Ukraine survey finds 86% of online casino users prefer licensed operators

A government-backed survey in Ukraine says channelisation is holding up: 86% of online casino users prefer licensed operators, and 78% say they have no intention of moving to unlicensed sites. For PSPs and operators, the useful bit is not the headline number alone but the mix of reasons people still end up on black-market platforms.

1. The second phase of the study was commissioned by Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation and conducted by the SOCIOINFORM Sociological Centre between 19 May and 26 June 2026. It surveyed 2,676 online casino users using an online CAWI (Computer-Assisted Web Interview) methodology, with support from the Centre for Responsible Gaming and the Association of Ukrainian Gambling Operators. The work built on a population-wide initial phase published earlier by PlayCity, Ukraine’s state regulator for the gambling market.
2. The core finding is straightforward: 86% of respondents prefer licensed online casinos, while 78% said they do not plan to switch to unlicensed, illegal operators. At the same time, informal gambling has not disappeared. One in five players said they know friends who gamble on unlicensed sites.
3. The pull of illegal platforms is also specific, which matters for compliance and product design. The most common reasons given were quick registration without identity checks (33%), anonymity (17%), and a lack of restrictions or limits (16%). In other words, the black market is selling convenience, privacy, and fewer friction points, not just lower cost or better bonuses.
4. The participant base was not a narrow edge case. The report describes the online casino audience as generally representative of middle-income, educated Ukrainians. It says 42% had higher education and 38% had secondary specialised education, while income was mostly mid-range: 31% reported monthly earnings between 11,000 and 30,000 hryvnias and 25% between 31,000 and 50,000 hryvnias.
5. On motivation, curiosity and excitement led the way at 40%. Other reasons included distraction from daily life (21%), promotions (20%), and a desire to win money (17%). Social encouragement accounted for 14%. Most respondents, 59%, described their gambling as controlled and recreational, but 35% said it can sometimes become uncontrollable, 6% said this happens frequently, and nearly 25% reported occasionally chasing losses. Around 9% said gambling had led to serious financial, familial, or other personal difficulties.

The sample was heavily male, at 73%, with female respondents making up 27%. The report also notes that most participants had started gambling before Ukraine’s market liberalisation, which is useful context if you are trying to understand why legacy habits survive even when legal supply is available.