The share of the illegal gambling market in Ukraine has increased to 56.7%.
A study conducted by the international company KANTAR from March to May 2026 shows an increase in the share of the illegal gambling market in Ukraine from 52.1% to 56.7%. This amounts to at least 61.6 billion hryvnias.
The study results were presented by the president of the Association of Ukrainian Gambling Business Operators, Oleksandr Kohut, reports Interfax-Ukraine. The growth of the illegal segment occurs against the backdrop of weak blockages of illegal platforms and administrative restrictions for legal operators. Players choose illegal platforms because of the speed of payouts and other advantages.
According to Kohut, the market situation requires urgent measures. To reduce the size of the illegal market, an effective state program to combat illegal gambling is needed. The association has already proposed an algorithm for instant blocking of illegal domains, but its implementation has not yet occurred.
Amid the growth of the illegal sector, legal operators expect a decrease in profits by 10–15% in the first quarter of 2026, which will lead to a reduction in state tax revenues. In 2025, the Ukrainian gambling industry paid 17.4 billion hryvnias in taxes, which was a significant contribution to the country’s budget.
| Year | Tax Revenues, billion UAH |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 0.24 |
| 2022 | 0.72 |
| 2023 | 10.4 |
| 2024 | 17.1 |
| 2025 | 17.4 |
