Gennady Novikov Steps Down as Head of PlayCity

Gennady Novikov has submitted his resignation as the head of the State Agency for the Regulation of Gambling and Lottery Business PlayCity. He announced this on July 16 via Facebook, noting that he leaves with a sense of having laid a solid foundation. Novikov listed the main achievements of PlayCity since its launch in June 2025: the resumption of market licensing, the development of the State Online Monitoring System (GOSM), the blocking of over 700 social media pages and more than 9,500 illegal websites, the imposition of fines totaling 88 million UAH for violating gambling advertising rules, as well as the restoration of scheduled inspections and the introduction of new requirements for monitoring gambling addiction. Together with the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, a mechanism was created to restrict access to gambling for military personnel. Novikov added that the GOSM is expected to operate at full functionality this year, and the team is preparing a tender for the second phase of the system. In June, PlayCity initiated the introduction of a new procedure for conducting a competition for the position of director to ensure transparency and independence in the selection process.