Ukrainian betting giant Parimatch suspends business due to government crackdown

On March 12, Parimatch, the largest betting company in Ukraine, known globally for sports betting and online gambling, announced the suspension of its activities and the blocking of its official website. 

According to a company statement, Parimatch is now “looking for a legal mechanism” to return all money to customers, as well as to suspend all partnership contracts and lay off employees.

Earlier, on March 11, the Ukrainian government put into effect the new package of sanctions against 120 individuals and almost 290 legal entities linked to the gambling business. 

The company, which was founded in 1994 in Kyiv, entered the Russian market in 1998, but ended its franchise in March 2022 after Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine.