Gambling business owners use drops and offshore accounts in Curacao to withdraw funds
In 2024, online casino revenues in Ukraine reached 55.6 billion UAH. An investigation by the project 3na4 points to the large-scale use of illegal financial schemes and links between gambling operators and government officials. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine (Юлія Бойко) citing 3na4, according to the portal PromPolitInform.
After the re-legalisation of gambling in 2020, the market has shown significant revenue growth. While operators reported 55.5 billion UAH in revenue for 2023, the figure rose to 55.6 billion UAH the following year. Alongside the legal sector, illegal networks operate, extensively using straw men, so-called “drops,” and cryptocurrency tools to conduct transactions.
Scale of the shadow market
Law enforcement operations confirm the high level of organisation of illegal structures. In particular, searches have yielded thousands of SIM cards and hundreds of bank accounts controlled by a single operator. Current fines of up to 850,000 UAH are ineffective as a deterrent, often amounting to less than the daily revenue of individual gambling networks.
A significant portion of owners of gambling companies based in Curacao are Ukrainian citizens. Data analysis reveals 124 companies that continue to operate in the Ukrainian market through international structures despite legislative restrictions.
Accountability and regulation
The media investigation also raises the issue of the involvement of former members of the Commission for the Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries (KRAIL) in corruption. Defendants in cases regarding, among other things, the facilitation of licence issuance for illicit gain are currently subjects of judicial proceedings initiated by NABU.
A separate section covers the distribution of responsibilities within the government. According to Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 924, the organisation of gambling was assigned to the remit of the Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov. Despite subsequent denials by the Ministry regarding the extent of responsibility, the investigation’s authors point to a direct normative link between the sector and the specified position.
Social consequences
Considerable concern is caused by the vulnerability of military personnel to developing gambling addiction due to constant psychological stress. Experts note that online casino mathematical algorithms are designed for the player to lose, leading to the depletion of their financial allowances and the accumulation of debt.
Statistical data show a rapid increase in the number of individuals in the registry of gambling addicts: from 3,700 in 2023 to 14,979 as of April 2025. The vast majority of citizens are added to this list based on personal requests for self-restriction, while judicial practice in this area remains limited.
Illustrative photo: Images Money / CC BY 2.0
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