Institutional risks of organised crime in the gambling business: Structure, mechanisms of influence, and threats to the national security of Ukraine in wartime context based on the analysis of case studies

Organised crime operating in the gambling business (both legal and illegal) started exploiting it to finance enemy activities in Ukraine during the war, as well as recruiting agents to commit crimes against state security, which necessitated the investigation of the key risks posed by such organised crime and formulation of proposals to reduce it. The purpose of this study was to identify institutional vulnerabilities related to the penetration of organised crime into the gambling business in Ukraine, analyse its structural features and mechanisms of operation, and assess the threats it poses to national security in the context of armed conflict. The study employed a comprehensive interdisciplinary approach using the perspectives of legal, sociological, and security sciences, using comparative legal analysis, historical-legal method, and legal modelling. Application of these methods helped to identify the social risks of the gambling business, particularly the spread of gambling addiction among vulnerable segments of the population, which, in conditions of stress and economic instability, contributes to the involvement of players in criminal activity. Normalisation of gambling, financial difficulties, and the lack of adequate state protection transform the player from a victim into a potential instrument of criminal influence on state security. The study identified key mechanisms of political, corrupt, economic, and security influence of criminal groups. Based on the findings obtained, concrete recommendations were made to minimise institutional risks: automation of processes in the gambling business, improved protection of players, expanded access for law enforcement agencies to information systems, and active use of digital technologies in financial investigations. The conclusions were aimed at improving the effectiveness of the fight against organised crime and strengthening Ukraine‘s national security in the wartime context