A bill was recently submitted to the Verkhovna Rada proposing to make significant amendments to the Code of Administrative Offenses in order to hold accountable those who provide paid services in fortune telling, psychics, magic, esotericism, and the occult, as well as those who advertise, promote, and disseminate information about the provision of such services . Note: fortune telling, esotericism, magic, psychics, the occult, and other practices described above have not yet been scientifically proven to be effective or efficient methods for helping to solve health, financial, family, and other human problems.
The main goal of the initiative is to introduce strict liability for the provision of paid services in the field of magic, psychics, fortune telling and occultism . The text provides for the imposition of significant monetary fines not only for such activities themselves, but also for their advertising or popularization in the information space. Particular attention is paid to the protection of vulnerable segments of the population , in particular military personnel and pensioners, from the influence of such practices. In addition, the document updates the rules on punishment for gambling and fortune telling in public places . The proposed norms also include provisions on the confiscation and disposal of funds used to provide such services.
What exactly are they planning to ban?
On May 15, 2026, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine registered draft law No. 15251, which provides for the introduction of administrative liability for the provision of paid occult services. The document was initiated by the People’s Deputy of the Servants of the People party, Heorhiy Mazurashu .
The draft law proposes to amend Article 181 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses. The provision of paid services , as well as advertising and promotion of the following areas, are prohibited:
- fortune telling (including Tarot cards, runes);
- extrasensory perception and clairvoyance;
- magic, esotericism and occultism;
- astrology, numerology and palmistry;
- spiritualism and other methods of divination.
Fines: from thousands to tens of thousands of hryvnias
As can be seen from the photo above, the new bill provides for strict financial sanctions and confiscation of objects (i.e., stolen) of the activity:
- For providing paid services or advertising them: a fine of 1,000 to 2,000 non-taxable minimum incomes of citizens (from 17,000 to 34,000 hryvnias) with confiscation and disposal of the means of providing services.
- Repeated violation or activities regarding vulnerable groups: if services are provided to minors, pensioners, persons with disabilities, military personnel or their families , the fine increases to 3,000 – 5,000 NMDC , which is 51,000-85,000 UAH.
- For officials – from 10,000 to 12,000 NMDG , that is, from 170,000 to 204,000 UAH.
- Fortune telling in public places: this is punishable by a warning or a symbolic fine of 3 to 5 NMDGs from 51 UAH to 85 UAH.
Why is this important? Authors’ justification
The explanatory note to the bill states that fortune-telling and the occult have a negative impact on the human psyche and will. The main risks are:
- Psychological dependence: a person loses the ability to make independent decisions.
- Negative programming: the brain perceives mystical information as truth, which can lead to real illnesses or failures.
- Loss of control: instead of taking real action, a person passively waits for the “predicted.”
The author of the document emphasizes that such practices are dangerous not only from a psychological but also from a religious point of view, as they are often perceived as “collaboration with dark forces.”
Current status of the bill
As of now, the draft law has been submitted for review and submitted for consideration to the Committee on Law Enforcement Activities. The implementation of the law will not require additional expenditures from the State Budget. If the document is adopted, it will enter into force the day after publication.
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