Asters is a point of choice for international companies entering Ukraine and assisting with all matters associated with the emerging Ukrainian gambling market, including licensing, certification support, compliance with regulatory gambling requirements, agreements with hotels, advertisement, online and ground operations. The firm also advises on the importation of equipment, obtaining online casino licenses, B2B and B2C regimes, contractual and tax issues. Oleksiy Demyanenko, Tetiana Tyshchenko and Vadym Samoilenko are the key partners. 

CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang in Kyiv has a multidisciplinary gambling practice team from various practice areas, with expertise extending to all gambling products including betting, gaming, lotteries, prize competitions and promotions, both remote and land-based. Furthermore, the firm advises online gaming operators on gambling regulations, licensing, data protection, localization for Ukraine. The office supported Stakelogic through the entire process of it becoming one of the first service providers to be approved for a B2B supplier license issued by the Commission for the Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries in Ukraine. Olga Belyakova, partner in the commercial practice group at the Kyiv office, is the main contact. 

Eterna Law boosted its offering for clients operating in the gaming and gambling industries, advising on investments in the sector. The team advises on structuring market entrance, taxation, licensing, certification of gambling equipment and supply, state regulation of national lotteries. Together with SiGMA, the firm is a co-founder of the Ukrainian Gambling Council, a non-government organization whose main purpose is to represent the interests and rights of members before state authorities. Partners Andrey Astapov and Artem Kuzmenko are the main contacts. 

Gramatskiy & Partners is actively involved in advising gaming and gambling regulations that have emerged in Ukraine. The recent focus included advising and obtaining licensing for on-line gambling as well as developing software for gaming operators. In a recent highlight the team acted for Clever 4ever LLC in developing software to arrange gambling activities; Playtech UA on the launch of the processing center in Ukraine for servicing on-line casinos in USA and Europe. Ernest Gramatskiy is the main point of contact.

Domestic boutique Mamunya IP has managed to grab a significant portfolio of clients in the gaming and gambling industry. The dedicated team handles trademark prosecution services and trademark and copyright enforcement advice, and recently added legal services based on pre-grant and post-grant opposition procedures. Ganna Prokhorova is lead partner.

Having developed new gambling legislation since 2014, Sayenko Kharenko is experienced in guiding gambling businesses and represented various gambling verticals, including the top world gambling providers and major Ukrainian betting and lottery operators. The team is experienced in regulatory, related IP matters, corporate and M&A. For example, the firm acted as a “one-stop shop” legal advisor to the global top-tier gaming company Yolo Group in connection to its entering the Ukrainian market, inter alia, applying for and obtaining a B2B services license from the Commission for the Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries in Ukraine, tax and legal advisory on structuring the client’s operational (business) model and ensuring business activities compliance with local Ukrainian labor, corporate and taxation law. Highly-active partner Alina Plyushch is a recognised market leader in this sphere.

Having its strong focus on the technology sector, Stron Legal Services supports the services portfolio for technology companies, gaming law makers, gaming operators, gaming platform providers, affiliates and service providers to the gaming industry. The firm is enlisted by both remote and land-based operators on practically all aspects of their business with a focus on regulatory, compliance and licensing issues. In a recent highlight the firm supported a comprehensive project of the online B2C casino in Malta, including corporate structuring of a joint venture in Malta, obtaining a gambling license, investment, tax planning, registration of IP rights within a group of companies, structuring intra-group financing, etc. Another notable project was structuring a gambling project in Curaçao. Oleg Derlyuk, managing partner, is the main contact.