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Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
🎰 “Premier Palace” won in court the permit for gaming zones: the appeal annulled PlayCity’s decision
The Sixth Administrative Court of Appeal annulled the decision of the court of first instance and fully granted the claim of Public Joint-Stock Company HOTEL “PREMIER PALACE”, finding the regulator’s decision unlawful.
This was reported by the Telegram channel "Sudom po skhemakh" with reference to case No. 320/64319/25.
🏛️ The essence of the dispute and the regulator’s position
In October 2025 the hotel applied to the State Agency of Ukraine “PlayCity” with a request to obtain a permit confirming the suitability of the premises for organizing gambling (the premises were planned to be leased to LLC “Niko5”).
However, in December 2025 3 the regulator adopted decision No. 177-r, by which:
1. It refused to issue a new permit;
2. It cancelled the previously issued permits No. 23 and No. 26 dated 2021.
As grounds for this step, PlayCity pointed to the presence in the hotel’s ownership structure of the company PUMORI ENTERPRISES INVESTMENTS LTD and an individual who, by the NSDC decision of 12.05.2023, were subject to 10-year personal sanctions (including asset blocks and annulment of licenses/permits). In addition, the regulator referred to proceedings in the High Anti-Corruption Court concerning recovery of assets to the state and to prohibitions on registration actions with shares.
⚖️ Court assessment and key findings
The Kyiv District Administrative Court initially upheld PlayCity’s position, but the appellate panel fully reviewed the cases and established the following:
• The personalized nature of the sanctions: The claimant (PJSC HOTEL “PREMIER PALACE”) is a separate legal entity. NSDC sanctions were applied to certain shareholders/beneficiaries, not directly to the legal entity itself or the hotel complex.
• Subject of the premises inspection: According to the Law of Ukraine “On State Regulation of Activities Related to the Organization and Conduct of Gambling”, the permit confirms the compliance of the premises themselves with the requirements (hotel category “5 stars”, number of rooms, technical specifications). The status of the owners or the existence of sanctions against them does not change the characteristics of the real estate object.
• Lack of grounds to cancel previous permits: The regulator did not prove that after 2021 the building or hotel lost the necessary parameters (category, area, room stock). References to High Anti-Corruption Court rulings and inquiries to state bodies are not substantive legal grounds for terminating the effect of already issued permits for the premises.
📋 The court’s verdict
31 On August 2026 the Sixth Administrative Court of Appeal issued a ruling by which it fully satisfied the appellate claim of PJSC HOTEL “PREMIER PALACE”, annulled the decision of the court of first instance, and declared unlawful and annulled the decision of the State Agency of Ukraine “PlayCity” No. 177-r of 03.12.2025.
Telegram publication