Ukraine approves first national gambling addiction strategy through 2035

Ukraine has approved its first national strategy focused specifically on reducing gambling-related harm and addressing gambling addiction through 2035. For PSPs and gambling operators, the key point is that the country is no longer treating this as a narrow compliance issue; it is building a broader framework that links prevention, treatment, enforcement and regulation.

1. The Cabinet of Ministers approved the strategy on 28 August 2026 together with an operational plan covering 2027 to 2029. The government says each strategic objective is tied to specific measures, responsible institutions and implementation timelines, which makes this more than a policy statement on paper.
2. The strategy is described as Ukraine’s first of its kind and is intended to run through 2035. Official government information says it brings together public health, education, social protection, law enforcement and gambling regulation under a single approach to reducing gambling-related risks.
3. The Ministry of Digital Transformation played a central role in developing the framework and published the draft for public consultation in May 2026. That draft described a coordinated system covering awareness, early identification, treatment, support for affected people and action against the illegal gambling market.
4. Prevention is one of the main pillars. The government plans public information campaigns on gambling risks, school-based educational initiatives, and stronger mechanisms for early identification of people at higher risk of harmful gambling behavior, including screening and other early detection tools.
5. The policy also goes beyond awareness. Official material highlights improved access to treatment, psychological assistance and rehabilitation, which means the strategy is aimed at the full chain: preventing harm, spotting it earlier and connecting people to support.

For high-risk payment companies, the practical takeaway is that Ukraine is framing gambling addiction as both a market-regulation issue and a public-health issue. That usually means more scrutiny around operators, more coordination between agencies, and more pressure on the ecosystem that sits around the gambling merchant.