Prime Minister Koretsky has appointed Alexey Tomashuk as the new head of PlayCity, the state agency responsible for regulating the gambling and lottery sectors. Tomashuk previously served as deputy to Gennady Novikov, who was dismissed from his post today. As with his predecessor, Tomashuk’s appointment was finalized without an open competitive selection process.
Novikov left the leadership of PlayCity following internal reviews and ongoing criticism surrounding the agency’s performance. However, placing his direct deputy in the top role signals a continuation of the agency’s existing operational model.
Industry experts note that appointing an insider without a transparent competition undermines efforts to audit previous operations or achieve a meaningful overhaul of the regulatory body.
According to public financial disclosure records, the newly appointed head of PlayCity reports minimal property holdings and assets:
Real Estate: Tomashuk owns no real estate. He currently resides in a 51.2 sq. m Kyiv apartment registered under another individual’s name.
Vehicles: His only declared high-value asset is a 2020 Ford EcoSport, purchased in 2024 for 350,000 UAH.
Financial Assets: The official declaration lists $20,000 held in cash.
The decision to retain PlayCity’s leadership within the existing team has drawn criticism from market observers and anti-corruption advocates.
Analysts argue that changing leadership without restructuring policy framework is purely symbolic. Under the current trajectory, significant regulatory reforms, stricter oversight, or decisive enforcement against illegal online casinos remain unlikely. Critics project that PlayCity will continue its current course, maintaining lenient oversight toward key market players and unlicensed operators.