Surge in Gambling Addiction Cases in Ukraine

Over the past year, Ukraine has seen a threefold increase in gambling addiction cases. The register of gamblers currently includes 12,807 individuals.

This information comes from the "Opendatabot" service.

During the last year, the register gained 9,389 new entries, while 1,496 individuals were removed due to the expiration of their restrictions.

According to "Opendatabot", a total of 14,979 individuals have been registered since the establishment of the register, with 2,172 already removed.

It is noted that 99% of all entries in the register are voluntary requests. Individuals submit applications for self-restriction to temporarily block their access to gambling establishments and participation in gambling activities. The restriction period ranges from six months to three years.

Only 1% is comprised of individuals whose access was restricted by a decision from KRAIL. Throughout the existence of the register, there have been 169 such decisions, almost all made last year.

Last year, an average of 780 individuals were added to the register each month—2.8 times more than in 2023, when approximately 280 individuals were added monthly. The highest number of self-restriction applications came in April—1,041, while the lowest was in June—524.

In the first two months of 2025, 1,719 individuals have already been added to the register, averaging 860 per month—a 10% increase compared to 2024.

"Opendatabot" emphasized that currently, there is no clear statistics regarding the actual number of citizens with gambling addiction in Ukraine, and the figures in the respective register do not reflect the complete picture, particularly concerning those playing online casinos.