Zelenskyy to review Parimatch sanctions as official petition lands on President’s desk
Operator hoping for a reprieve following 50-year sanction handed out in March as public rally behind firm
An official petition to review the 50-year sanction handed out to Parimatch for alleged ties with Russia will be put to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The petition, which has garnered 25,000 signatures, will be referred directly to Zelenskyy under Ukrainian law.
Zelenskyy now has 10 days to act upon the petition and potentially bring an end to the sanctions placed on Parimatch earlier this year.
In March, Zelenskyy moved to sanction 120 individuals and 287 entities after an investigation by the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine.
The sanctions were put in place after the government established these entities, including Parimatch, “withdrew funds from our state and financed various Russian schemes”.
The sanctions meant Parimatch was forced to shutter its operations in Ukraine, while also putting staff livelihoods at risk and freezing customer funds in accounts, which to date remain inaccessible.
Parimatch vehemently denies the alleged connections with Russia, including offering its services in the country.
The operator said it ended its third-party licence agreements with Russian entities in March 2022, immediately after Russia invaded Ukraine. This included terminating software and trademark licensing agreements.
Parimatch has also confirmed it has received no contact from the National Security and Defense Council since the sanction was handed down and that the ban was a result of a “flawed and unfair investigation”.
In a statement, Parimatch said: “Parimatch LLC vehemently denies all allegations made against it, namely that it, or any company of the Parimatch group, has ties with companies that do business in Russia.
“It has obtained detailed legal analysis by international legal experts that conclusively prove that the Parimatch group of companies severed its ties with Russian entities after Russia’s illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine and has no existing ties with any Russian companies.”
Parimatch also moved to dismiss media reports that purportedly revealed Russian connections in the group’s company structure.
Media reports claimed Ericius Investments, which according to Companies House is the body with significant control of Parimatch in the UK, also held shares in Russian operator Betring.
Parimatch said Ericius did hold a share in Betring up to 2017, but there was no connection with the company at this point.