servers abroad and offer their services from a remote location through digital terminals.

/Comment: We are not talking about casino websites here. The digital slot machines would simply be connected to a server located abroad, but it would look and function just like a land-based casino or slot hall, prior to the ban.

It was theorized that this would have allowed unscrupulous casino operators to remain in operation and avoid the ban./

The Gambling Prohibition Law was amended in 2011 to address this loophole and potential for abuse; online casinos were made illegal regardless of the location of the servers, the company, or the provider.

And this was the reason why online casinos ended up being banned alongside brick & mortar venues in 2011.

This ended the early stage Ukrainian digital gambling industry and ensured that every player in the country would turn to unlicensed offshore digital casinos in the years to come. These unlicensed websites accepted players illegally, and didn1T pay any taxes in Ukraine.

UPDATE COVID-19: Using unlicensed internet casinos is still rampant to this day. Especially now, during the coronavirus pandemic, during which many people started experimenting with games of chance over the internet, during their forced quantitate, in leu of other entertainment options (online gambling companies worldwide reported all-time high revenues).

Since the 2020 relegalization, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) forces internet service providers to block unlicensed online casinos, and these rouge offshore operators face prosecution and fines.

/Comment: Although, enforcement of such prosecution is problematic. International arbitration is lengthy, costly and complicated (and often have little or no effect)./

Online casino licenses are now issued to private companies (details, fees, requirements can be seen below, in the online casino licensing section).

Only licensed digital casinos with an Ukraine online gambling licence can accept players from the country. Using unlicensed gambling websites is illegal.

Despite this, due to the widespread usage of illegally operating gambling websites, which don’t pay taxes, very few private companies actually applied for a digital casino licence (you can a see list of licensed online casinos, which accept players from Ukraine below).

/Comment: The reason for this is because it’s impossible to compete with illegally operating offshore websites. They don’t pay any taxes, and they are not hampered by regulation, while the companies, which play by the rules are.

And now that the entire population is used to playing in these illegal online casinos due to the ban, it makes it very difficult, if not downright impossible, for legally operating internet casino companies to compete, even with the ISP blocking (which can be easily circumvented with a VPN)./

By scrolling below you can find a list of online casinos, which accept Ukrainian players.

 

Can tourists play online while visiting Ukraine?

Yes, tourists, expats (or illegal migrants) can play online freely while enjoying their stay in the country. Although, the ISPs (internet service providers) still block unlicensed gambling websites regardless, as long as you are using the Ukraine internet infrastructure.

 

Online casino licensing and regulatory body of Ukraine: 

Online casino licenses are issued, controlled and managed by the Ukrainian Gambling Council (Всеукраїнська Рада Гемблінгу). You have to contact them if you wish to set up any sort of online gambling business in Ukraine. Their website is available in English as well, although not everything is translated into English.

There is no limit on the number of online casino licenses.

The online casino license fee is $1,150,000, for 5 years, for one website.

The online casino licence does not include online poker by default, it’s a separate licence.

These licence fees are pretty step, considering that these fees are in addition to the taxes (details can be found in the taxation section below).

The licensing requirements also show a strong political bias. They made it impossible for Russian companies, Russian people, and companies with Russian ties to acquire any sort of Ukraine gambling licence.

/Comment: Instead, they are hoping that US casino companies will invest in the country. But at least for now, they do not seem to be successful interested (they have much better investment opportunities)./

 

Free advertisement for licensed local lawyers, law firms from this country

Get featured on this website, here, just right under the taxation section. Advertise your services, get a link to your own website, or the law firm's website you work for, on a page that is visited by businessmen, company representatives looking for help with: setting up a gambling business, licensing, setting up a company, help with an existing gambling business, consulting etc....
And all this for free. Click on the drop down section if you are interested and want to get listed.

How to get featured

In order to get the free placement you must have a website (social media profile is not enough). Here is what you have to do:
  • send me a link to your website, or your employer's website
  • send me 1-2 sentences about you and/or your business etc.., something that describes the business, what you do, something that makes potential clients interested
  • send me one single picture of your company's logo, or a picture of your office, or one of your certificates, credentials which you are proud of etc... (but don't send a picture of yourself, for legal reasons I want to avoid uploading pictures of people)

The picture must be 150x150 pixels.
Contact me through the live chat, it's in the bottom right corner of the website, or in the comments section at the bottom of this page, with a link to the website you wish to advertise. If you qualify, I will give you my email address where we can discuss everything (I won't be putting my email address on the page, due to the extreme amount of spam I receive as it is).
In exchange: In order to appear for free on this website, you have to link back to this guide, from your website. It must be your website, your employer's website, a law blog or something similar. The link doesn't have to be in a prominent position, or on the homepage. It can be placed at the bottom of an unimportant page, where people don't see it, that's fine with me. And 1 sentence is enough, something like this: "We are featured on Simon's Gambling and Casino Blog, at <link here>."
That's all, if you are interested, get in touch. Looking forward to hearing from you.

 

Taxation of online casino sites in Ukraine: 

The applicable tax rates are set by the Tax Code of Ukraine3. The following are the online casino tax rates in Ukraine.

Ukraine gambling taxation
Activity: Tax rate: Tax base:
general gambling tax 18% gross gambling revenue
slot machines 10% gross gambling revenue
winnings tax 1.5% winnings of players

This is on top of regular taxes (e.g: corporate tax, which is 18%). Gambling is VAT exempt.

The gambling tax rates are actually average, by European standards (high by international standards).

 

For the players, taxation of online casino gambling winnings in Ukraine: All gambling winnings are taxable (including online casinos), 18% personal income tax rate applies.

However, according to online rumors this is not really enforced unless you happen to win a bigger amount, €10 000+.

/Comment: Unconfirmed, I only found forum posts, social media posts and similar, low quality sources, basically just rumors. But it’s also not surprising, official government agencies and law websites won’t talk about such things, obviously.

However, I recommend paying taxes on your winnings all the time, regardless of the amount, because that’s the law, and it’s better to sleep in peace at night. Back taxes and fines can quickly add up (up to 60% of your winnings or more) and 18% is not the end of the world./

Contact an Ukrainian certified personal accountant (CPA) to help with your taxation.

 

Free advertisement for local accountants, CPAs and accounting firms from this country

Get featured on this website, here, just right under the taxation section. Advertise your services, get a link to your own website, or the accounting firm's website you work for, on a page that is visited by gamblers looking for help with their gambling winnings, and gambling companies looking for consultants and help with their projects.
And all this for free. Click on the drop down section if you are interested and want to get listed.

How to get featured

In order to get the free advertisement you must have a website (social media profile is not enough). Here is what you have to do:
  • send me a link to your website, or your employer's website
  • send me 1-2 sentences about you and/or your business etc.., something that describes the business, what you do, something that makes potential clients interested
  • send me one single picture of your company's logo, or a picture of your office, or one of your certificates, credentials which you are proud of etc... (but don't send a picture of yourself, for legal reasons I want to avoid uploading pictures of people)

The picture must be 150x150 pixels.
Contact me through the live chat, it's in the bottom right corner of the website, or in the comments section at the bottom of this page, with a link to the website you wish to advertise. If you qualify, I will give you my email address where we can discuss everything (I won't be putting my email address on the page, due to the extreme amount of spam I receive as it is).
In exchange: In order to appear for free on this website, you have to link back to this guide, from your website. It must be your website, your employer's website, a law blog or something similar. The link doesn't have to be in a prominent position, or on the homepage. It can be placed at the bottom of an unimportant page, where people don't see it, that's fine with me. And 1 sentence is enough, something like this: "We are featured on Simon's Gambling and Casino Blog, at <link here>."
That's all, if you are interested, get in touch. Looking forward to hearing from you.

 

Age requirement of Ukraine online casinos: 21+

 

Sources, main pieces of the Ukraine online casino gambling legislation:

1CIS Legislation – July 14, 2020 No. 768-IX – About State Regulation of Activities for the Organization and Execution of Gambling (English)

2Squire Sanders Legal Counsel Gambling Business Prohibited in Ukraine

4World Trade Organization – Tax Code of Ukraine

 

List of online casinos, which accept players from Ukraine

The following online gambling websites accept players from Ukraine. They all accept players from the country, and are accessible from within the country, at the time of writing. If they no longer accept players from Ukraine, or if they are blocked for some reason, please leave a message in the comments section, so I can investigate it. Thank you.

 

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This is a banner of freebitco.in bitcoin and fun token crypto wagering website. The banner displays information about the current 2023 virtual currency raffle, and no registration promotion currently offered by the Indian digital gambling website. You can read more information about the gambling platform and their hourly cryptocurrency giveaway. By clicking on the picture you will be taken to the virtual currency betting website. By placing bets on the website we get a percentage of your bets placed as affiliate commision. Thank you for supporting the website.

Free bitcoin giveaway, $0.1 to $ 200 every hour, real no deposit promotion, no wagering requirement bitcoin gambling and betting

One of the rare, genuine ways to actually get free bitcoins online. 100% legitimate, in operation for 10+ years, no deposit or registration required (we are using this site for 1+ years, payout guaranteed, not a scam).You have to manually enter the bitcoin raffle every hour and you will be able to win anywhere between 0.00000009 BTC - 0.00878696 BTC + occasional special prizes.


You can realistically make around €200 per month if you roll every hour and participate in all the other promotions they have as well (wheel of fortune, lottery tickets etc..., all free).

/However, you have to manually spin every hour to get this amount, including at night, therefore, realistically, the amount you can expect will be less./

They also have many other ways to win bitcoin, or FUN tokens, including: online casino section, sports betting, betting on cryptocurrency prices, wheel of fortune, lottery etc...

No wagering, playthrough requirement, limitations.

Playthrough requirements, wagering limitations, terms and conditions and list of restricted countries

Because this is a crypto-only gambling website there are no restricted countries. Everyone over the age of 18 can play (or 24, depending on what is the legal online gambling age in your country).Only bitcoin and FUN tokens are accepted. You have to deposit bitcoin to a specific bitcoin address and it will show up on your balance.

No wagering and playthrough limitations, requirements.

The only hidden fee is that if you win items, physical prizes, in those cases the shipping cost is not paid by them and you will required to pay for shipping (or you can opt to receive the equivalent of the prize in bitcoins if you don't want to pay for transportation).

UPDATE 2023: They also offer an annual 4- 5% interest rate on the FunFair (FUN) tokens you purchase with bitcoin (it's their own cryptocurrency).

 

Miami Club Digital Casino Destination

This is the banner advertisement of the gambling website Miami Club, it displays the various bonuses and promotional offers currently available at the digital gambling website, including their terms and conditions and legally mandated player protection information. The picture acts as a link and by clicking on it you will be taken to the electronic wagering platforms, where you can check out the most recent 2022 bonuses, codes, promos and you can register and play if your over the age of 18 (you can try out the games for free, no registration is needed for the free to play mode).

Miami Club online casino, 18+

  • Welcome bonus, 100% up to $100 on your first 8x deposit (up to $800 total)
  • Exclusive bonus code: MIFREE20, $20.00 free, every month, not just for new players, for returning players as well
  • Free spins, use coupon HOTWINGS to get 150% up to $150 plus 30 spins on the Funky Chicken 5-reel, limited time only (by the time you are reading it probably expired, only valid for a few days)

USA players accepted, Canada, Netherlands, Israel, France, Australia and UK players are not accepted. You can read the review of Miami Club Casino here.

Playthrough requirements and wagering limitations

Check the gambling website for the most recent bouse promotions and playthrough requirement and wagering limitation information. The deposit bonus amount must be wagered 40x times before withdrawal, depending on the type.
Type of game: Count towards wagering requirement: 
Keno, Dazzling Dice, Poker Slots, Bingo Bucks - 100%
Table games 10%
Blackjack or video poke 10%
Slots 100%
Roulette, Craps or Baccarat 0% - Forbidden!
 
Wagering limitation:
  • UPDATE 2022: The wagering of any portion of a non-deposit bonus on Roulette, Craps or Baccarat games is strictly forbidden!
  • Currently, bonuses are not available to players registering accounts from the following countries: Russia, Ukraine.
  • Bonuses cannot be combined.
  • Miami Club casino requires that a deposit of at least $25 is made on all accounts before any cash withdrawal is processed to comply with anti money laundering laws + mandatory ID check required by law (law to fight financing of terrorism and payment processor require this as well). The deposited $25 can be withdrawn afterwards with the winnings.

Bet Online Casino, Bookmaker & Poker

This is the promo banner of Bet Online, the US-friendly digital bookmaker, internet poker and online casino website. The banner provides information about the latest 2022 promotional offers and bonus codes, which are offered currently by the gambling platform to new and returning players. This picture acts as a link. By clicking on it you will be taken to the website of betonline.ag, where you can register and start playing if you create a player account (must be 18+).

Bet Online casino, poker and sportsbook

  • Welcome bonus, $3000, 100% up to $1,000 on your first three deposits. Use the code BOLCASINO
  • 25% - 50% sports betting reload on every qualifying bet, code: LIFEBONUS  (for the 25% bonus) and BOL1000 (for the 50% bonus)
  • +100% welcome match bonus up to 100% on your first deposit using bitcoin, bitcoin cash, ethereum, ripple, litecoin or DASH. No code required + 5% crypto boost afterwards on future deposits
  • 100% poker bonus
  • 10% weekly rebate, cashback for returning players

You can read the review of BetOnline here. List of countries, from which they do not accept players can be found in the review and below. North American players accepted.

Playthrough requirements and wagering limitations

All bonuses, free spins, and other promotional offer are subject to the following wagering limitations and playthrough requirements. Although, we strive to update this  section often, it's best if you check the company's website for the latest and up to date bonus terms and conditions (they change it quite often, with every new bonus, it's possible we have missed something, or it's no longer up to date).
Playthrough requirements of every bonus and promotion:
  • The deposit bonus amount must be wagered 30 times before withdrawal, usually (sports betting and poker bonuses 10x)
  • Forfeiting the bonus will result in the bonus and any subsequent winnings associated with it to be removed from players accounts.
  • Only one bonus can be active at a time, playthrough requirements must be met before additional promotions can be received.
  • Players must use the related bonus code in order to receive a bonus (if it has a code, not every promotion requires one).
  • Bonus funds will only be available on the Betsoft games, the other providers are not eligible,, unless otherwise stated.
  • In cases where rollover or other criteria specified in the individual bonus terms and conditions are not met within 30 days, any remaining bonus funds and associated winnings will be forfeited automatically.
  • Wagering requirements must be fulfilled before any winnings can be withdrawn.

Playthrough requirement contributions: The following table show the contribution of the various types of games towards the fulfillment of the wagering requirement.
Game types: Contribution:
Slots (progressive jackpot slots excluded) 100%
Roulette (All versions), Draw High-Lo, 3 Card Rummy 20%
Baccarat, Blackjack (American & European), Poker 3, Oasis Poker, Single Deck Blackjack, Triple Edge Poker, Caribbean Poker, Three Card Poker, Video Poker 10%
Pirate 21, Blackjack Super 7, Pai Gow, 21 Burn, Ride’m Poker, All forms of Keno, Red Dog, Pontoon, Top Card Trumps 5%
Craps, Live Casino, All Games with Progressive Jackpots, Virtual Racebook. Speciality games ie Keno’s and Scratcher game offered by Betsoft 0%
This only applies to casino bonuses, sports betting or poker bonuses have different wagering limitations (can be found on the company's website). BetOnline does not accept players from:

Fair Go Aussie Themed Casino

This is a banner of Fair Go internet casino website's current 2022 promotions, bonuses. FairGo is an Australian ("Aussie") themed casino, which accepts players from Australia and New Zealand. The picture also act as a link, by clicking on it you will be taken to the free to play area of the digital gambling website, where you can try out their games for free without spending any money, and you can register a real player account if you are 18 or older. Terms and conditions and requirements can be seen below the banner and on the casino's website.

FairGo - click to check out the digital casino, latest promotions, offers, hundreds of pokies, Aussie players welcome

Promotions:
  • 100% welcome bonus up to $200, on your first 5 deposits (total $500), coupon code: WELCOME
  • 100 free spins with code: DOD-GOW (limited time only, please let me know when the code expires)
  • 150% bonus and 50 spins on the new slot Lil Red ($20 minimum deposit requirement), coupon code: LILRED150, or on the slot Hyperwins, bonus code: GETHYPED
  • Special Neosurf bonus, deposit using Neosurf and get a 200% welcome bonus (only once per player), promo code: 200-NEO

Only one bonus can be active at a time. North American players are accepted at the casino. FairGo Casino does not accept players from: Moldova, Israel, UK. You can read the full review of Fair Go casino here.

Playthrough requirements and wagering limitations

Disclaimer: The casinos is not actually an Australian online casino, the company is not registered in Australia, it's only "Aussie" themed.
All bonuses, free spins, and other promotional offer are subject to the following wagering limitations and playthrough requirements. Although, we strive to update this  section often, it's best if you check the company's website for the latest and up to date bonus terms and conditions (they change it quite often, with every new bonus, it's possible we have missed something, or it's no longer up to date). Terms and conditions of every bonus and promotion:
  • Players from the following countries do not qualify for any bonuses: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Hungary, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Malaysia, Mauritius, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Russia, Germany, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan.
  • Only one bonus can be active at a time.
  • Only real money players, who completed the registration are eligible for a bonus.
  • No deposit bonuses hold a maximum cash out limit which is 5x the bonus amount unless otherwise specified.

Playthrough requirement:
  • The deposit bonus amount must be wagered 60 times before withdrawal, unless otherwise stated.

Wagering requirement contributions: The following table show the contribution of the various types of games towards the fulfillment of the wagering requirement.
Game types: Contribution:
Slots (a.k.a. Pokies) 100%
All types of Blackjack, Video Poker, Craps, American Roulette, Baccarat and other table games and non-pokies games 0%

 

Land-based casinos in Ukraine

Legal status of casinos in Ukraine: legal since 2020, operators require a licence, slot halls are also legal

 

Casinos are legal in Ukraine since 2020, according to Law no. 768-IX – About State Regulation of Activities for the Organization and Execution of Gambling1.

Private companies can get a casino licence (apart from Russian private companies, for political reasons). However, the casino licenses are restricted, casinos can only be located in:

  • five-star hotels in the capital city, Kiev,
  • four-star hotels in the countryside,
  • and the hotel must have a minimum of 100 rooms.

 

Additionally slot halls are also legal. Slot halls are also restricted similarly, bit the requirements are less strict, they can only be found in:

  • three-star hotels.

 

Cruise ships are also eligible for a casino licence.

Land-based casino gambling had been legal in Ukraine once already, but between 2009 and 2020 it was prohibited by the Law On Prohibition of Gambling Business in Ukraine.

In 2009 May a fire broke out in a Metro Jack Pot slot hall in the eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipropetrovsk (nowadays called Dnipro). 9 were killed and 11 were seriously injured in the conflagration1.

/Comment: Since then, the death toll has risen to 102, one additional person died due complications and the majority of the injured have to live with permanent health consequences for the rest of their lives. 

Also, even though the media calls this a “casino fire”, in actuality Metro Jack Pot was a slot hall, not a true casino./

As a result of the incident, all casinos, gambling halls, slot halls, poker clubs, and even night clubs were shut down in the city, until they could be properly checked for safety. Later that year, the moral outrage against corrupt and underregulated gambling establishments grew so large (it was politically charged, and there was a frenzied media witch hunt).

Eventually, by 2010 all gambling facilities were banned in the country3, according to the the Gambling Prohibition Law.

The whole reason the accident happened is because of corruption, and negligence. They bypassed fire safety regulations, never did mandatory checks and maintenance. They were violating almost every single fire safety regulation imaginable, and they just bribed inspectors to just sign the papers (the inspectors who signed it were jailed for life).

/Comment: They were far from the only business, which did this. In fact, this is common in Eastern Europe (where I live as well, in nearby Hungary, right next to Ukraine), a new disaster is just waiting to happen, nothing really changed, it’s still a common practice among small and medium sized companies./

Of course things were not so straightforward, there was a considerable amount of litigation behind the scenes. The ban was problematic mainly because most Ukrainian casino companies had licenses, which were still valid for years. And obviously they tried to do everything to stay in operation.

Although, currently it’s finally possible to acquire a casino licence, the process is not a fast one, and so far, there are no Ukrainian casinos.

UPDATE 2022: 4 casinos have opened so far in Ukraine, since the relegalization. This a far cry from the 40 (which was the amount prior to the ban). Therefore, a lot more casinos are expected to open in the coming years. Although, the conflict with Russia still deters many investors.

You can find all the currently operating brick and mortar casinos in the list below.

 

Can locals visit the casinos in Ukraine?

Yes, both locals and tourists can visit the casinos in Ukraine, unlike in some other countries (e.g.: in the entire muslim world casinos are only available to the tourists, locals can not enter).

 

Casino licensing and regulatory body of Ukraine:

Casino licenses are issued, controlled, and managed by the Ukrainian Gambling Council (Всеукраїнська Рада Гемблінгу). You have to contact them if you wish to set up any sort of gambling business in Ukraine. Their website is available in English as well, although not everything is translated into English.

The following casino gambling licenses are available since the the 2020 gambling relegalisation:

  • land-based casino
  • slot machine hall
  • poker hall

 

If you apply for a casino licence you need the following two licences as well:

  • gaming table license
  • slot machine license

 

There is no limit on the number of casino licenses. However, casinos must be connected to five-star hotels in the capital city, Kiev, and four-star hotels in the countryside.

The license fee is $2 million for hotels with a capacity of more than 150 rooms, per year, and $1 million for hotels with a capacity of over 100 rooms but less than 150 rooms, per year, per licence.

Hotels with three stars can only operate slot machines. The license fee of such a slot parlour is $250,000 per year, and $100 per month for each slot machine. The facilities can have up to 50-250 machines with a single license.

/Comment: And hotels below 3 stars can not operate any sort of gambling establishment./

The licensing requirements also reveal a strong political bias. They are a good example of how much the current leadership is against Russia, due to their recent conflict. They made it impossible for Russian companies, Russian people, and companies with Russian ties to acquire any kind of Ukrainian gambling licence.

/Comment: Instead, they are hoping that US gambling giants will invest in the country. But at least for now, they do not seem to be interested (they have much better investment opportunities). UPDATE 2022: No longer true, Hilton started opening casinos attached to their hotels in Kiev./

 

Free advertisement for licensed local lawyers, law firms from this country

Get featured on this website, here, just right under the taxation section. Advertise your services, get a link to your own website, or the law firm's website you work for, on a page that is visited by businessmen, company representatives looking for help with: setting up a gambling business, licensing, setting up a company, help with an existing gambling business, consulting etc....
And all this for free. Click on the drop down section if you are interested and want to get listed.

How to get featured

In order to get the free placement you must have a website (social media profile is not enough). Here is what you have to do:
  • send me a link to your website, or your employer's website
  • send me 1-2 sentences about you and/or your business etc.., something that describes the business, what you do, something that makes potential clients interested
  • send me one single picture of your company's logo, or a picture of your office, or one of your certificates, credentials which you are proud of etc... (but don't send a picture of yourself, for legal reasons I want to avoid uploading pictures of people)

The picture must be 150x150 pixels.
Contact me through the live chat, it's in the bottom right corner of the website, or in the comments section at the bottom of this page, with a link to the website you wish to advertise. If you qualify, I will give you my email address where we can discuss everything (I won't be putting my email address on the page, due to the extreme amount of spam I receive as it is).
In exchange: In order to appear for free on this website, you have to link back to this guide, from your website. It must be your website, your employer's website, a law blog or something similar. The link doesn't have to be in a prominent position, or on the homepage. It can be placed at the bottom of an unimportant page, where people don't see it, that's fine with me. And 1 sentence is enough, something like this: "We are featured on Simon's Gambling and Casino Blog, at <link here>."
That's all, if you are interested, get in touch. Looking forward to hearing from you.

 

Taxation of brick & mortar gambling establishments in Ukraine:

The applicable tax rates are set by the Tax Code of Ukraine4. The following are the casino tax rates in Ukraine.

Ukraine gambling taxation
Activity: Tax rate: Tax base:
general gambling tax 18% gross gambling revenue
slot machine tax 10% gross gambling revenue
winnings tax 1.5% winnings of players

This is on top of regular taxes (e.g: corporate tax, which is 18%). Gambling is VAT exempt.

The gambling tax rates are actually average, by European standards (high by international standards).

 

For the players, taxation of casino winnings in Ukraine: All gambling winnings are taxable (including online casinos), 18% personal income tax rate applies.

However, according to online rumors this is not really enforced unless you happen to win a bigger amount, €10 000+.

/Comment: Unconfirmed, I only found forum posts, social media posts and similar, low quality sources, basically just rumors. But it’s also not surprising, official government agencies and law websites won’t talk about such things, obviously.

However, I recommend paying taxes on your winnings all the time, regardless of the amount, because that’s the law, and it’s better to sleep in peace at night. Back taxes and fines can quickly add up (up to 60% of your winnings or more) and 18% is not the end of the world./

Contact an Ukrainian certified personal accountant (CPA) to help with your taxation.

Free advertisement for local accountants, CPAs and accounting firms from this country

Get featured on this website, here, just right under the taxation section. Advertise your services, get a link to your own website, or the accounting firm's website you work for, on a page that is visited by gamblers looking for help with their gambling winnings, and gambling companies looking for consultants and help with their projects.
And all this for free. Click on the drop down section if you are interested and want to get listed.

How to get featured

In order to get the free advertisement you must have a website (social media profile is not enough). Here is what you have to do:
  • send me a link to your website, or your employer's website
  • send me 1-2 sentences about you and/or your business etc.., something that describes the business, what you do, something that makes potential clients interested
  • send me one single picture of your company's logo, or a picture of your office, or one of your certificates, credentials which you are proud of etc... (but don't send a picture of yourself, for legal reasons I want to avoid uploading pictures of people)

The picture must be 150x150 pixels.
Contact me through the live chat, it's in the bottom right corner of the website, or in the comments section at the bottom of this page, with a link to the website you wish to advertise. If you qualify, I will give you my email address where we can discuss everything (I won't be putting my email address on the page, due to the extreme amount of spam I receive as it is).
In exchange: In order to appear for free on this website, you have to link back to this guide, from your website. It must be your website, your employer's website, a law blog or something similar. The link doesn't have to be in a prominent position, or on the homepage. It can be placed at the bottom of an unimportant page, where people don't see it, that's fine with me. And 1 sentence is enough, something like this: "We are featured on Simon's Gambling and Casino Blog, at <link here>."
That's all, if you are interested, get in touch. Looking forward to hearing from you.

 

Age requirement of land-based casinos, slot parlours in Ukraine: 21+

 

Sources, main pieces of the land-based casino legislation in Ukraine:

1Business & Human Rights Resource Centre – Dnipropetrovsk slot machine hall fire kills 9, injures 11 [Ukraine]

2Twocircles.net – Ten dead in fire at Ukrainian slot machine arcade

3Squire Sanders Legal Counsel Gambling Business Prohibited in Ukraine

4World Trade Organization – Tax Code of Ukraine

 

List of all casinos in Ukraine

This is a list of all casinos in Ukraine, with address, opening hours, number and types of games, dress code, entrance fee, reviews and a video of each gambling establishment, if one is available.

1., Vip Club Premier Palace Hotel and Casino
This is a picture of the building of Vip Club Premier Palace Hotel and Casino lit up at night. This is the first element of this list of all Ukrainian casinos. You can find the other casino gambling establishments on this list below this one. You can read more about this gaming venue to the right of the picture, including: address, opening hours, dress code, entrance fee, reviews and a video of the venue.

Vip Club Premier Palace Hotel and Casino

Vip Club Premier Palace Hotel and Casino, address: 5-7/29 Taras Shevchenko Blvd / Pushkinska St., Kyiv (Kiev) 01024 Ukraine

Premier Palace Hotel and Casino is a very expensive and upscale venue. Interestingly the hotel operated an illegal casino during the gambling ban in Ukraine (2009 – 2020).

The police discovered the underground casino in 2011. Interestingly, for some reason, criminal charges were dropped (corruption probably, bribes)*. This time the casino operates legally, open since 2021.

Sadly, according to customer reviews**, it is also frequented by many escorts, looking for rich older foreigners (this is typical of Eastern Europe btw.). These girls can mostly be found in the casino’s bar (in the slot area). Some reviews even insinuate that the hotel management is aware of this, and for some reason allows this to happen (probably for a cut of the action).

Therefore, if you are an older men who is approached by a younger, very good looking woman, that’s probably the reason why, not your “animal magnetism”.

/Comment: No judgement from me, maybe that’s why you are staying there in the first place. After all, Ukraine is a poorer country, those girls really need the money./

The beautiful historic building in which this smaller casino is located is called the Premier Palace Hotel.

The casino is advertised with the following slogan:

“VIP CLUB PREMIER PALACE: gambling for the elite. Luxury story.”

/Comment: Luxury story? It’s not a good sign when they have ‘engrish’ in their official marketing material, and it’s not the only one, if you want a good laugh go to their website. Don’t expect the employees to speak more than basic English./

Despite the issues mentioned above the casino has a good rating online (details can be found in the reviews section below), and it looks fantastic .

 

Sources:

*Kyiv Post – Illegal casino discovered at Premier Palace hotel in Kyiv

**Tripadvisor – Customer Review – Expensive and be weary of callgirls

 

Games: around 50 gaming machines (slots, video poker), and around 20 tables (blackjack, French Roulette, various forms of poker)

The have a VIP room as well, to enter the VIP section you have to have at least $1000 in casino chips, per person.

 

Video of Vip Club Premier Palace Hotel and Casino:


I couldn’t find any video of the casino online, it just opened recently. This is a video of the hotel in which it is located.

 

Opening hours: 24/7

UPDATE COVID-19: open

Dress code: smart casual

Entrance fee: no entrance fee

Meta review analysis: the casino gets good reviews, 4/5, no major problems, except for the call girls mentioend above

 

21+, ID, and passport for tourists, is needed to enter.

2., Billionaire Casino Hotel
This is a picture of the front entrance of Billionaire Casino Hotel. You can read more about this gaming venue to the right of the picture, including: address, opening hours, dress code, entrance fee, reviews and a video of the venue.

Billionaire Casino Hotel

Billionaire Casino Hotel, address: Velyka Zhytomyrska St, 2а, Kyiv, Ukrajna, 01025

Billionaire casino, like most casinos, is located in the capital Kiev, within the five-star InterContinental Kyiv Hotel (the building itself is from 1638).

Prior to the casino ban Billionaire was considered to be the most luxurious and prestigious casino in Kyiv. It was visited by many of the city’s elite and by wealthier foreigners.

They are trying to recreate this atmosphere and reputation. Although, this time they have significant competition from the Casino Hilton Kyiv (under construction) and Vip Club Premier Palace Hotel and Casino (above), all of which are similarly positioned as VIP casino clubs in the capital.

Originally the casino didn’t have a hotel, but because of the new regulations they are now attached to a hotel.

In order to differentiate themselves from the competition they spent considerable amount of money on luxurious mahogany card tables and roulette wheels. This casino equipment was manufactured by the Italian Abbiati Casino Equipment Company.

/Comment: I have no idea how this supposed to differentiates them form all the other “rich people’s casinos”, all of them do something similar. But they are very proud of it, must have cost a fortune, it’s advertised everywhere, so I thought I mention it too.

Not a good investment in my opinion, very few of the 50+ rich guys will care about it or even notice. Vip Club Premier Palace Casino has more of what they are actually looking for, if you know what I mean… ;)/

They also have a cigars, wines and vintage (and expensive) cognacs to complete your James Bond villain look, if you are into that sort of thing.

But a website with information like opening hours, address and dress code, that’s not something they can offer. Even though, it’s pretty much expected from a casino nowadays, and all of their competitors have one.

Like all VIP Ukrainian casinos this is also a small venue, around 500 m2. Like all VIP casino clubs, it also focuses on live dealer table games instead of slots.

This was the first casino to open after the ban, owned by the Billionaire Casino Company. The staff reportedly (according to the management) speaks Russian, Ukrainian, Turkish and English.

They also operate a croupier school, the Billionaire Casino`s School of Croupiers.

 

Games: around 50 gaming machines (slots, video poker, brands: Novomatic, IGT, EGT, okay selection, not great), and around 15 tables (blackjack, French Roulette, various forms of poker)

They also have 3 private VIP rooms.

 

Video of Vip Club Premier Palace Hotel and Casino:

 

Opening hours: 24/7

UPDATE COVID-19: open

Dress code: smart casual

Entrance fee: no entrance fee

Meta review analysis: the casino gets good reviews, 4/5, no major problems

 

21+, ID, and passport for tourists, is needed to enter.

3., Centralny Hotel and Casino
This is a picture of the front entrance gate of Centralny Hotel and Casino. You can read more about this gaming venue to the right of the picture.

Centralny Hotel and Casino

Centralny Hotel and Casino, address: Musorgskogo Street, 16, Kryvyi Rih, 50053, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast

Centralny (Central) Hotel in the city of Kryvyi Rih apparently has a casino, but that’s all the info available online about the place. There is literally nothing known about this casino online, not even opening hours or any other basic information.

If you know anything please leave a comment, thank you.

 

 

Games: unknown, if you know anything please let me know in the comments section

 

Video of Centralny Casino:

No video online, if you know of any please post it in the comments section.

 

Opening hours: unknown, if you know anything please let me know in the comments section

UPDATE COVID-19: unknown, if you know anything please let me know in the comments section

Dress code: unknown, if you know anything please let me know in the comments section

Entrance fee: unknown, if you know anything please let me know in the comments section

Meta review analysis: no reviews online

 

21+, ID, and passport for tourists, is needed to enter.

5., Shangri La Kharkiv
This is a picture of the building of Kharkiv Palace Hotel in which Shangri La Kharkiv Casino is located. You can read more about this gaming venue to the right of the picture.

Shangri La Kharkiv

Shangri La Kharkiv, address: Nezalezhnosti Ave, 2, Kharkiv, Kharkiv Oblast, 61058

This is the Kharkiv venue of the Shangri La casino chain (owned by Storm International Ltd.). The casino is located within the five star Kharkiv Palace Hotel.

Open since 2021 December.

This is the smaller venue, their Kyiv location is the bigger one.

 

Games: around 70 gaming machines (slots, video poker) and around 20 tables (blackjack, American Roulette, Texas Hold’em, four different poker games and Baccarat)

They have a VIP room.

 

Video of Shangri La Kharkiv:

There are no videos of the casino online yet.

 

 

Opening hours: 24/7

UPDATE COVID-19: open

Dress code: unknown, no info about it online anywhere

Entrance fee: no entrance fee

Meta review analysis: the casino gets good reviews, 4/5, this is the second best rated Ukrainian casino currently

 

21+, ID, and passport for tourists, is needed to enter.

5., First Casino
This is a picture of Gagarinn Hotel in Odesa, lit up at night. First Casino, Ukraine's biggest casino is located within this building, attached to the hotel. This is the fifth and last element of this list of all Ukrainian casinos. You can find the other casino gambling establishments on this list above this one. You can read more about this gaming venue to the right of the picture, including: address, opening hours, dress code, entrance fee, reviews and a video of the venue.

First Casino within the Gagarinn Hotel

First Casino, address: Gagarin (Haharinske) Plateau, 5 B, Odessa, Odessa Oblast, 65009

First Casino (a.k.a. Gagarin Hotel Casino) is by far the best casino in Ukraine currently (watch the video below, it’s gorgeous). It’s also the biggest (5000 m2), and according to online reviews, the best rated.

If you area tourist looking for a casino in Ukraine look no further.

Although, this venue is not located in the capital, it’s located in the Black Sea port town of Odessa, which most visitors to the country will not get to experience sadly.

/Comment: I actually recommend Odessa more than the capital, so if you are not traveling to Ukraine for business you should consider Odessa, much better value for money, cheaper than the overpriced capital. And apparently it also has better casinos./

The casino is owned by Nebula Games, the biggest casino company of Ukraine right now. They are in the process of opening multiple casinos and slot halls (mostly slot halls) throughout the country. We will definitely be hearing about them in the future. This is their flagship casino.

The venue is located within the imposing Gagarin Hotel in ​Odessa Arcadia.

 

Games: around 300 gaming machines (slots, video poker, great selection, the best machines money can buy in Europe right now, mostly Novomatic, IGT, EGT, Greentube) and around 26 tables (blackjack, American Roulette, Texas Hold’em, Ultimate Texas Hold’em, Russian poker*, Three-card poker) + 3 electronic roulette machines

They have a poker room with 14 poker tables, you can find the online tournament schedule and more information about the cash games here.

 

*Russain poker explanation, tutorial: Appeared in the 1990s in Russia and in former countries of the Soviet union. It is said to be the favourite of Russian soldiers who brought it with them to Eastern European countries where they were stationed. You play against the dealer. The payout table is as follows:

Royal Flush + Straight Flush 150:1 clubclubclubclubclub10 club9
Royal Flush + Flush 105:1 heartheartheartheartheart10 heart7
Royal Flush + Straight 104:1 spadespadespadespadespade10 diamondK
Straight Flush + Straight Flush 100:1 diamond10diamonddiamonddiamonddiamonddiamond5
Straight Flush + Flush 55:1 clubclubclubclubclubclub3
Straight Flush + Straight 54:1 heartheart10 heartheartheartspade6
Straight Flush + Ace-King 51:1 spadespadespadespadespadediamondK
Four of a Kind + Full House 27:1 clubdiamondheartspadeheartspadeJ
Four of a Kind + Ace-King 21:1 clubdiamondheartspadediamondA
Full House + Full House 14:1 clubheartspadediamondheartspade3
Full House + Ace-King 8:1 heartspadeclubdiamondheartspadeA
Flush + Flush 10:1 diamonddiamonddiamonddiamonddiamonddiamond3
Flush + Straight 9:1 clubclubclubclubclubheart8
Flush + One Pair 6:1 heartheart10 heartheartheartspade7
Flush + Ace-King 6:1 spadespadespadespadespadediamondA
Straight + Straight 8:1 clubdiamondspadeclubdiamondheart5
Straight + Ace-King 5:1 clubspadeclubdiamondheartspadeK
Three of a Kind + Ace-King 4:1 diamondheartclubdiamondspadeK
Two Pair + Two Pair 4:1 clubheartspadediamondheartspade3
Two Pair + Ace-King 3:1 clubdiamondheartspadeclubK
One Pair + Ace-King 2:1 diamondspadeclubdiamondheart10

 

Watch the following Russian Poker video tutorial to learn how to play:

 

Video of First Casino:

 

Opening hours: 24/7

UPDATE COVID-19: open

Dress code: unknown, no info about it online anywhere

Entrance fee: no entrance fee

Meta review analysis: the casino gets good reviews, 4/5+, this is the best rated Ukrainian casino currently

 

21+, ID, and passport for tourists, is needed to enter.

 

 

UPDATE 2022: Shangri La opened two casinos, one in Kiev, one in Kharkiv. Only the Kharkiv one is on the list above, the Kiev one will be added with the next update.

 

Here is a list of all the casino projects currently in construction:

Hilton Kyiv will open 2 casino very soon*.

 

This is a map of Ukraine, which shows the planned locations of all the Nebula Games gambling establishments. You can read more about this to the left of the map.

Nebula Games – future casino, slot hall projects

Additionally, Nebula Games claims to have signed contracts for the opening of gambling establishments in the following territories**:

  • Kyiv region,
  • Vinnytsia,
  • Zhytomyr,
  • Odessa,
  • Chernivtsi,
  • Khmelnitsky,
  • Nikolaev,
  • Zaporizhia oblast,
  • Lviv
  • Kiev
  • Poltava
  • Kharkiv

 

It’s very likely that most of these will be slot halls not casinos, but it’s not known at this point. This makes Nebula Games the biggest casino company of Ukraine.

 

Sources:

*Kyiv Post – Anticipating legalized gambling, Hilton Kyiv plans to open 2 casinos

**Nebula Games

 

According to Kyiv post:

“​​The commission has already issued 40 licenses since the beginning of 2021, including to seven high-end hotels in Kyiv such as the Fairmont Grand Hotel overlooking the Dnipro River.”*

This is most likely wrong, and this number also includes slot halls licenses, not just casino license (it’s a common mistake, people not involved with the gambling industry rarely know or care about the difference between the two).

It seem like the process is not free of corruption, you can read more about the most recent, corruption allegations here:
*Kyiv Post – Gambling official arrested on suspicion of taking a $90,000 bribe

 

If you know of other casino projects please leave a comment.

 

List of all former Ukraine casinos - click to expand

For posterity here is a list of all former casinos of Ukraine, all of them were closed during the 2009 casino ban:

Casino Avalon
Leontovycha Street, 3
Kiev, Kyiv
Ukraine
380-44-234-71-96

Casino Bingo
Prospect Pobedy, 112
Kiev, Kyiv 252000
Ukraine
380-44-424-65-07

Casino Bratislava
Malyshka Street, 1
Kiev, Kyiv 252000
Ukraine
380-44-551-72-00

Casino Charley
Pereulok, Yavorneyskogo, 6
Dniepropetrovsk, Dnipropetrovs’ka Oblast’ 49000
Ukraine
380-56-238-90-68

Casino El Torito
Vladimiro-Lybidskaya Street, 16
Kiev, Kyiv
Ukraine
380-44-269-60-38

Casino Etual
Boris Grinchenko Street, 4
Kiev, Kyiv
Ukraine
380-44-279-43-36

Casino Kharkov
7 Svoboda Square
2nd Floor
Kharkov 61002
Ukraine
380-676-73-97-50

Casino Kiev
Cinema Kiev
Krasnoarmeyskaya Street, 19
Kiev, Kyiv
Ukraine
380-44-287-66-05

Casino Millenium
Prospect Chernovola, 2
Lviv, L’vivs’ka Oblast’
Ukraine
380-322-40-35-91

Casino Sin City
Gorod Entertainment Complex
Pavla Tychiny Street, 7
Kiev, Kyiv 252000
Ukraine
380-44-553-34-05

Casino Split
Gogol Street, 22
Poltava, Poltavs’ka Oblast’
Ukraine
380-532-50-80-03

Casino Split
Berdichivskaya Ulitsa 30
Ilichovsk, Odes’ka Oblast’
Ukraine
380-486-84-29-67

Casino Split
Proreznaya Street, 8
Kiev, Kyiv 252034
Ukraine
380-44-536-17-17

Casino Twenty First Century
Saksagansovo Street, 51
Kiev, Kyiv
Ukraine
380-44-289-17-03

Casino V-Club
Constitutsyi Square, 11/13
Kharkov, Kharkivs’ka Oblast’
Ukraine
380-57-212-82-44

Casino Volna
Boulevard Shevchenko, 24
Donetsk, Donets’ka Oblast’ 83000
Ukraine
38-623-85-80-08

Casino Zig-Zag
Marii Ulyanovoy Street, 62b
Donetsk, Donets’ka Oblast’ 83000
Ukraine
380-622-97-29-04

Club Joss
Hotel Tourist
R. Okipnoy Street, 2
Kiev, Kyïv 253167
Ukraine
380-44-516-86-74

Club Split – Lvov
Mitskevich Square 6/7
Lvov, L’vivs’ka Oblast’ 79000
Ukraine
380-322-42-22-00

Cristal Palace Casino
11 Devolanovskiy Slope
Odessa
Ukraine
380-482-36-59-91

Fortuna Gaming Hall
40 Years Soviet Ukraine, 80
Entrance 5
Zaporozhia, Zaporiz’ka Oblast’ 69035
Ukraine
380-612-12-31-33

Gabriela Casino & Londonskaya Hotel
Primorsky Boulevard, 11
Odessa, Odes’ka Oblast’
Ukraine
380-482-25-3-65

Gabriela Entertainment Complex
Hotel Dnepro
Kreshyatik Street, 1/2
Kiev, Kyiv
Ukraine
380-44-228-88-21

Grand Hotel and Grand Club Sofia
Prospect Schevshenka, 10
Lviv, L’vivs’ka Oblast’ 79000
Ukraine
380-322-72-90-00

Limpopo Entertainment Complex
Geroi Stalingrada 16-V
Kiev, Kyiv
Ukraine
380-44-464-69-02

Mandarin Casino
62/2 Vilyamsa Street
Odessa
Ukraine
380-487-17-00-46

Maximym
Dekabristov Street, 12/37
Kiev, Kyiv
Ukraine
380-44-562-62-62

Mirage Casino & Bowling Club
Artema Street, 37/41
Kiev, Kyiv
Ukraine
380-44-461-92-98

Olympic Casino – Aladdin
Grishka Str. 5, Kiev
Kiev
Ukraine
380-44-577-36-71

Olympic Casino – Arena
Krasnoarmeyskaya Street 5
Kiev, Kyiv
Ukraine
380-44-590-08-52

Olympic Casino – Arsenal
Sichnevogo povstania Str. 3
Kiev
Ukraine
380-44-254-58-96

Olympic Casino – Darnica
Malyshka 4/3
Kiev, Kyiv
Ukraine
380-44-559-69-63

Olympic Casino – Geroev Dnepra
47 Geroev Dnepra
Kiev
Ukraine
380-955-14-26-79

Olympic Casino – Global
Kiev, Balzaka 2a
Kiev, Kyiv
Ukraine
380-44-459-73-01

Olympic Casino – Opera
Vladimirovski Avenue 51
Kiev, Kyiv
Ukraine
380-536-99-71

Olympic Casino – Rusanovka
Rusanovskaya Naberezhnaya 8/2
Kiev
Ukraine
380-44-553-36-72

Olympic Casino – Sofiivska
14 Sofiivska Street
Kiev, Kyiv
Ukraine
380-676-7-64-51

Olympic Casino – Spectre
Borschagovskaya 173/187
Kiev, Kyiv
Ukraine
380-44-457-75-65

Olympic Casino Pobeda
Prospect Pobedy 96
Kiev
Ukraine
380-675-37-65-62

Olympic Casino Saksaganskogo
Krasnoarmeyskaya Street 43
Kiev, Kyiv
Ukraine
380-676-57-64-50

Rio Casino
30/10 B. Khmelnytskoho Street
Kiev, Kyiv
Ukraine
380-44-234-32-92

River Palace Entertainment Complex
Naberezhnoye Shosse
Kiev, Kyiv
Ukraine
380-44-490-66-95

Salyut International
Yanvarskogo Vosstaniya 11a
Kiev
Ukraine
380-44-280-31-33

Time Out Casino
Gorkogo Street 50
Kiev
Ukraine
380-672-48-73-96

White Piano
Naberzhnaya Lenina, 33a
Dniepropetrovsk, Dnipropetrovs’ka Oblast’ 320010
Ukraine
380-562-39-85-00

 

Bitcoin Casinos Ukraine

Legal status: not specifically regulated

 

UPDATE 2021: Cryptocurrencies are officially legal in Ukraine since 2021, according to Law No. 3637 On Virtual Assets*.

However, despite this, bitcoin gambling is not specifically regulated and therefore right now none of the land-based gambling establishments accept any of the alternative virtual currencies. And it is unlikely that any of the newly built casinos will.

You can only use your bitcoin, ethereum, ripple, litecoin on some of the foreign online gambling websites, which have acquired Ukraine gambling licences (they usually have multiple licenses). These digital gambling platforms work with payment processors (look for Skrill or Netteller among the payment options) that allow them to handle cryptocurrency deposits and withdrawals.

You can see these digital casino below.

*Source: Information Department of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Secretariat – The Speaker of the Parliament of Ukraine signed the Law of Ukraine “On Virtual Assets”

 

 

Other forms of online gambling in Ukraine

Most forms of online gambling are legal in Ukraine, in accordance with the law no. 768-IX – 2020 Gambling Law in Ukraine. These are:

  • online sports betting
  • online poker
  • online lottery

 

However, online bingo is de facto impossible, because the gambling legislation does not mention it (it seems like they forgot to regulate it, but there are theories that it is considered a lottery-like game, however, this is unconfirmed and unclear).

And bitcoin wagering is not yet regulated (most likely it will be regulated with the next update now that digital currencies are officially legal).

Interestingly the only forms of gambling, which remained legal after the ban of 2009 were lottery, more specifically, the state-owned Ukrainian National Lottery and non-banking poker (initially it was banned too, but the Ukrainian Poker Federation sued the government, the decision was reversed in 2013 and sports poker was made exempt form the ban).

The national lottery has thousands of selling points and it is present all over Ukraine, and their games are also available on their online platform as well nowadays. For now, it’s still a state monopoly. However, the new gambling legislation states the 3 concurrent lottery licenses are possible. And private companies, through a public concession procedure, can apply for a lottery licence. It’s possible that we will see a private lottery in Ukraine in the future.

Unlicensed gambling websites (not just casino sites) are banned by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).

 

Future of online casino gambling in Ukraine

Now that most forms of online gambling are legal are regulated big changes are not expected, just improvements and fine tuning.

Hopefully this new relegalization of casinos will help the struggling country, especially with such a string of bad luck: the 2008 economic crisis, the recent conflict with Russia, annexation of Crimea by Russia, COVID-19, ongoing issues with corruption, issues with organized crime, political instability, and IMF loan and involvement.

 

The following casino websites accept players from Ukraine:

 

Free bitcoin giveaway

This is a banner of freebitco.in bitcoin and fun token crypto wagering website. The banner displays information about the current 2023 virtual currency raffle, and no registration promotion currently offered by the Indian digital gambling website. You can read more information about the gambling platform and their hourly cryptocurrency giveaway. By clicking on the picture you will be taken to the virtual currency betting website. By placing bets on the website we get a percentage of your bets placed as affiliate commision. Thank you for supporting the website.

Free bitcoin giveaway, $0.1 to $ 200 every hour, real no deposit promotion, no wagering requirement bitcoin gambling and betting

One of the rare, genuine ways to actually get free bitcoins online. 100% legitimate, in operation for 10+ years, no deposit or registration required (we are using this site for 1+ years, payout guaranteed, not a scam).
You have to manually enter the bitcoin raffle every hour and you will be able to win anywhere between 0.00000009 BTC - 0.00878696 BTC + occasional special prizes.


You can realistically make around €200 per month if you roll every hour and participate in all the other promotions they have as well (wheel of fortune, lottery tickets etc..., all free).

/However, you have to manually spin every hour to get this amount, including at night, therefore, realistically, the amount you can expect will be less./

They also have many other ways to win bitcoin, or FUN tokens, including: online casino section, sports betting, betting on cryptocurrency prices, wheel of fortune, lottery etc...

No wagering, playthrough requirement, limitations.

Playthrough requirements, wagering limitations, terms and conditions and list of restricted countries

Because this is a crypto-only gambling website there are no restricted countries. Everyone over the age of 18 can play (or 24, depending on what is the legal online gambling age in your country).
Only bitcoin and FUN tokens are accepted. You have to deposit bitcoin to a specific bitcoin address and it will show up on your balance.

No wagering and playthrough limitations, requirements.

The only hidden fee is that if you win items, physical prizes, in those cases the shipping cost is not paid by them and you will required to pay for shipping (or you can opt to receive the equivalent of the prize in bitcoins if you don't want to pay for transportation).

UPDATE 2023: They also offer an annual 4- 5% interest rate on the FunFair (FUN) tokens you purchase with bitcoin (it's their own cryptocurrency).

Miami Club Digital Casino Destination

This is the banner advertisement of the gambling website Miami Club, it displays the various bonuses and promotional offers currently available at the digital gambling website, including their terms and conditions and legally mandated player protection information. The picture acts as a link and by clicking on it you will be taken to the electronic wagering platforms, where you can check out the most recent 2022 bonuses, codes, promos and you can register and play if your over the age of 18 (you can try out the games for free, no registration is needed for the free to play mode).

Miami Club online casino, 18+

  • Welcome bonus, 100% up to $100 on your first 8x deposit (up to $800 total)
  • Exclusive bonus code: MIFREE20, $20.00 free, every month, not just for new players, for returning players as well
  • Free spins, use coupon HOTWINGS to get 150% up to $150 plus 30 spins on the Funky Chicken 5-reel, limited time only (by the time you are reading it probably expired, only valid for a few days)

USA players accepted, Canada, Netherlands, Israel, France, Australia and UK players are not accepted. You can read the review of Miami Club Casino here.

Playthrough requirements and wagering limitations

Check the gambling website for the most recent bouse promotions and playthrough requirement and wagering limitation information. The deposit bonus amount must be wagered 40x times before withdrawal, depending on the type.
Type of game: Count towards wagering requirement: 
Keno, Dazzling Dice, Poker Slots, Bingo Bucks - 100%
Table games 10%
Blackjack or video poke 10%
Slots 100%
Roulette, Craps or Baccarat 0% - Forbidden!
 
Wagering limitation:
  • UPDATE 2022: The wagering of any portion of a non-deposit bonus on Roulette, Craps or Baccarat games is strictly forbidden!
  • Currently, bonuses are not available to players registering accounts from the following countries: Russia, Ukraine.
  • Bonuses cannot be combined.
  • Miami Club casino requires that a deposit of at least $25 is made on all accounts before any cash withdrawal is processed to comply with anti money laundering laws + mandatory ID check required by law (law to fight financing of terrorism and payment processor require this as well). The deposited $25 can be withdrawn afterwards with the winnings.

Bet Online Casino, Bookmaker & Poker

This is the promo banner of Bet Online, the US-friendly digital bookmaker, internet poker and online casino website. The banner provides information about the latest 2022 promotional offers and bonus codes, which are offered currently by the gambling platform to new and returning players. This picture acts as a link. By clicking on it you will be taken to the website of betonline.ag, where you can register and start playing if you create a player account (must be 18+).

Bet Online casino, poker and sportsbook

  • Welcome bonus, $3000, 100% up to $1,000 on your first three deposits. Use the code BOLCASINO
  • 25% - 50% sports betting reload on every qualifying bet, code: LIFEBONUS  (for the 25% bonus) and BOL1000 (for the 50% bonus)
  • +100% welcome match bonus up to 100% on your first deposit using bitcoin, bitcoin cash, ethereum, ripple, litecoin or DASH. No code required + 5% crypto boost afterwards on future deposits
  • 100% poker bonus
  • 10% weekly rebate, cashback for returning players

You can read the review of BetOnline here. List of countries, from which they do not accept players can be found in the review and below. North American players accepted.

Playthrough requirements and wagering limitations

All bonuses, free spins, and other promotional offer are subject to the following wagering limitations and playthrough requirements. Although, we strive to update this  section often, it's best if you check the company's website for the latest and up to date bonus terms and conditions (they change it quite often, with every new bonus, it's possible we have missed something, or it's no longer up to date).
Playthrough requirements of every bonus and promotion:
  • The deposit bonus amount must be wagered 30 times before withdrawal, usually (sports betting and poker bonuses 10x)
  • Forfeiting the bonus will result in the bonus and any subsequent winnings associated with it to be removed from players accounts.
  • Only one bonus can be active at a time, playthrough requirements must be met before additional promotions can be received.
  • Players must use the related bonus code in order to receive a bonus (if it has a code, not every promotion requires one).
  • Bonus funds will only be available on the Betsoft games, the other providers are not eligible,, unless otherwise stated.
  • In cases where rollover or other criteria specified in the individual bonus terms and conditions are not met within 30 days, any remaining bonus funds and associated winnings will be forfeited automatically.
  • Wagering requirements must be fulfilled before any winnings can be withdrawn.

Playthrough requirement contributions: The following table show the contribution of the various types of games towards the fulfillment of the wagering requirement.
Game types: Contribution:
Slots (progressive jackpot slots excluded) 100%
Roulette (All versions), Draw High-Lo, 3 Card Rummy 20%
Baccarat, Blackjack (American & European), Poker 3, Oasis Poker, Single Deck Blackjack, Triple Edge Poker, Caribbean Poker, Three Card Poker, Video Poker 10%
Pirate 21, Blackjack Super 7, Pai Gow, 21 Burn, Ride’m Poker, All forms of Keno, Red Dog, Pontoon, Top Card Trumps 5%
Craps, Live Casino, All Games with Progressive Jackpots, Virtual Racebook. Speciality games ie Keno’s and Scratcher game offered by Betsoft 0%
This only applies to casino bonuses, sports betting or poker bonuses have different wagering limitations (can be found on the company's website). BetOnline does not accept players from:

Fair Go Aussie Themed Casino

This is a banner of Fair Go internet casino website's current 2022 promotions, bonuses. FairGo is an Australian ("Aussie") themed casino, which accepts players from Australia and New Zealand. The picture also act as a link, by clicking on it you will be taken to the free to play area of the digital gambling website, where you can try out their games for free without spending any money, and you can register a real player account if you are 18 or older. Terms and conditions and requirements can be seen below the banner and on the casino's website.

FairGo - click to check out the digital casino, latest promotions, offers, hundreds of pokies, Aussie players welcome

Promotions:
  • 100% welcome bonus up to $200, on your first 5 deposits (total $500), coupon code: WELCOME
  • 100 free spins with code: DOD-GOW (limited time only, please let me know when the code expires)
  • 150% bonus and 50 spins on the new slot Lil Red ($20 minimum deposit requirement), coupon code: LILRED150, or on the slot Hyperwins, bonus code: GETHYPED
  • Special Neosurf bonus, deposit using Neosurf and get a 200% welcome bonus (only once per player), promo code: 200-NEO

Only one bonus can be active at a time. North American players are accepted at the casino. FairGo Casino does not accept players from: Moldova, Israel, UK. You can read the full review of Fair Go casino here.

Playthrough requirements and wagering limitations

Disclaimer: The casinos is not actually an Australian online casino, the company is not registered in Australia, it's only "Aussie" themed.
All bonuses, free spins, and other promotional offer are subject to the following wagering limitations and playthrough requirements. Although, we strive to update this  section often, it's best if you check the company's website for the latest and up to date bonus terms and conditions (they change it quite often, with every new bonus, it's possible we have missed something, or it's no longer up to date). Terms and conditions of every bonus and promotion:
  • Players from the following countries do not qualify for any bonuses: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Hungary, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Malaysia, Mauritius, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Russia, Germany, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan.
  • Only one bonus can be active at a time.
  • Only real money players, who completed the registration are eligible for a bonus.
  • No deposit bonuses hold a maximum cash out limit which is 5x the bonus amount unless otherwise specified.

Playthrough requirement:
  • The deposit bonus amount must be wagered 60 times before withdrawal, unless otherwise stated.

Wagering requirement contributions: The following table show the contribution of the various types of games towards the fulfillment of the wagering requirement.
Game types: Contribution:
Slots (a.k.a. Pokies) 100%
All types of Blackjack, Video Poker, Craps, American Roulette, Baccarat and other table games and non-pokies games 0%

 

If you have questions or any feedback don’t hesitate to drop a comment below. Please let me know in the comments section if you think we might have gotten something wrong or if you have additional information, clarification about the casinos in the country. Especially if you are from Ukraine or nearby. Thank you.

 

FAQ – frequently asked questions about Ukraine online casinos

 

FAQ section

The following are some of the frequently asked questions about casinos in Ukraine. Click on the dropdown menu below to see the questions and answers.

Q&A

Are casinos legal in Ukraine?

Yes, casinos are legal in Ukraine since 2020 (they have been legal prior to 2020, they were already legal between 1991 and 2009, however, they got banned in 2009, due to the 2009 Metro Jack Pot slot hall fire in the eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipropetrovsk, and they stay banned from 2009 all the way until 2020) Slot halls are also legal.

Are online casinos legal in Ukraine?

Yes, online casinos are legal in Ukraine since 2020 (similarly to brick & mortar casinos digital casinos were also only relegalized in 2020, and they have been already legal previously).

Are there any casinos in Ukraine?

No, there aren't any casinos in the country right now. However, there are some casino projects under construction currently.

Can I play in an online casino from Ukraine?

Yes, Ukraine players can play in licensed online casinos. You can see a list of them on this page.

Are bitcoin casinos legal in Ukraine?

Cryptocurrency accepting casinos are not yet specifically addressed by the Ukraine gambling legislation.

Are there online casinos, which accept players from Ukraine?

Yes, the licensed online casinos listed on this page accept players from Ukraine.

Can tourists play in the casinos of Ukraine?

Yes, both tourists and locals can play in the casinos of Ukraine.

Can tourists place bets in online casinos from Ukraine?

Yes, the casino gambling laws and regulations mentioned on this page only apply to locals, tourists visiting Ukraine can play freely online.

What is the age requirement of Ukraine online casinos?

The age limit of both land-based and digital casinos is 21+.

Do casinos in Ukraine have dress codes?

Unknown, there are no casinos in Ukraine currently.

How much tax do I have to pay in Ukraine on my gambling winnings from an online casino?

Gambling winnings regardless of the source and amount are taxable in Ukraine, the tax rate is 18%.

Are there any digital casinos licensed in Ukraine?

Yes, online casino licenses are issued since 2020.

How many casinos are there in Ukraine?

There aren't any casinos in Ukraine currently.

Do casinos in Ukraine have entrance fees?

Unknown, there are no casinos in Ukraine currently.

Which is the biggest casino in Ukraine?

Unknown, there are no casinos in Ukraine currently.

Which is the biggest casino group in Ukraine?

Unknown, there are no casinos in Ukraine currently.

 

This guide is an extension to Simon’s Guide to the Legal Status of Gambling in Ukraine.

Simon’s Guide to Land-based and Online Casinos in Ukraine is part of Simon’s Online Casino Guide (with an interactive map).

 

Last updated: 2023-01-30

 

Gamble responsibly,
SimonTheSorcerer

Last Updated on 2023-01-30 by Simon

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Don't worry, this is not an ad! ;) Just wanted to make sure to tell you that I'm glad you visited this gambling blog. I'm Simon, the only author and the man behind this blog (if you are interested, my unusual life story can be found on the homepage, under the "About me" dropdown section).
I'm an independent gambling blogger since 2012. In this sector dominated by huge media companies, casino operators and online marketing networks, who can easily spend $ millions on their online gambling blogs, it's not easy for an independent nobody like me to survive. It took me about 6 years, working my ass off, to even have a chance to be noticed by visitors like you. I'm lucky enough that for a few years now, I make enough money to be able to do this full time (before that, I had part-time jobs, ghost writing gigs, online marketing this and that).
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Summary:
Simon's Guide to Online Casinos in Ukraine
Article Name:
Simon's Guide to Online Casinos in Ukraine
Description:
A guide to the legal status of terrestrial casinos and licensed online casinos in Ukraine, including a list of the biggest and best rated terrestrial casinos of the country, and a list of licensed internet casino platforms, which accept Ukrainian players.
Author:
Simon András Péter (SimonTheSorcerer)
Publisher:
Simon's Online Casino Gambling Blog
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