Ukraine is sending an unequivocal message to unlicensed operators as the country’s recently-formed regulator KRAIL, or Commission for the Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries has published guidelines that will advise a course of action against unauthorized gambling websites. 

KRAIL Begins Targeting Illegal Gambling Businesses

Joining the family of regulated markets, Ukraine is quickly looking to plug the hole of offshore gambling that puts consumers at risk and saps the momentum of the regulated market. KRAIL has commented on a list of companies that will now have three days of receiving notice by the regulator to cease all operations without a license on the territory of Ukraine. 

Website owners will be targeted directly, the regulator explained. Should they refuse to comply, KRAIL will notify ISPs and the parties responsible for those websites servers and ask them to suspend their operations. 

The regulator is also going to use other techniques that are popular in other regulated markets, such as publicly blacklisting a website. DNS blocking has not been discussed just yet, GamblingNews understands based on the regulator’s official statement at the commission’s site. However, KRAIL may seek assistance from law enforcement should the previous conditions not be met. 

KRAIL reminded operators in a statement that the conduct of online gambling without a proper license would result in consequences for said operators and their business owners. All operators must comply with the existing regulatory framework that prohibits or allows the running of online gambling operations in the country. 

Introducing Responsible Gambling

Previously KRAIL introduced responsible gambling regulations, originally published in June, but only becoming a fact in September. The rules have to do with how bonus offers are extended to consumers.

Specifically, the regulator has set rules about how operators must introduce safeguards that would stop them from incentivizing vulnerable players to continue playing more upon incurring huge losses. Players must have the option to self-exclude or/and introduce depositing limits.

Commenting on this, KRAIL said that responsible gambling is a basic principle for any regulated gambling industry and one that the regulator would seek to enforce in full.