Gambling watchdog chief detained over support for Russian online casino – Ukraine's Bureau of Investigation, photos

Ukraine’s State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) has reported that it has detained Ivan Rudyi, Head of the Commission for Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries, for supporting the operation of a Russian-owned online casino in Ukraine.

Source: SBI press service; Prosecutor General's Office on Telegram

Details: It is noted that during the pre-trial investigation, the SBI found that the institution headed by Rudyi issued and, on his instructions, deliberately failed to take action to revoke the licence to organise online gambling from a commercial entity beneficially owned by Russians [this refers to the online casino Pin-Up – ed.]. It was also reported that the representatives of the said commercial entity had assisted the Russian state.

The decision not to revoke the licence was not made, despite numerous assessments showing that the operation of the online casino threatened national security. For example, the SBI noted that the personal data of Ukrainian servicemen who were the casino’s customers could easily fall in the hands of the Russians. 

During the investigation, SBI officials discovered, among other things, that the person who directly controls the online casino's activities had financed the veterans of the so-called special military operation [as the Russians call the war against Ukraine –ed.] after the start of the full-scale invasion. The online casino itself continues to operate in Russia and on Russian web resources.

The court has now remanded the beneficial owners of the said online casino in custody as a pre-trial restriction, namely the director and the owner of the trademark and domain name. They were served with a notice of suspicion of aiding the aggressor state (Article 111-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

In addition, the SBI, together with other authorised institutions, is taking measures to recover the funds seized and transferred to the Asset Recovery and Management Agency and direct it to Ukrainian state revenue in accordance with the current legislation.

Prosecutors said that on Wednesday, law enforcement officers carried out searches at Rudyi's residence and workplace and of his cars, seizing flash drives, draft entries and other documents, along with laptops, phones, drugs and cash.

The SBI added that during the searches on 18 December, a large amount of cocaine was found and seized from Rudyi.

The issue of serving him with a notice of suspicion of aiding the aggressor state and illegal possession of a large amount of drugs with no intent to sell (Part 1 of Article 111-2, Part 2 of Article 309 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine), as well as the choice of pre-trial restriction, is being decided.

Background: An Ukrainska Pravda source in law enforcement agencies reported that on the morning of 18 December, the SBI and the Prosecutor General's Office had detained Ivan Rudyi.

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