Ukraine to restrict military access to gambling amid addiction concerns

The Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, together with the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, is developing a mechanism to restrict access to gambling for service members.

The Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine said this in a post on Facebook, Ukrinform reports.

"We are continuing a systematic fight against gambling addiction. Our goal is to protect service members and their families from the risks and consequences of problem gambling. To achieve this, together with the Ministry of Defense, we are preparing a mechanism that will limit the participation of defenders in gambling during martial law," the statement said.

According to the ministry, when logging into a gambling platform, users will be checked against a registry of individuals restricted from gambling, as well as a database of military personnel. If a restriction is confirmed, access to the game will be blocked.

Officials stressed that gambling operators will not receive any information about a person's military status. The system will only indicate whether a restriction exists, without disclosing personal data or explanations.

The mechanism will be implemented by PlayCity, the state agency regulating the gambling market.

In 2025, PlayCity blocked more than 2,500 illegal online casino websites.

Illustrative photo: armyinform.com.ua