First Casino is literally the first licensed online casino in Ukraine's history. On 18 February 2021, KRAIL adopted Decision No.56 to issue the first online casino license in independent Ukraine — and it was received by the company LLC "FIRST ELEMENT". Five years later, on 23 February 2026, the same operator received PlayCity license No.31-R — also a first. This review covers how the "first" casino holds its standard across regulator generations and why its ₴250,000 welcome package remains the most generous in the top 5.
February 2021: how it began
The first online casino license in Ukraine was issued on 18 February 2021 — exactly 7 months after Law No.768-IX on state regulation of gambling was adopted. That law, in July 2020, effectively legalized the industry after a near-twenty-year moratorium. Under KRAIL Decision No.56, the license went to LLC "FIRST ELEMENT" — a company with a legal address in Kyiv at 50 Sim'i Prakhovyh Street. EDRPOU code — 44137382.
The name "First" was, essentially, a marketing claim — a stake on historical primacy. And it isn't an empty claim. The document is registered as "Category 1 first license", with effective date 26.02.2021.
Five years and several regulatory amendments later (KRAIL Decisions No.150 dated 08.08.2023 and No.20 dated 16.01.2024 refined conditions), the license expired. In February 2026 — at the moment of re-registration under the new regulator — First Casino again received "number one": PlayCity Decision No.31-R, issued on 23 February 2026, valid until 23 February 2031.
While other operators are still preparing re-registration documents, at First it's already history. Looking at the dates, it appears PlayCity deliberately gave them "number one" — a recognition of consistency. Serhii Vovchenko, Tymoshenko editorial
Current status of First Casino
Today First Casino is a hybrid: the online platform first.ua + a network of land-based halls in Kyiv, Lviv, Dnipro, Odesa, and Kharkiv. Linking them is the loyalty program Level Up, which synchronizes bets, points, and statuses between online accounts and physical halls. Earn 5,000 points in Kyiv — you can spend them online from your couch.
The legal structure is simpler than at Favbet: a single LLC — "FIRST ELEMENT" — holds the license for both online and land-based halls. This means problems with one category potentially affect all. So far there have been no reputational incidents.
The ₴250,000 welcome package: terms in detail
First Casino's welcome bonus is the largest among Ukraine's licensed casinos as of April 2026. Up to ₴250,000 + 1,300 free spins, spread across 5 deposits. Let's look closer:
- 1st deposit: +175% (max ₴50,000) + 250 FS in Big Bass Bonanza
- 2nd deposit: +125% (max ₴50,000) + 250 FS
- 3rd deposit: +100% (max ₴50,000) + 300 FS
- 4th deposit: +75% (max ₴50,000) + 250 FS
- 5th deposit: +50% (max ₴50,000) + 250 FS
That's 675% total (per the site's claim), though each individual deposit is capped at ₴50,000 of bonus. To squeeze the maximum, you'd need to deposit roughly ₴30,000–60,000 across each of the 5 top-ups. Not realistic for everyone.
Wager — x40. Honestly, that's high. Market average is x35–x40, but smaller operators sometimes give x25. The high wager at First is offset by the bonus size.
Ongoing bonuses and cashback
Beyond welcome — weekly cashback 5–15% (depending on loyalty tier), a no-deposit ₴200 bonus for Diia verification, Friday "game of the week" free spins, and birthday 60–500 FS without wagering. Cashback is auto-credited every Monday at 12:00, with no wager and no withdrawal cap.
First catalog: 7,000+ games
This is the largest catalog among Ukraine's licensed casinos to date. Over 7,000 titles from 50+ providers. Among the top: Pragmatic Play, NetEnt, Play'n GO, Endorphina, Greentube, Igrosoft, Spinomenal, Habanero, Yggdrasil, Quickspin, Platipus.
Proprietary TV games are a separate block: Wheel of Fortune, Battle of Bets, Balls. This is a format where the result comes not from RNG but from a live TV show with a host. Operates daily; bets are accepted in real time.
On crash games and Aviator specifically
First has one of the most complete crash/instant-game sections among UA operators. Aviator (Spribe) is present, JetX (SmartSoft) too, plus a dozen lesser-known graph games. First's distinctive feature — publishing the round history of the past 12 hours, with multiplier filtering. Other platforms typically hide this transparency.
What we liked — Aviator's contribution to the wager is 100% (full). Most competitors count crash games at 50% or less due to the risk of fast wagering.
Deposits and withdrawals
Payment methods are more modest than at Slots City — the operator still doesn't accept Sense Bank or Pumb directly, only via cards. In our tests this caused inconvenience: Monobank and PrivatBank work instantly, while Sense card was processed slower, and withdrawals took 1–2 business days.
| Method | Deposit | Withdrawal | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa / Mastercard PrivatBank | from ₴100 | ₴200–50,000 | 15–30 min |
| Apple Pay / Google Pay | from ₴100 | — | instant |
| Monobank Bank ID | from ₴100 | ₴200–100,000 | instant |
| City24 / EasyPay (terminals) | from ₴100 | — | instant |
A First quirk: 0% withdrawal fee is only available if your bet turnover equals 200% of the deposit amount. Meaning: deposit ₴5,000 — to withdraw fee-free, you must wager ₴10,000 in bets. Less than that — a 5% deduction applies. This is an atypical market condition, designed to prevent situations where players deposit only to claim promos.
Another nuance — withdrawal is only allowed to the same card used for deposit. This is a regulator's requirement, not the operator's, but some players see it as a limitation, especially when changing cards.
First Mobile
There's an iOS app (via TestFlight), 65 MB. An Android app existed but was temporarily pulled in November 2025 for rebuilding — they promised to return it by April 2026. As of mid-April testing, it hadn't returned yet. That's a minus, since competitors offer Android apps.
The PWA version is available and works steadily. There's a quirk we initially mistook for a bug: PWA prompts "Download" every 14 days, even when already installed. It turned out to be the operator's update security policy — they regularly refresh the PWA via service worker, requiring users to "accept" the new version.
Support
Email [email protected], live chat, phone. Operates 24/7. Ukrainian and Russian (on request); English isn't yet on staff.
We tested three times: 11:00, 18:30, 03:15. Response times: 1:42, 2:15, 5:08. The last — nighttime — felt scripted. A follow-up helped: a 30-second clarification request prompted a qualified live operator's reply.
How people search for First Casino
First Casino has several parallel search identities — Latin, Cyrillic, and two Cyrillic variants (with "и" and "і"). Ukrainian players also often search "Перше Казино" in translation.
All variants lead to the official domain first.ua. Alternative spellings "Фьорст", "Ферст", "Фірст" are different forms of Cyrillic transliteration of "First" — all legitimate for search. They don't on their own indicate a clone or fake.
Strengths and weaknesses of First
Strengths
- First KRAIL license (No.56, 18.02.2021) and first PlayCity (No.31-R, 23.02.2026)
- Largest welcome package — ₴250,000 + 1,300 FS
- Catalog of 7,000+ games — the broadest on the UA market
- Aviator and crash games with 100% wager contribution
- Level Up program unified across online and land-based halls
- Cashback up to 15% with no wagering
- ₴200 for Diia verification (uncommon)
Weaknesses
- Android app temporarily unavailable (since November 2025)
- 0% withdrawal fee only at 200% deposit turnover
- Sense / Pumb payments — only via cards, not Bank ID
- Welcome wager x40 — high, requires careful planning
- No active English-language support
FAQ
Is First Casino really the first licensed casino in Ukraine?
Yes. KRAIL Decision No.56 dated 18.02.2021 — the first "online casino" category license, issued to LLC "FIRST ELEMENT". The current license is PlayCity No.31-R dated 09.02.2026, valid until 23.02.2031.
What is the minimum deposit at First Casino?
₴100 via any method. The welcome bonus activates from ₴100 on the 1st deposit, but the maximum bonus (₴50,000) requires a deposit of at least ₴28,600.
How do I withdraw money from First Casino?
Withdrawals go to the same card used for deposit. Requests are processed from instant (Monobank via Bank ID) to 30 minutes. To get 0% fees, you need bet turnover at least 200% of the deposit — otherwise 5% is deducted. This is the operator's policy, not the regulator's.
Can I play First on mobile?
Yes. iOS app (via TestFlight, 65 MB), PWA via Safari/Chrome browser. The Android app is temporarily missing since November 2025 — promised to return in April–May 2026. Alternative — the mobile web version, adapted for touch screens.
Does First Casino have Aviator?
Yes, plus 8+ other crash games: JetX, Penalty Shoot Out, Mines, Crash X, and more. Aviator's wager contribution is 100% (full), which is favorable for most welcome bonuses.
Is First Casino blocked in Ukraine?
No, the operator works under the official PlayCity license and isn't blocked by providers or the regulator. Access to first.ua is direct, no need for mirrors or VPN. If you can't access it, it's either a DNS issue on your side, or you're outside Ukraine (some functions are unavailable abroad).
Is it true First Casino withholds 18% tax?
Yes, as a licensed operator it acts as a tax agent and withholds 18% income tax + 5% military levy on winnings. This isn't the operator's choice but a legal requirement. The player receives (winnings − 23%) net. This applies to all licensed Ukrainian casinos — not just First.
Editorial verdict
First Casino is for players who value seniority and stability. Across 5 years of operation, the brand has what no other top-5 operator can claim: number one across two license generations (KRAIL and PlayCity), the largest catalog, the most generous welcome package, full synchronization between online and land-based networks.
Final score — 4.6/5. Recommended for: players seeking a large welcome package with varied free spins; Aviator and crash-game fans wanting full wager contribution; players who occasionally visit Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa and want a unified loyalty program. Not recommended for: those waiting on the Android app (returning, but not now); players actively using Sense Bank Bank ID; players who prefer short sessions with frequent withdrawals (the 200% turnover requirement for 0% fees gets in the way).
