Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to reconsider the sanctions imposed against Parimatch after a petition to review the decision garnered more than 25,000 signatures.
Under Ukrainian law, a petition above the 25,000 threshold is referred directly to the President for consideration. The petition reached the target 14 days ahead of deadline.
President Zelenskyy now has 10 days to act on the ruling, which caused controversy in the country after the operator was shut down by the government in March with the country at war with Russia.
At the time, Parimatch LLC was on the receiving end of 50-year sanctions alongside 280 other companies and several of its own subsidiaries.
It suspended operational activities as a result and has been unable to offer online gambling to Ukrainians ever since, with customer funds in limbo.
“These are more than 280 companies and 120 people who, through gambling business schemes, worked against Ukraine, withdrew funds from our state and financed various Russian schemes,” said Zelenskyy in a statement announcing the sanctions.
No business in Russia
Parimatch suggests the petition is evidence that Ukrainian consumers want the bookmaker’s services restored.
The operator said the initial ban was the result of a “flawed and unfair” investigation that falsely claimed the company was doing business in Russia.
“We trust that our President, a champion of the rule of law and liberal democratic values, will do the right thing and order a review of the unjust sanctions that were imposed on us in a flawed and unfair process.”
Parimatch, which originated in Ukraine, has provided expert independent legal opinion to confirm the company ended its third-party licence agreements with Russian entities in March 2022, immediately following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Ukrainian patriots
Maxym Liashko, managing partner of Parimatch parent company Energame, said: “We are Ukrainian patriots. Our fellow countrymen and countrywomen unequivocally agree with that.
“We have supported our country against Russia’s full-scale invasion from the first day, and immediately moved to terminate any remaining legacy business in the aggressor country.
“We are confident that Ukraine is on an irreversible road to becoming a democratic European nation where people can live and do business freely, while enjoying the full protection of the law.
“We trust that our President, a champion of the rule of law and liberal democratic values, will do the right thing and order a review of the unjust sanctions that were imposed on us in a flawed and unfair process.”
Liashko stressed the Ukrainian authorities should reserve the right to sanction entities or individuals that are looking to undermine the country, describing sanctions as a “powerful tool” in the fight against Russia and its supporters.
“However, mistakes are sometimes made, as happened in the case of Parimatch,” he added. “A robust review and appeal system is therefore an essential part of any sanctions regime.”
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