Popular Ukrainian blogger Dariana Koretska (officialdori_) has been fined 4.8 million hryvnias for illegally advertising online casinos. The woman's Instagram page, which has 370,000 followers, was actively used to promote gambling.
According to the state agency for regulating gambling and lotteries “PlayCity”, Koretskaya stated in Stories that gambling “uplifts the mood” due to happiness hormones, showed $200 allegedly won at a casino, and added an active link to a website for registration. The verification showed that there was no real account for the winnings, meaning the advertisement was fake.
System violations were detected thanks to monitoring by the PlayCity team and user complaints, and the person was identified thanks to the operational work of the Territorial Department of the Bureau of Economic Security in Kyiv.
This is not an isolated case: in August, 7 Instagram accounts were blocked in Ukraine for systematically advertising online casinos, including the page of blogger Simbochka. The country emphasizes that cooperation with Meta continues, and the fight against illegal gambling will only intensify.
Ukraine has strict rules regarding gambling advertising. It is only allowed in designated places, such as late-night television, specialized adult publications, and official websites of licensed operators. All advertising materials must contain a 21+ label, only legal brands may be advertised, and the use of minors, military personnel, medical personnel, and volunteers, as well as famous people (except athletes), is prohibited. In addition, ads must not promise easy money or bonuses, and at least 15% of the space must contain a warning about the risk of gambling addiction.
