Ukrainian officials seeking to oust Russian actors from its gambling industry are going to emulate the methods of the US authorities in the 1980s when they rooted out the Italian mob from the casinos of Las Vegas.

Gambling was legalized in Ukraine after a 10-year ban shortly before the full-scale invasion in February 2022 and has since continued to be a profitable avenue for Russians who want to make money in the country and collect the personal data of Ukrainian gamblers.

The gambling regulator in Ukraine started revoking licences in September 2022 and in spring this year Volodymyr Zelenskiy sanctioned over 400 individuals and legal entities related to Russian gambling businesses, including five Ukrainian gambling companies.