Best 55 Online Casino​s in Ukraine

Ukraine is the largest country in Eastern Europe and has plenty of rivers and natural resources as blessings. It shares its borders with Russia, Belarus, Poland, and other countries all around. The country has been famous for its Eastern Slavic culture and has witnessed various empires' power struggles. It was in the 17th century that the country was split between the Russian Empire and Poland. It became home to several tribes and witnessed some rich history throughout. Talking of culture, the country had been under the Soviet regime when the government was a little lenient towards the punters and gamblers. They allowed sports betting and state lotteries. However, these were the times when we saw illegal gambling in private and underground dens. This was when the legalization of gambling was also under consideration.

After the Soviet Union collapsed and Ukraine got independence, gambling in the country also witnessed a surge in casinos' popularity. People started appreciating the slot machines and other casino games, causing an uproar. There were no restrictions until 2008, when the recession struck badly. This caused a lot of brouhahas, and there was a ban in 2011. Till this, people played online and offline casinos, and that too in a grand way. But again in 2014, President Putin has established a bill proposing to turn Crimea into a gambling hub on the lines of Vegas. But all said, Ukraine has had an overall bitter-sweet relationship with gambling. As of July 14, 2020, the Ukraine Parliament has chosen to legalize several gambling activities and even set up an authorization body.

Ukrainians loved to gamble, and there were as many as 40 land-based casinos across 10 cities. Kyiv alone has the most casinos, and there are several table games and slot game options at the River Palace or the River Palace Entertainment Complex. The Ukrainians love to bet, and we can see this from the re-legalizing plans of the government. Gambling has been a popular form of entertainment for a long time. Russians love odd numbers and believe that it brings in good luck. They do not consider even numbers lucky.

Online casinos are operating from Ukraine, and they have to follow certain strict protocols to be among the legal ones. There are about ten types of activities in the online casino sector that are related to licensing. There are separate licenses for land-based and online casinos. The Ukrainian government has laid specific rules for the casinos to follow. The players will also be able to play in the casinos off-shore and use UAH currency for betting in sports, slots, table, and live categories. The country is bringing in a lot of change in the online casino world in Ukraine starting from 2021.

As said earlier, the gambling scene in Ukraine has undergone a drastic change over the years. Right from the time the Soviets ruled in the country, gambling has been prevalent. Gambling houses existed, and the golden period was in the 90s when people loved to play all the table games and arcade games. However, it was only a matter of time before the country also noticed a surge in problem gambling. This was because till then, there was not much regulation in place. It was more of a free-for-all option and hardly any guideline. This caused people to bet and lose money even when they won. The government also noticed the emergence of the black market or underground casinos. These were out of the government’s control. As per the report, where 20% of the adult population gambled, the government's revenue was very less. This was because people were playing from the illegal casinos.

After the Soviet Union collapsed and Ukraine got independence, gambling in the country witnessed a surge in casinos' popularity. People started appreciating the slot machines and other casino games, causing an uproar.

Then came the recession in 2008 when the Ukrainian government was worst affected by the economic crisis. Many others claim the tragic fire accident in the Dnipro casinos was the last straw on the camel’s back and led to the ban. It decided to ban all sorts of gambling, and so on May 15, 2009, the Verkhovna Rada declared gambling as a criminal offense. The Gambling Act became law on August 11, and Patriarch, Eastern Europe’s famous operator, plans to procure the license soon. The Bill fetched a 248-95 vote majority. Not just recession, the unregulated and wild gambling market also saw rampant corruption in this field. As other countries have also realized that prohibition did no good; and gamblers often found other ways to bet. The real reason was to protect the local gamblers from becoming addicts to gambling. In this phase, the government planned to start casinos operational across different parts of Ukraine.

Coming back to the ban, the lawmakers noticed the sporadic rise in illegal gambling. This was why on December 20, 2019, the Cabinet of Ministers in Ukraine decided to pass a resolution to close all illegal casinos. This resulted in the quick overnight crackdown and shutdown of over 150 illegal lottery centers. They were able to nab as much as 46m UAH.

The government has now realized that gambling can work wonders for the economy if brought under the scanner and put on a tight leash. This has brought them to consider it as a means of bringing in investments. To put this plan into action, the government has thought of creating a casino city out of Kyiv. The government also realized that for casinos to function in this casino hub of Kyiv, the operators will need to pay as much as $1000,000 every year for the license fee. The online casinos will have to pay less than that of approximately $230,000. But they will need to get a Trademark and even prepare at least two years in advance to procure these licenses. The other requirement is for the online casino to be operating from Ukraine. Taxes range from 5% to 10% as GGR (gross gaming revenue). The government aims to make the most by this year.

After 2020, the entire Ukrainian government got into the task of legalizing and operating casinos again after the ban. The country is now offering licenses and therefore, casinos, both land-based and online can offer betting and lottery. The betting operators may only carry out online gambling. There is no requirement for the online casino operators or online poker operators to work with any land-based casinos. The government has started issuing 7 types of primary licenses for the land-based and online casinos. Ideally speaking, now gamers from Ukraine will be able to legally and safely play. But Ukrainians can play in foreign sites. There is no restriction for checking out online casinos. The country’s companies are allowed to supply the foreign casinos with gambling software only after they apply for a special license with the Commission. The Gambling Law does not allow for any land-based or online casino for any monopoly.

Ukrainian players will be able to check casinos like 888Sport, Betway and more for sports. Casumo, Vera&John casino are the other two popular choices for gamers keen on playing slot games for free or for real money. They have games from Microgaming, NetEnt, Evolution, Blueprint Gaming, and more. They offer the best titles in table games like Immersive Roulette, Lightning Roulette, Dream Catcher, and other titles. These casinos also have the most advanced live games category where you can play games like live roulette, live blackjack and more. The Ukrainians are looking forward to a time where they can play in their local online casino thanks to the recent law changes.

We understand that you may want to get more from Ukraine’s best online casinos. But if you want to have a good time at any of these casinos, you must look for a few things. You would need to be extra cautious when you are a Ukrainian and play at an off-shore casino. You should read the guidelines we are writing for you after doing extensive research for your convenience.

From 2021, the Ukrainian government aims to legalize and regulate gambling. So, it has started with the licensing procedure. It is advisable to check out the local site to get a fair idea of how the framework applies to all sorts of gambling and betting activities. We check if the site has the license from UKGC or Curacao, or Malta if you are playing from an overseas casino. It is highly risky to go to a casino that does not have a license. Sites should ideally have SSL encryption and follow the PCI rules. This and third-party auditing should be necessary for keeping the site clean and functioning smoothly. Ideally, the casino must be taking extreme care in protecting and safeguarding your identity and privacy.

A casino should be providing a 24-hour support system to the players. When you enter a site, you will notice live chat support, and this is essential. A friendly representative will be there to assist you throughout the casino. The site will also need to have telephone support and an email assistance team working round the clock.

Casinos in Ukraine or the foreign sites for Ukrainian players should be running on light software. Since many casinos these days have downloadable app versions, it should be easy to install too. Top casinos should have partnerships with game developers like Microgaming, NetEnt, Evolution, Yggdrasil, and more. These software developers create titles in all game categories, and their quality of games remains intact whether you play on desktop or mobiles. The casinos welcoming Ukrainian players should also be offering language support or have chat support in their language. This would be a welcome move since the gamers may find it difficult to understand English.

We check for you to have the best time at the casinos that you visit. The first big attraction we check out is the site’s VIP program. This VIP program will be offering anything from special daily bonus to rewards to cash backs. We also check if the sites offer special invitations to tournaments and other online events from time to time or not. The VIP Program should treat you with enough surprises in the form of Birthday or anniversary gifts, among others.

Every gamer dreams of getting a faster payout, and that will give them a sense of success. We completely understand this and, thus, help you get the casinos that pay in time. We also urge you to read online customer reviews and complaints on third-party sites. These could be giving you a clearer idea of how fast others have received their winnings. You will also learn how much time they take for processing withdrawals via a specific payment method. Make sure to fulfill all the wagering requirements before you request the withdrawal. Remember that Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies ensure the fastest payouts.

The first thing you will want to try in a casino is the welcome bonus. There are casinos in Ukraine and outside offering free spins as a no-deposit bonus. This is a great way to enter the world of casinos with a bang. You can avail of the welcome bonus in most cases where you just have to register and bet. This said, there are casinos where you will get regular promotions too. This would include cashback in sporting events and live games or slot games. If you are a slot game player and have lost a game, you can get some cashback if you apply for the same. It is helpful if you get such cash backs in a sporting event.

There are daily rebates too that casinos offer. Ukrainians will also need to check the referral bonus. This is when you will refer a friend who also registers and bets, thereby giving you a decent gift. It could be a cash prize or further free spins to use in the future. There are specific VIP only bonuses that will be for the VIP gamers. They will earn the gamers a lot of fun and will treat them for every moment they spend at the site. Many sites have elaborate Loyalty points or comp points that they can earn every time they bet. This will take them closer to the top level and therefore fetch them better rewards.

Ukraine-based gamers will be able to bet via credit cards, debit cards, and bank transfers. They can go for Citadel's Instant banking if they seek to use a trusted medium for betting in games and sporting events.

Ukrainians can bet in international events and markets. They can use e-wallets like PayPal, Skrill, Neteller and more. However, if you are relying on something faster and better, go for bitcoin. It is the fastest in terms of processing and very safe to use too.

As per the Gambling Law amendments, the gaming world in Ukraine has set forth rules for advertising casinos. There are bans on advertising on television of any gambling activity from 6 am to 11 pm. There is also a ban on printing ads for gambling in print media except in specific gambling-related newspapers or magazines. There are bans on outdoor advertising. More strict laws are sure to come in some days.