Ukrainian Gambling Council Urges Google to Lift Advertising Ban for Licensed Operators
The Ukrainian Gambling Council (UGC) has called on Google to revise its advertising policies, arguing that the tech giant’s current ban on gambling ads in Ukraine discriminates against licensed operators and benefits illegal entities, ultimately harming the Ukrainian economy.
UGC Challenges Google’s Advertising Ban
The Ukrainian Gambling Council (UGC) has formally appealed to Google, urging the company to stop blocking advertisements from licensed gambling operators in Ukraine.
According to the UGC, Google’s blanket ban on all gambling-related advertising in the country disproportionately impacts legal businesses that comply with Ukrainian law while allowing illegal operators to continue their activities unchallenged.
Policy Impact on Legal Operators
Google’s policy classifies Ukraine as a jurisdiction where all gambling activities, except lotteries, are banned.
As a result, even licensed operators who have completed Ukraine’s legal licensing process face advertising restrictions.
These businesses, which contribute significant tax revenue and license fees to the economy, find themselves unable to reach their audience.
In contrast, illegal operators evade these restrictions by frequently changing domains and switching jurisdictions.
This imbalance has led to an increased presence of unregulated gambling services, diverting consumers from the legal market and undermining the revenues of licensed operators.
The UGC highlighted that such policies harm not only businesses but also Ukraine’s tax income.
“As a result (of Google’s restrictions), companies lose customers and profits, and the state loses taxes,” stated the UGC.
Lotteries Operating Without Oversight
The UGC also pointed out issues related to lotteries, noting that many operators in Ukraine still use licenses that expired in 2014.
These entities run various gambling services, including betting, online casinos, and slot machines, without proper permits or tax contributions.
The lack of oversight over these operations worsens the regulatory challenges in Ukraine’s gambling sector.
Appeal for Balanced Policy Changes
To correct these imbalances, the UGC has directed its appeal to key figures at Google, including Manickle Paul Terence, the director of Google LLC, and Tetiana Lukinyuk, the general director of Google Ukraine.
The council has requested a policy update that would permit licensed gambling operators to advertise their services, including land-based and online casinos, sports betting, slot machines, and online poker.
While awaiting a response from Google, the Ukrainian authorities remain committed to combating illegal gambling operations.
Recent efforts include the blocking of nearly 400 black market websites in June, bringing the total number of restricted entities to almost 3,000.
These measures aim to protect vulnerable groups, including soldiers returning from conflict zones.