PlayCity issued its first licence to a lottery operator following an open competition
The state agency PlayCity announced the issuance of the first licence to organise and conduct lotteries in Ukraine. The Ukrainian National Lottery became the first operator to obtain the right to operate under the new rules. The company has already paid an annual licence fee of UAH 24.2 million.
It is one of three operators selected as a result of an open competition that ended on 28 January 2026. The winners were MSL, Patriot and Ukrainian National Lottery. They meet the updated licensing requirements and can legally operate in Ukraine until at least 2029.
The agency emphasises that the resumption of licence payments is one of the first results of the reform, as the lottery market has been operating for more than ten years without proper control and transparent reporting. Under the new conditions, operators are required to maintain electronic records, and each lottery ticket and terminal must receive a unique QR code to verify the legality of the sale.
After the results of the competition were announced, operators had 10 days to submit an application for a licence and another 10 days after its consideration to pay the annual fee. The licensing conditions have been approved by the government for the duration of martial law and one year after its end, but for no less than three years. This is a shorter period than the previously envisaged 10 years, allowing for further updates to the legislation.
PlayCity emphasises that the reform is not limited to licensing. Changes are being prepared to the lottery law, which has not been updated for more than ten years. They are intended to consolidate competitive selection mechanisms, strengthen the regulator's powers and establish clear rules of operation for operators.
Changes to the Tax Code are also planned, as the current model of taxation of winnings and operators' activities, according to the regulator's assessment, encourages part of the market to go underground. Currently, the tax base is determined on the total amount of the payout, excluding the cost of purchasing the ticket.
The agency notes that the competition is only the first stage of a systematic reform. Once the amendments to the legislation are adopted, the state will be able to hold a new competition under the updated rules and create conditions for attracting international operators.
