Ukraine Implements New Licensing Strategy, Awarding 10 B2B Licenses and Cancelling Seven

Ukraine has officially declared the issuance of 10 B2B gaming licenses while revoking seven others. This move aligns with the regulator’s broader strategy to distinguish and separate the licensing and marketing functions between the B2B and B2C sectors within the Ukrainian gambling industry.

As part of this initiative, PlayCity emphasized that the initial focus would be on granting B2B licenses. The 10 licenses awarded have gone to selected companies, whereas the seven licenses rescinded were due to inactivity and unresponsiveness to official inquiries.

Hennadiy Novikov, CEO of PlayCity, highlighted that Ukraine’s regulatory approach mirrors that of neighboring Romania, where operators engaging directly with players—B2C operators—are being phased out from the B2B landscape.

Commenting on the recent developments, Novikov explained: “During this short period, we have already issued 10 new licenses for service provision (B2B). At the same time, we reviewed another seven companies, including to verify that they have no ties to Russia. These companies simply did not respond to our inquiries, so we revoked their licenses. The next stage is oversight and inspections of such companies.”

Read also: Romania Tightens Regulations for B2B Gambling Suppliers

He further elaborated on the strategic intent: “In this way, without deviating from our strategic goal of supporting the legal market, we are narrowing the range of products available to illegal operators. This approach is driven by the high risks inherent in the sector, including the possibility of tax optimisation and capital outflows. The regulator seeks to see not individual elements, but the entire ecosystem of the market, ensuring transparency across the supply chain, from software to service providers.”

This move follows Ukraine’s recent collaboration with international bodies, notably the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the national sports integrity platform and the International Betting Integrity Association in October. Additionally, it was announced that a new national gambling exclusion register is planned for launch in December 2025. Ukraine B2B Licenses