Ukraine: betting under sanctions

Publication date: 14 March 2023

In March 2023, Ukrainian authorities approved a package of sanctions against 120 individuals and 287 legal entities.  Companies and people from Russia, Cyprus, Curacao, the UK, Hong Kong, Singapore, Gibraltar and Ukraine were banned.  They are all involved in organising gambling businesses.  The restrictions imposed for 50 years include asset freezing and a ban on capital withdrawal, as well as controls on trade transactions.

Bookmakers banned in Ukraine:

• 1xStavka (owned by Stavka RU Ltd.);
• BetCity (BetCity Ltd.);
• Betcity (Fortuna Ltd.);
• Winline (National Horse Racing Union Management Company Ltd.);
• Bingo Boom and BetBoom (Firma Stom Ltd.);
• Fonbet (F.O.N. Ltd.);
• Leon (Leon Ltd.);
• Liga stavok (First International Betting Company Ltd);
• Marathon (BC Marathon Ltd.);
• Melbet (Melophone Ltd.);
• Olimpbet (BC Olimp Ltd.);
• Pari (Pari Betting Company Ltd);
• Parimatch (PARIMATCH Ltd.). The company has already announced that it has ceased operations; the pm.ua website is unavailable to players.  About UAH 250 million (USD 6.8 million/RUB 518 million) of client funds remained on the blocked accounts.

The website of the Ukrainian regulator – the National Gambling and Lottery Regulatory Commission (KRAIL) – states that 3 companies have a state license for betting activities: PARIMATCH, VBET, FAVBET.  The previously issued licences of FAN SPORT and 1XBET were revoked at the end of 2022.