PlayCity has fined Ukrainian blogger and actor Bohdan Sheludyak UAH5.2m ($116,000) after identifying illegal gambling advertising on his Instagram account @bushe8.
The Ukrainian gambling regulator said the financial sanction was applied to Sheludyak as an individual entrepreneur.
The case falls under Ukraine's Law on Advertising, which establishes restrictions on how gambling operators and their brands can be promoted.
The current advertising framework was strengthened through legislation that came into force in April 2025. It prohibits people working in culture or media, public figures and individuals who regularly distribute information through their own social media accounts for profit from participating in gambling advertising, with an exception for athletes.
The legislation also limits where gambling advertising can appear. Permitted channels include certain registered media aimed at audiences aged over 21, operators' own websites and platforms capable of restricting advertising to users aged over 21.
Sheludyak's sanction comes during a broader enforcement campaign against gambling advertising. PlayCity said earlier this year that sanctions had been imposed on 16 bloggers and media organisations since the regulator began operating.
The agency has also established cooperation with Meta, TikTok, Viber and Google to identify and restrict prohibited content.
In April, PlayCity imposed a separate fine of almost UAH5.2m on Ukrainian football club Shakhtar Donetsk over gambling advertising.
The regulator has since introduced an online reporting tool allowing members of the public to submit evidence of suspected violations.
Under the current penalty framework, illegal gambling advertising can result in a fine equivalent to 600 minimum salaries. For 2026, PlayCity states that the resulting sanction is UAH5.188m per violation.
The enforcement programme forms part of Ukraine's wider restructuring of gambling oversight. PlayCity replaced the previous Commission for Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries and has been given responsibility for licensing, market supervision, illegal gambling enforcement and player protection.
Ukraine is also considering further player protection measures. PlayCity has proposed tighter controls covering gambling time and expenditure, including requirements for players to establish limits before accessing gambling services.
Ukraine's Government approved its first national strategy to combat gambling addiction in August, accompanied by an operational plan covering 2027 to 2029
